Victor Wembanyama is heading to the San Antonio Spurs. Barring something completely insane happening, the Spurs getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft means that the ultra-talented Frenchman will begin his NBA career in San Antonio, as he’s slated to join a pair of Hall of Fame inductees in David Robinson and Tim Duncan as big men who the franchise took No. 1 overall.
There is, of course, a ton of history for French players with the Spurs. Tony Parker is a franchise icon (and someone who has mentored Wembanyama), Boris Diaw won a ring with the team in 2014, and a few other Frenchmen have come through San Antonio over the years. In fact, Wembanyama said after the Draft Lottery that he believes France, as a whole, wanted the Spurs to get the top pick.
“There’s a special relation between France and the Spurs because of Tony [Parker] and Boris [Diaw]. I know half of the country, maybe if not, the whole country wanted the Spurs to have the first pick.”
— Victor Wembanyama
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/jzX4O2a9Xk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 17, 2023
“There’s a special relation between France and the Spurs, because of Tony, of course, and also Boris,” Wembanyama said. “And I know half of the country, if not the whole country, wanted the Spurs to have the first pick. So, I was looking at everyone in the room, was happy. So I was, too.”
Wembanyama also took to Twitter and is ready for what his future holds.
Today was a good day
— Wemby (@vicw_32) May 17, 2023
The Spurs will officially make Wembanyama the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22.