Victor Wembanyama

Rudy Gobert (L) poses next to Victor Wembanyama after an exhibition game on October 6. Steve Marcus/Getty Images North America/Getty Images.

But his maturity and his confidence, he’s very unique.” I didn’t do anything yet.” He’s also caught the eye of LeBron James who earlier this week said Wembanyama was an “alien” and a “generational talent.”

LeBron James called him an alien. Everyone else is already calling him next year's no. 1 pick. Just how good can the silky 7-foot-4 star be?

The nature of the game today only amplifies the pressure on Wembanyama, given the obligations for a big to switch on the perimeter, defend every corner of the court, and handle the ball from the outside. Wembanyama plays a lot on the perimeter, but even with his slender 220-pound frame he boxes out for rebounds and absorbs contact in the paint. I asked a handful of executives what the risk really was for Wembanyama to play. He said a ton of friends and family texted him about it and his reaction was merely, “It’s cool.” There’s a maturity to the way the French star thinks and approaches both basketball and life. He already has a concerning injury history, including a fibula stress fracture, a scapula contusion, and an issue affecting the psoas muscle in his back. NBA teams view his family as a strong support system that will help him adjust to life in the NBA—and the inevitable fame that comes with it . Most execs around the league are confident in Wembanyama’s ability to become a reliable shooter because of his rate of progress and the work ethic he’s displayed so far. And sometimes, he’ll use that flexibility in a game to catch a body. I sat two rows back from the court and it didn’t take long for Wembanyama to make it clear he is the best prospect in the 2023 class, and the best prospect I have scouted in my He battled bouts of streakiness and shot 31 percent from 3 and 68.5 percent from the line in recent seasons overseas. Wembanyama is the first to admit it’s way too soon to anoint him as anything, but the Vegas showcase was organized in large part to display his talents on a worldwide stage. He stands at a towering 7-foot-4 and doesn’t even need to leave his feet to alter shots because he can stretch his 8-foot wingspan to swat away jumpers or poke the ball away from would-be attackers.

Fans react to the shoe size of Victor Wembanyama. Next year's top NBA draft prospect wears a size 20.5 shoe.

[LeBron James](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/lebron-james) called him an alien. [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/giannis-antetokounmpo) said, "He's incredible, man. The skillful center played in the Nike GT Run during an exhibition game on Tuesday. Basketball fans everywhere are obsessing over Wembanyama's size 20.5 shoe (size 55 in Europe). We will have plenty of time to dream about the future of the French prospect. [NBA](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/nba) is bracing itself for one of the biggest tank jobs the league has ever seen.

Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson squared off in two games this week, building more buzz. These six NBA teams have the best shot at drafting them.

The Thunder are not a playoff team in a deep West and are expected to be in the mix for the No. The Rockets are getting better but not yet good enough for a playoff spot in the West as they give their young and promising talent plenty of minutes. But playing in a tough Eastern Conference, the Magic are not a playoff team even with addition of 2022 No. The Spurs traded Dejounte Murray in the offseason after trading Derrick White mid-season in 2021-22 and may be headed for a painful rebuild. However, the three worst teams seeded 1-2-3 in the draft lottery also have a 27.4% chance to get a top-two pick. The projected top two picks in the June draft played again on Thursday with Wembanyama of the Metropolitans 92 going for 36 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

Victor Wembanyama Called "2K Create-A-Player" After Stunning Las Vegas Exhibition: The 7-footer is projected to be the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

[ LeBron James](https://hypebeast.com/tags/LeBron-James) who was there to watch Wembanyama in person. “I mean at 7’4 or 7’5 or 7’3, or whatever the case might be. “Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien. Wembanyama is currently projected to come first in the 2023 NBA draft and many including Standing 7’3 without shoes, Wembanyama is the same height as Boban Marjanovic and [Kristaps Porzingis](https://hypebeast.com/tags/Kristaps-Porzingis) who are the two tallest players currently set to appear this upcoming season. Wembanyama, who currently plays for the French professional basketball club Metropolitan 92, averaged a stat line of 36.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks in the two games, showing his prowess on both ends of the floor.

The projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft shined bright in two showcase games against Scoot Henderson and G League Ignite.

The comparisons have been all over the place, and we’re all struggling to find them. I didn’t play a game in the NBA yet, I didn’t get drafted. Eighteen-year-old Victor Wembanyama is not physically here to stay—he’s headed back to France to continue the Pro A season with his club, Metropolitans 92— [but with two dazzling showcase games against G League Ignite](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/10/05/victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-2023-nba-draft-g-league-ignite-metropolitans-92) (and [top U.S.-born prospect Scoot Henderson](https://www.si.com/nba/2021/11/18/scoot-henderson-g-league-ignite-daily-cover)), Wembanyama has arrived for good. There were many of them: Wembanyama’s presence in Vegas also overlapped with a pair of Lakers preseason contests against the Suns and Timberwolves. There’s a sense of wonderment that comes with watching him play—and how much he seemed to be enjoying himself—which makes it tough for even the most impartial of observers to keep a stiff lip. His defensive impact was easy to understand on film, but he shoots the ball even better than you might expect, and his overall comfort level handling it is something that has to be witnessed to fully comprehend. And as I understand it, that message is coming straight from the source: Victor himself is far too competitive to entertain the idea of sitting out games when healthy. Many franchises (I won't name names, but most of them are preparing for losing seasons) flew in large chunks of their front offices to watch him practice and play. [Wembanyama Week festivities](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/10/05/victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-2023-nba-draft-g-league-ignite-metropolitans-92) have come to a close here amongst the neon signs and freeways, but the story itself is very much beginning. While Henderson (who is officially day-to-day with a bone bruise) has been naturally cast as Wembanyama’s presumptive foil as a candidate for the No. Wembanyama is very arguably the most skilled basketball-playing teenager on earth, while he’s listed at 7’ 2”, tells reporters he’s 7’ 3”, and, to some speculative observers, may be taller than that. Thursday’s tilt tipped at noon local time and unsurprisingly lacked the same energy, compounded by the fact Henderson played just four minutes before knocking knees with Wembanyama on a switch, getting the worst of it, and sitting the rest of the game as a precaution.

In the two-game series, the projected No. 1 pick in next year's draft posted 73 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots while making nine three-pointers.

[video link](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1578374518116065282)). [Retweet](http://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoopsrumors.com%2F2022%2F10%2Fnba-buzz-over-victor-wembanyama-continues-to-grow.html&text=NBA+Buzz+Over+Victor+Wembanyama+Continues+To+Grow)4 [Share](#)0 [Send via email](#)0 … We plan so that we limit the risk.” “Just before we came in last Saturday, we had a meeting with our doctor and we are going to prepare to plan the next two months to increase what he is doing, besides the court, to strengthen the body,” Collet said. Watching him stand out against G League competition has added to his legend, including among a pair of former MVPs. The 7’3″ French center dominated nearly every aspect of the game, delivering 36 points and 11 rebounds along with highlight blocks and outrageous long-distance shots.

Length and versatility have long been the name of the game in the NBA. Players like Kevin Durant, Lamar Odom, Brandon Ingram, Anthony Davis, and more were able ...

1 (barring any injury) teams are expecting him to be an all-star level talent who could be one of the best to ever play in the league. Length and versatility have long been the name of the game in the NBA. If everything goes according to plan, the NBA could soon return to a league where big men are the priority. However, after talking with a sponsored grassroots director and coach, Wenbanyama's performance did not just help himself and his draft status; it also indirectly managed to increase the value of current NBA players of the same mold. There was a lot of hype leading into this week in the NBA world as fans, scouts, etc. got their first United States look at the next year's projected No.

The hype continues to build around 18-year-old French sensation Victor Wembanyama after a pair of standout performances in exhibition games against G League ...

He's a towering presence defensively with almost an unbelievable offensive skill set for a player of his size, with guard-level talent both in terms of ball-handling and shooting. Wembanyama delivered on sky-high expectations in his first U.S. [Kevin O'Connor](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/10/7/23392450/victor-wembanyama-nba-draft-scouting-report) of The Ringer.

Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James said he understands where the buzz around projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama comes from.

I can’t imagine what my life or how it would’ve been different or what would’ve transpired with social media, but I’m happy I didn’t have social media, and I was happy I was from the small town of Akron, Ohio. In Thursday’s rematch, Wembanyama racked up 37 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks to help the French side beat the Ignite 122-15. The 18-year-old Frenchman scored 37 points — after going 7-for-11 from downtown — in addition to five blocks while the Ignite star answered with 28 points, nine assists, and five rebounds, leading his team to a 112-106 victory over Metropolitans 92. “At 7’4″ or 7’5″ or 7’3″ or whatever the case me be, his ability to put the ball on the floor and shoot stepback jumpers out of the post, stepback threes, catch-and-shoot threes, block shots. No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and graceful as he is on the floor. The matchup sparked a tremendous interest with many wanting to see the French 7-foot-4 teenager with the agility of a puma, widely considered to be a lock-on No.

HENDERSON, Nev. — For any prospect, even one as heralded as Victor Wembanyama, the endorsement of LeBron James is no small thing.

Even Hart seemed to understand that his team was just a stop in the road. They boost Scoot Henderson, a 6-2 guard widely considered the runner-up draft prospect to Wembanyama and who had a strong game himself in the first matchup before leaving early in the second after banging knees with the Frenchman. … He’s that much of a presence in the paint, but then last game he hit seven threes,” Mika said. The Minnesota Timberwolves center beamed for photos with Wembanyama, who manages to dwarf even the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He can block shots from anywhere: 6-10 forward Efe Abogidi found out in the third quarter when he attempted a hook shot, only to have Wembanyama swat it from the sky once it was already three feet above his hand. But it was clear that, though he’s flattered, the Frenchman is not one to linger on any kind of praise – even from James.

Even Richard Jefferson couldn't help but compare Lakers star LeBron James and NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama.

2 if he was the exact same age in the exact same draft." “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is, but as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor… But that is not the case, as the 18-year-old is really mobile and moves gracefully for his size. LeBron James would go No. In fact, the former NBA forward went as far as to saying that LeBron would go no. Similar to LeBron heading to his draft, the Frenchman is the consensus no.