Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Victor Wembanyama was born January 4, 2004, in Le Chesnay, France. He is a center in the NBA.

In the 2019–20 season, Wembanyama gained his first professional experience with the Nanterre 92 senior team under head coach Pascal Donnadieu, receiving limited playing time in two games. He primarily competed in LNB Espoirs, the French under-21 league, and also played for the under-18 team. Wembanyama made his professional debut on 29 October 2019, playing 31 seconds against Brescia in the EuroCup. At 15 years, nine months and 25 days old, he was the second-youngest player after Stefan Petković to play in the EuroCup. In February 2020, Wembanyama played for Nanterre's under-18 team at the Kaunas qualifying tournament for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). On 8 February, he posted 22 points, 15 rebounds and an ANGT-record nine blocks in a win over the under-18 team of Zaragoza. Wembanyama averaged 15.8 points, 12 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and six blocks per game in Kaunas, leading the tournament in blocks and earning all-tournament team honours. He finished the Espoirs season averaging 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, mostly coming off the bench.

In the 2020–21 season, Wembanyama split time between Nanterre's senior and under-21 teams and signed an agreement to also play for Centre Fédéral in the Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1). On 23 September 2020, he made his LNB Pro A debut, grabbing one rebound in four minutes against JL Bourg. In October, Wembanyama featured in a viral video where he showcased his skills in a two-on-two pick-up game against Rudy Gobert and Vincent Poirier. On 12 December, he suffered a stress fracture in his fibula during an Espoirs game against BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque, with an estimated recovery time of eight weeks. Wembanyama was sidelined from the Valencia qualifying tournament for the ANGT. After missing two and a half months with injury, he began receiving more playing time with the senior team. On 25 May 2021, Wembanyama recorded season-highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 99–87 win over Orléans Loiret. He started in 10 of 18 Pro A appearances, averaging 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and was named Pro A Best Young Player. In Espoirs, Wembanyama averaged 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks, starting in all five of his games. He played four games for Centre Fédéral, averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and three blocks per game. Following the season, he opted to leave Nanterre.

On 4 July 2022, Wembanyama signed a two-year contract with Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A. He was drawn to the team due to head coach Vincent Collet's reputation for developing and providing opportunities for young players. In October 2022, Wembanyama gained recognition from American media after two exhibition games against the NBA G League Ignite, featuring projected second overall pick Scoot Henderson, in Las Vegas. The games, which marked Wembanyama's U.S. debut, were nationally televised and attended by over 200 scouts and NBA executives. In the first game, on 4 October, he recorded 37 points, five blocks and four rebounds in a 122–115 loss. Wembanyama led his team to a 112–106 win over the Ignite in their second game, scoring 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. On 27 October, the NBA announced that it would stream all Metropolitans 92 regular-season and playoff games on its app.

In the 2022–23 Pro A season, Wembanyama emerged as one of the most dominant players in the league. On 4 November 2022, he posted a career-high 33 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 78–69 win over Limoges CSP. On 2 December, Wembanyama recorded his fourth straight 30-point game, with 32 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three assists in a 96–85 victory over Fos Provence, leading his team to its ninth consecutive win. He was named captain of the France team at the LNB All-Star Game on 29 December. At the All-Star Game, he recorded 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, leading his team to 136–128 win over the World team, and became the game's youngest MVP. On 9 January 2023, Wembanyama made a game-winning putback dunk with 3.5 seconds left in regulation and recorded 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in an 84–83 win over ASVEL. On 27 January, he recorded 31 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in a 102–84 loss to Chorale Roanne. On 21 April, he declared for the 2023 NBA draft. At the end of the regular season, Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the LNB Pro A MVP Award. He was selected to the All-Pro A First Team and named Best Defender, Best Scorer, Best Young Player and Best Blocker. In the playoffs, Wembanyama led Metropolitans 92 to the Finals, where they were eliminated by AS Monaco in a 3–0 sweep. He finished the season averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, leading the Pro A in each category.

On June 22, 2023, Wembanyama was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Upon his recruitment, he hit several milestones: he became the first French player to be drafted with the first overall pick, the second European player to do so (following Andrea Bargnani in 2006), and the Spurs' third first-overall pick ever, after David Robinson and Tim Duncan.