Victor Wembanyama, the 19-year-old French basketball player, drew a star-studded crowd in his final regular-season game in France. Soccer star Kylian Mbappé and French actor Omar Sy were among the fans that watched Wembanyama lead his Boulogne-Levallois side to a 93-85 victory against Paris Basketball. He scored 22 points during the game and was responsible for the game-winning performance in the fourth quarter. The audience of 4,000 chanted “Wemby, Wemby” in support as he scored 14 of his game-high 22 points in the final quarter.
Wembanyama Likely to be the No. 1 Pick in the NBA Draft
The NBA draft lottery in Chicago was scheduled for later that day, and the winning team was all but certain to make Wembanyama the No. 1 pick in the draft in June. Vincent Collet, coach of Metropolitans 92, commented on Wembanyama’s performance, saying, “He seemed elsewhere early on, probably at the lottery. But he responded so well…He’s 19, and his life is going to totally change. Can you understand that? Tonight is a massive moment in his career. It’s totally understandable that things were going on in his head.”
Wembanyama’s performance was not without its challenges; he got into foul trouble and looked tense at times. However, he responded well to the pressure and showed why he is a top prospect for the NBA draft. Paris Basketball coach Will Weaver, a former assistant with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, praised Wembanyama, saying, “I believe he’s going to be a Hall of Famer…I just see his professionalism and competitiveness.”
Although the French crowds are taking every chance to see him while they can, Wembanyama still has the French league’s playoffs to focus on before he can fully turn his eye to the NBA. The French league’s leading scorer still has time to hone his skills and prepare for the future, but his game-winning performance in his last regular-season game was a momentous occasion.
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