SAN ANTONIO – If you’ve been in San Antonio lately, the temperatures have been scorching. But that’s nothing compared to the anticipation and hype of the potential selection of 19-year-old French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama, who is expected to be the San Antonio Spurs’ number-one draft pick on Thursday.
For Spurs basketball fans, it’s literally been like winning the lottery. Well, because, that’s exactly what happened. The Spurs, despite having only the third-best odds, won the rights to the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and with it, the chance to select a generational player that’s received more fanfare than any other draft pick since a young LeBron James.
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But if you’re not a sports fan, why should you care? What makes Wembanyama’s arrival worthy of all the media attention and time? This article takes a stab at trying to explain exactly that.
Who is Wemby?
To know why it’s important to San Antonio and to you, first, you need to know who he is. Victor Wembanyama, 19, is a French-born basketball player who has recently taken the sport by storm.
“Wemby”, as he’s often called, despite being only a teenager is a 7-foot-3-inch gazelle, who can run and jump with the greatest of athletes and has shown immense skill playing in the highest levels of European basketball leagues.
He’s been on the radar of NBA scouts since he was 16, convincing them he can do it all. He’s the type of player that can run the floor, shoot from a distance and be a defensive presence at the rim. It’s also been reported that he has a wingspan of nearly 8 feet and can nearly grab the rim without jumping, with a frame that has yet to fill out.
His abilities have even caught current NBA players’ attention, as Lakers star LeBron James called Wemby “an alien” since he has the height of a center, but the play style of a guard, something that has never been seen before. Scouts have offered comparisons and combinations of Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki, and stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant, but they’re all arguably less talented than what he could ultimately become.
“Talent-wise, I think he’s something that we’ve never seen before,” former Spurs hall-of-fame guard Tony Parker said to the Associated Press.
Get your popcorn ready.
A new basketball arena?
Because of the attention that Wembanyama is receiving both nationally and internationally, businesses are already lining up to have him endorse products. He’s already an endorser of Nike, per a report by Nick DePaula of ESPN, and, according to DePaula, Wemby “first signed with Nike during his pro career in France and the multi-year footwear & apparel endorsement deal will carry over into his early NBA career.”
CAN CONFIRM: #1 pick Victor Wembanyama is already officially signed to Nike.
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) June 19, 2023
“Wemby” first signed with Nike during his pro career in France and the multi-year footwear & apparel endorsement deal will carry over into his early NBA career. pic.twitter.com/0lc8eRkFWN
The ability to market a personable, fresh face like Wemby likely entices local companies like H-E-B, which will look to include him in their very familiar Spurs ads. So you’ll be seeing a lot of him on television.
But one of the biggest ways local non-sports fans in San Antonio may come to appreciate Wemby is in the potential development of a new basketball arena.
There have been rumblings in the past of the Spurs’ desire to move on from the AT&T Center, but now, by having the ability to showcase Wembanyama, it may be the push that gives the Spurs something to sell to both the city and Bexar County.
The building of a new, state-of-the-art basketball arena would clearly be a boon for basketball fans, but it would also offer a location for other means of entertainment, including music concerts, shows and other potential viewing. So, if they do build a new arena, even if sports are not your thing, you could see more entertainment options as a result.
Hate getting dressed for work?
If you’ve lived and worked in the Alamo City long enough, you’ve come to know what the Spurs mean to the city, as it’s the only major professional sports franchise in town.
With that being said, when the Spurs make the playoffs like they have in the past, (and likely will again with Wemby) the city rallies around the team in support.
Across the area in the past, many school districts and businesses have allowed employees to not have to dress up on Spurs’ playoff game days and allow them to either wear Spurs shirts or jeans.
And with Wemby potentially in the fold, like former Spurs greats David Robinson and Tim Duncan, there looks to be a lot more playoff series beckoning on the horizon.
So that means fewer shirts and ties, slacks and formal wear and more opportunities to don the Silver and Black. Sound good?
Not a morning person?
It’s definitely been a while, but for the longest time, the Spurs routinely were making the playoffs. So much so, they even tied the NBA’s longest streak for continuous playoff appearances.
Back then, Spurs fans grew accustomed to staying up late until odd hours watching the team’s playoff runs. It did, however, make it difficult for many to get up the next morning.
Luckily for those in the city, a couple of local companies were willing to offer a tradition of a free celebratory cup of joe after Spurs playoff wins. Fans could flock to the nearest convenience store or grocery store to fill up their cups for free. No purchase was even necessary. Not too shabby right? We all like saving money when we can.
Well, with the potential addition of Wembanyama, the Spurs are believed to be on track to again make the playoffs a routine thing. If the tradition returns, be sure to have your coffee cup handy.
Wembanyama is expected to go on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, just a day before his selection in the NBA Draft. During his visit with GMA, he spoke with anchor Robin Roberts.
The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday and the first round will start at 7 p.m. CST, live on KSAT 12.