Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 Frenchman who some NBA commentators think could be a generational talent, was the No. 1 pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
The past two times the five-time NBA champions have had the top pick, they also selected big men 鈥� David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1997. Both had Hall of Fame careers and earned championship rings.
Unlike many players his size, Wembanyama is not a prototypical NBA center. While the 19-year-old can be dominant on defense, he is able to dribble the ball like a point guard and shoot from 3-point range efficiently.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough league,鈥� Wembanyama told draft broadcaster ESPN through tears after he was selected. 鈥淚 going to try to learn as quick as possible because I want to win that ring.鈥�
Wembanyama said he had dreamed so much of hearing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call his name, he had to cry when the moment arrived.
Wembanyama played the past three seasons in France鈥檚 LNB Pro A, the country鈥檚 highest pro level, with the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92. He led the league in scoring, rebounding, and blocks on his way to becoming the youngest regular-season MVP in Pro A history.
In 34 regular season games with Mets 92, he averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks per game.
He鈥檚 one of the most touted teenagers to join the NBA since LeBron James was the top pick of the 2003 draft.
鈥淏ecause of all the hype, he鈥檒l have a target on his back. So more than O鈥檚 and X鈥檚, to begin with, we鈥檒l be interested in setting the framework in an environment where he鈥檚 comfortable where he can be Victor,鈥� Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said in a news conference on expectations for Wembanyama.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not LeBron (James) or Tim (Duncan) or Kobe (Bryant) or anybody else. He鈥檚 Victor, and that鈥檚 who we want him to be.鈥�
Bleacher Report predicts what teams will do with their selections
HORNETS TAKE SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Charlotte Hornets selected forward Brandon Miller of the University of Alabama with the second pick. As a freshman, the 6-foot-9 Miller was named the Southeastern Conference player of the Year after leading the conference in 3-pointers per game, while leading the nation as the highest-scoring freshman.
He finished the season as the first player in SEC history to win Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and all-SEC tournament honors in the same season.
The 21-year-old made headlines off the court when he was named a 鈥渃ooperative witness鈥� in a January fatal shooting near the school鈥檚 campus. Miller was not charged with a crime, and according to Alabama he was not considered a suspect.
When asked Thursday what he will bring to Charlotte, he said: 鈥淚 know they have great players there already. For me, I can bring just a winner. I鈥檓 willing to make all the winning plays as far as on or off the court. 鈥�
G-League player Scoot Henderson, a 6-foot-2 guard, was the third pick, going to the Portland Trail Blazers.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e getting a dog. They鈥檙e getting a dog that鈥檚 going to come in and be hungry,鈥� he told ESPN, adding he wants to have an impact off the court. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e getting a special player; a special person.鈥�
Follow the draft on NBA.com
TWINS GO AT NO. 4 AND NO. 5
The Houston Rockets also went the non-college route, picking Amen Thompson, who played with his twin brother, Ausar, at Overtime Elite, an independent league for young players based in Atlanta.
Amen Thompson told ESPN: 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited, excited to be a Rocket.鈥�
He said he looked forward to joining Houston because his 鈥渂est brand of basketball is running.鈥�
Ausar didn鈥檛 wait long after his twin to be selected, as the Detroit Pistons chose him next. The brothers are the first siblings to be picked in the top five (or top 10, even) of the NBA Draft in the same year.
Other twins taken in the first round of the same draft were Marcus and Markieff Morris in 2011 and Brook and Robin Lopez in 2008.
