When basketball became an international sport the game began to see a surge of great players coming from all around the world, including France. The new Netflix documentary Court of Gold put a portion of its focus on the rise of French stars — and how the torch has since been passed to the game’s newest French juggernaut: Victor Wembanyama.
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Episode two of Court of Gold featured NBA legend Tony Parker and the impact he had on the game as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. “I wanted to put French basketball on the map” stated Parker, who refused to buy into the conversation that French players were just happy to participate.
Parker later mentioned how ecstatic he was to see Wembanyama get drafted by the Spurs, the same team that he played on for over 15 years. Fellow French NBA star Nicolas Batum appeared in the episode as well and recalled the first time he ever saw Wemby play
“It was 2018, he was 14 years old and I just saw this big, skinny, young kid coming in. I just sit down and start to watch practice,” Batum stated with a smile on his face. He then revealed a conversation he had with Parker immediately afterward on the phone, where he made a wild prediction about Wemby’s basketball future.
“I remember I called Tony Parker. I was like, ‘You’re the GOAT of French basketball. But enjoy, because in ten years, you won’t be. I think I found the new one.'”
The episode showed how Wemby had tweeted out a photo of himself as a teenager wearing a Parker jersey when he was drafted in 2023. Parker acknowledged how cool that was before giving Wemby his personal nod of approval.
“Now he’s going to carry the torch that I carried for almost 20 years. Now he’s gonna do it,” Parker claimed.
It won’t be surprising in the slightest to see Wemby carry that torch on from Tony. Hailed as the next great NBA big-man, it’s clear that he has the tools, in merely his second year in the league, to become a premier first option on offense while having already established himself as the best defensive player in the league and perhaps the world.
Comparing Victor Wembanyama and Tony Parker’s rookie seasons
Victor Wembanyama made an immediate impact when he joined the Spurs in 2023. Wemby averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 71 games of his rookie campaign. These stats earned him Rookie of the Year, but the Spurts finished 22-60 and missed the playoffs.
In comparison, Tony Parker had a much less exciting rookie year in the 2001-2002 season. He only averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds, but Parker’s Spurs were a much better team — and made the playoffs with a 58-24 record. Parker immediately felt the impact of the postseason, an experience that eventually led to him winning four championships.
As for Wemby, he certainly has all the tools and the stats to be an all-time great player in the NBA. That said, the big man does not have the same roster of talent that Parker had during his era, aside from a way past his prime Chris Paul. The 2024-2025 Spurs are much better than in Wemby’s rookie season, but his greatness can only lead them so far by himself.
