When you “Create-A-Player” on NBA video games, what does he look like? You’d like your player tall, of course. Perhaps he is freakishly tall to get his shot off in front of any defense. Throw in some handles for some razzle dazzle dribbling. Off the chart shooting percentages from everywhere on the court. A shot-block artist on defense. Of course, make him a workout warrior in the off-season. Dubbed “Wemby” by social media stans, French superstar Victor Wembanyama brings all these gifts to the NBA in real life. Tantalizing talent. Crazy length. Humble personality. 19 years old. Both of his parents and all of his siblings are athletes. Perfect landing spots for Victor Wembanyama should include an excellent coaching background, young or established teammates actively improving their game, a passionate fanbase for home games, and some good food options for the French native.
There are 14 teams in Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, and a run to the top spot could change a franchise’s fortunes. Let’s take a look at the top three Victor Wembanyama landing spots.
3- San Antonio Spurs
When I think of Victor Wembanyama, I draw parallels to NBA Hall-of-Famer and former Spurs’ center Tim Duncan. After all, the 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs held the third-worst record in the league when they won the Tim Duncan Draft Lottery. This season, they are tied for the second-worst record. Duncan came from an excellent pedigree in Wake Forest and starred on all the Spurs’ championship teams. Wembanyama comes in with four years of professional experience on the national and international stage. Tim Duncan also had a tremendous work ethic and focus on the fundamentals. Wemby has shown that he is all about doing the little things to improve daily.
One thing the 1997 Spurs have in common with this year’s team is Hall-of-Fame coach Gregg Popovich. He is the longest-tenured active coach among the major US sports leagues. Additionally, he has more wins than any coach in NBA history, five NBA championships, and he coached the Men’s Olympic Basketball team to a gold medal. I could not think of a better teacher of the game for Wembanyama.
His Spurs teammates would include rising star Keldon Johnson who led the team with 22 points per game, and young point guard Tre Jones. This team would need time to develop and build, but they would not have to rush Wemby’s progress.
There are few distractions in San Antonio. However, the food scene is spectacular as Wemby may experience Tex-Mex cuisine, a Texas staple, for the first time.
The Spurs are tied with the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets for the best odds to snag the number one pick (14 percent odds).
2- Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors would be a surreal Victor Wembanyama landing spot.
On the court, the team is built to compete for the playoffs and beyond. They have former All-Star Fred VanVleet at point guard, former All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam, excellent young players in Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby, and tons of depth. VanVleet and Siakam each have championship rings and NBA Finals experience, which makes them excellent mentors. Moreover, Wemby’s talent level and ability to adjust could mean the Raptors compete immediately in the Eastern Conference. The current Raptors with Victor Wembanyama are probably already better than the fifth-seeded New York Knicks team that got bounced out of the semifinals by the Miami Heat last week. Poor Stephen A. Smith.
Pain.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 13, 2023
I want Dame. pic.twitter.com/KAvmQI4hCX
The Raptors fired their head coach Nick Nurse following the NBA Play-In Tournament, but not having a coach in place could be advantageous if the Raptors win the lottery. They can then shift focus to hiring coaches that give Wembanyama the best chance to succeed. Consider the recently fired Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, for example, rather than the rumored JJ Reddick possibility.
Off the court, he would feel welcome in the country of Canada and its French roots. The French media would fawn over the pairing, and Wembanyama could build his brand north of the border. The rabid fanbase would morph the Toronto Raptors into an NBA powerhouse again – this time with Wembanyama as the star. He can also enjoy his familiar French dishes.
The consequences of having an established team are low lottery odds. Toronto is a long shot with one percent odds of landing the number one pick. Anything can happen, however.
1- Washington Wizards
The best fit for Victor Wembanyama lies in the nation’s capital with the Washington Wizards.
The current Wizard’s roster makes Washington one of the best Victor Wembanyama landing spots. Former All-Star Bradley Beal may be the best shooting guard among all the lottery teams. Imagine the length in the paint when you pair the 7’4″ Wembanyama with the 7’3” unicorn Kristaps Porzingis. Rising star and former NBA champion Kyle Kuzma is an established young talent who played with former draft phenom (and future Hall-of-Famer) LeBron James.
This Wizards team with Wembanyama would compare favorably to the current Philadelphia 76ers roster that was a (complete blowout) game away from the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. Wemby would be their NBA MVP center; just like Joel Embiid, Beal is their James Harden, Porzingis stars as Tobias Harris, you get the picture.
Trainers work with Wembanyama similarly to how NBA Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki was trained. I expect Washington’s head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to continue that pursuit of excellence and lead a Wizards resurgence. The Wizards have one of the NBA’s largest arenas, and the Capital One Arena would quickly fill with new fans. D.C. has all kinds of international restaurants for Wemby to sample.
The Wizards have a 6.7 percent chance at the number one pick in the NBA Draft.
Editor’s note: I reside in Houston and would LOVE it if my hometown Rockets won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. Wemby is on track to be a global superstar, and the Houston Rockets have a history of Hall-of-Fame centers (Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Yao Ming, among others). Wemby is not a natural fit as the Rockets are building around guards, but they can undoubtedly pivot as they add a future Hall-of-Fame pivot.
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