Victor Wembanyama has definitely proven he’s the No. 1 player in France.
But is the 7-3 forward really worthy of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?
NBA fans debated that hot topic yet again Saturday after the multi-talented Wembanyama (seen above in October) put up another incredible game for his French team, Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A. On Saturday against SLUC Nancy Basket, he scored 30 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and had three blocks and two steals.
Victor Wembanyama put up a 30-point double-double in the @Metropolitans92 win!
🔥 @vicw_32: 30 PTS, 15 REB, 3 BLK, 2 STL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BL2JRj9cVA
— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2022
Taking a look at that highlight reel from Saturday’s game helps explain why Wembanyama is widely seen as the consensus No. 1 pick in the next draft. NBA teams seem sold. LeBron James praised the French phenom earlier this year, saying, “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor.”
One NBA GM told ESPN earlier this season that NBA teams will be tanking to improve their lottery odds at landing Wembanyama.
Yet many fans are still not convinced he is the legitimate No. 1 pick.
“Bol Bol is doing that in the NBA, not vs French plumbers,” tweeted one fan.
“He’s gonna be such a let down in the NBA,” tweeted another fan.
Still, Wembanyama had his defenders who predict NBA greatness from him.
“How can people see greatness in KD, but refuse to see it in Victor Wembanyama?” read one tweet. “Yall doubters are headed for a rough 10-15 years of hating on him.”
"French plumbers" almost defeated Team USA in olympics final…
— Massflo (@fvmassflo) November 26, 2022
They said the same for doncic. Remember that
— Mika Mika (@mik59387401) November 26, 2022
he’s gonna be such a let down in the nba
— not bimmy (@ingoodshapecat) November 26, 2022
Isn't that what was said about other Euro stars?
Remind me who the last 4 season MVP winners were
— EuroGupper (@EuroGupper) November 26, 2022
I suggest you bookmark your tweet and when he dominates the league, use your own tweet and admit how wrong you were
— EuroGupper (@EuroGupper) November 26, 2022
I actually predicted that there was going to be a weird smoothing effect of team wins due to the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. We're only 25% through the season but I think you're seeing the impact it's already having in ways that people didn't expect.https://t.co/qbzd2QuAvG
— Brandon Nickell (@brandon_nickell) November 26, 2022
"decent level"? NBA level
If what Giannis did was simple, everyone would do it and able to stop it
Next in line is Luka Doncic
How can people see greatness in KD, but refuse to see it in Victor Wembanyama. Yall doubters are headed for a rough 10-15 years of hating on him
— EuroGupper (@EuroGupper) November 26, 2022
The more I watch Victor Wembanyama the more I see a NBA 2k15 demiGod https://t.co/LDdgoEyjiA
— USA Slime (@TerryFranconia) November 26, 2022
[NBA on Twitter; photo from Lucas Peltier/USA Today Sports]
