LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� Victor Wembanyama鈥檚 favorite players in the NBA right now are Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That makes sense, given that they鈥檙e both taller than just about everyone else in the league and have all-world all-around games.
He might see some similarities there.
But comparisons to them, or anyone else, are not what Wembanyama is seeking. When the 7-foot-2 French teen comes to the NBA next season 鈥� by most accounts, he would be the No. 1 pick if the draft was held today 鈥� he isn鈥檛 interested in trying to become the next Durant, or Antetokounmpo, or Dirk Nowitzki.
The path he wants to take, he said in an interview with The Associated Press, will be all his own.
鈥淚鈥檓 gonna tell you something that鈥檚 been going on in my life, like for my whole life, since I鈥檝e been a kid, even before I played basketball,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always tried to do (something) different. I鈥檓 not even talking about sports, whatever. Any field, I鈥檓 always trying to be original, something original, something one of one, something that鈥檚 never been done before. And this is really how it worked in my life. I don鈥檛 know where it comes from. I think I was born with it. I鈥檝e always been trying to be original. Unique, that鈥檚 the word.鈥�
Unique, indeed, is the word.
鈥淢y goal,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s to be like something you鈥檝e never seen.鈥�
He might already be that.
He is why Metropolitans 92, a team from the top league in France, flew 5,500 miles this week The Ignite haven鈥檛 started their season yet. The Metropolitans have already played three games, and are interrupting their regular season to play these exhibitions on Tuesday and Thursday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada largely to help introduce Wembanyama to the U.S. basketball audience.
Tuesday night will, quite simply, be an event. About 200 scouts are credentialed; every NBA team will be in attendance, most sending multiple people to watch. Some clubs had executives watching practice Monday afternoon. There are journalists who flew in from France, Brazil and Canada for these games that don鈥檛 count toward anyone鈥檚 standings. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns play a preseason game in Las Vegas on Wednesday night; some players from those clubs are expected to come get a look at Wembanyama, as are some members of the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good for the game,鈥� Ignite coach Jason Hart said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good for our program as well as theirs. I鈥檓 so excited.鈥�
Wembanyama is just a big deal. Clearly. And literally.
They list him at 7-foot-2, some say he鈥檚 7-foot-4, his wingspan is nearly 8 feet and he can nearly grab the rim 鈥� 10 feet in the air 鈥� without even jumping. He shoots 3-pointers with ease, almost always unbothered by the efforts of defenders whose flailing arms come nowhere near the ball or his field of vision. He can run the floor. He handles the ball. Passes the ball. Creative. Athletic, blessed with the genes passed along from Felix Wembanyama and Elodie de Fautereau; his dad was a track star, his mom was a basketball standout.
Few, if any, prospects since LeBron James in 2003 have had this big of a can鈥檛-miss label on their shoulders as an 18-year-old.
鈥淚 was built for this, I guess,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淎ll of what happens to me, I expected for myself. So it鈥檚 just a checklist of expectations. I鈥檓 not surprised by what鈥檚 happening to me. And yeah, this is happening, this is how I can manage it and I think I managed it well.鈥�
He already speaks almost-perfect English, which will come in handy considering next June, then at the age of 19-1/2, he鈥檒l be getting selected by a team and moving to the U.S. (or Canada, if Toronto secures the pick that will land Wembanyama). It鈥檚 hard for him to fathom that he has just a few months left living in his native France.
But he鈥檚 also unbothered by what鈥檚 happening, and what鈥檚 coming. He speaks confidently, plays even more confidently, and truly seems to enjoy all the attention that comes with being one of the tallest human beings on the planet. That confidence, however, doesn鈥檛 come with arrogance. He knows he鈥檚 good. He wants to get better.
That鈥檚 where Metropolitans 92 coach Vincent Collet comes in. The coach of France鈥檚 national team is tasked with taking Wembanyama and making sure he鈥檚 as NBA-ready as possible by next summer.
鈥淢any people around him are always telling him 鈥業t鈥檚 great, what you do is fantastic.鈥� And me, I am the coach, so I am the one that most sometimes say 鈥楾his is not good, this you could do better,鈥欌�� Collet said. 鈥淎nd for me, this is the most important, to teach him.鈥�
On the court, Wembanyama tries to be all business.
Off the court, he tries to still be a kid when he can.
He loves to read. Loves to draw. Yes, he plays video games. He showed off soccer moves with a basketball on Monday, expertly juggling 鈥� in soccer, that means to flick the ball in the air with one鈥檚 foot and leg without letting it hitting the ground 鈥� while talking and walking. He also is working on some projects that he said 鈥渉ave nothing to do with basketball,鈥� and when pressed to give some hints on what that meant, he offered a slight smile and said, 鈥渋f they鈥檙e successful, you鈥檒l hear about them for sure.鈥�
After this week in Vegas, the French season resumes at home. Every Metropolitans 92 game will be followed because of him. This spring, draft talk will intensify. Then, on June 22, 2023, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is scheduled to walk to a lectern and say 鈥渨ith the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft ... 鈥� and if all goes to plan, Wembanyama will take the stage seconds later for the ceremonial handshake.
That鈥檚 when his path, the path to being 鈥渙ne of one,鈥� will truly begin.
鈥淎t the end of the day, regardless of what position you get picked in the draft, I think the most important is to have the best career afterwards,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淏ut as an athlete and as a competitor, I can鈥檛 accept not to be No. 1.鈥�
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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
