Victor Wembanyama, the 19-year-old French basketball sensation, aims to win an NBA championship following his selection as the top overall pick in the 2023 draft by the San Antonio Spurs. The young athlete is often viewed as one of basketball’s most promising talents, garnering comparisons to LeBron James, the highly esteemed pick of 2003.
LeBron James, a prominent LA Lakers player, had earlier watched Wembanyama in action during an exhibition game in Las Vegas and labeled him as a “generational talent,” likening him to an alien. Wembanyama, known in basketball circles as a ‘unicorn’ due to his multi-faceted abilities, showed a preference for James’s description, expressing delight at being termed something out of this world and embodying uniqueness and originality.
In the same draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected 20-year-old star Brandon Miller, standing 6ft 9in tall from the University of Alabama, as the number two pick. The Portland Trail Blazers picked Scoot Henderson, a two-season player in the NBA’s developmental ‘G-League’, as their third choice.
Rounding out the top five selections were identical twins Amen and Ausar Thompson. Amen Thompson was selected as the fourth pick by the Houston Rockets, while Ausar Thompson was chosen as the fifth pick by the Detroit Pistons.