Victor Wembanyama amazed everyone with his performance against G-League Ignite, begging the question, when will he be drafted?
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It’s October 2022, and all NBA Executives are already salivating, thinking about July 2023. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me enlighten you.
If you haven’t paid attention to what’s happening in and around the NBA, there is a good chance that you may have missed clips of a kid taller than the Eiffel Tower dominating everyone on the basketball court. That kid is none other than Victor Wembanyama.
Playing for the Metropolitans 92, Wembanyama and co were in the United States for a two-game series against the NBA G-League Ignite. The result was split, with each team winning a game. However, what caught everyone’s eye was the 7’4″, 18-year-old French National. Wembanyama averaged 36.5 points, 4.5 blocks, while shooting excellently from the deep.
Victor Wembanyama first two games:
37 PTS | 5 BLK | 7 threes
36 PTS | 11 REB | 4 AST | 4 BLK
Special. pic.twitter.com/dEpFbhohbn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 6, 2022
When is Victor Wembanyama Draft eligible?
According to the NBA Draft rules set forth, any player that turns 19 during or before the year of the draft is eligible for the same. Since Victor is an international player, the conditions set forth for him are the minimum age of 19 years, and have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA within the United States, and has played under that contract.
Since Victor was born on January 4, 2004, that means he won’t be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2023.
Even though there is still almost a year left, NBA executives are already eagerly awaiting the upcoming Draft. It has gotten to the point where the executives are asking Wembanyama’s agent to shut him down till the Draft to avoid injuries.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped in and urged the teams not to tank their seasons in order to increase their chances of landing the #1 Pick, and getting their hands on Wembanyama.
Adam Silver on Victor Wembanyama: “I know that many of our NBA teams are salivating at the notion that potentially through our lottery, they can get him, so they should all still compete very hard next season.” pic.twitter.com/sW93zDOFwG
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 6, 2022
NBA stars discussing ‘Wemby’
Not only the NBA Executives, the players and superstars are also keeping an eye on Victor Wembanyama. The first one to talk about the same was none other than the King, LeBron James. He called Victor an alien, and showered him with great praise.
Wembanyama heard about the same, and couldn’t stop gushing.
Victor Wembanyama on LeBron’s kind words towards him. pic.twitter.com/eqV8vyV9fS
— NBA (@NBA) October 6, 2022
Stephen Curry, who is known as a human cheat code, called the kid a ‘NBA 2K Create a Player’.
“He’s like the 2K Create-A-Player”
Steph’s scouting report on Victor Wembanyama 😂 pic.twitter.com/9MFexK5sFY
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 6, 2022
Kevin Durant talked about Victor and claimed the league would be in trouble when the young star gets drafted.