Nicolas Batum on Victor Wembanyama: He’s ‘next’ for basketball, not just French basketball

Haynes: When you say Victor Wembanyama is next, what do you mean exactly? Nicolas Batum: “I’m not saying he’s next for French basketball; he’s next for basketball. As for French basketball, you had me, [Evan] Fournier, [Rudy] Gobert. But when I say …

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
ICYMI: Victor Wembanyama lived up to the type, and then some. On the French giant’s absurd performance, and how it will (and won’t) impact tanking this season. theathletic.com/3667190/2022/1…11:55 AM
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Why @Nicolas Batum knew a 14-year-old Victor Wembanyama was ‘the next one’ in basketball, not French basketball. @YahooSports Q&A with Clippers forward on recruiting and signing Victor to play for the Euroleague team he owns with Tony Parker & much more. sports.yahoo.com/why-nic-batum-…11:20 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com
When Victor Wembanyama blocked Jordan Loyd’s three-pointer from the paint, he thought he was trippin’ 😂 pic.twitter.com/rvuXjpRrPZ11:15 AM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Rudy Gobert unplugged: T-Wolves center on his new team, chemistry w/ Karl Anthony Towns & mentoring Victor Wembanyama. Gobert on T-Wolves’ ceiling: “Be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, get to the Finals & play for a championship.” https://t.co/8NpEJiDP8Y pic.twitter.com/h0z1u6S8wV10:24 AM

Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Ty Lue said wanted to test his all-wing lineup and he is here in the second quarter: Kawhi, PG, Batum, Covington, Morris. – 11:31 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
ASK IRA: Could tanking for Victor Wembanyama by others work in Heat’s favor? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h…12:15 PM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Boston Globe Sunday NBA Notes: Victor Wembanyama could take the NBA by storm, but it won’t be by surprise bostonglobe.com/2022/10/08/spo… via @BostonGlobe11:51 AM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
ICYMI, Victor Wembanyama has been called “a unicorn” and an “alien.” But for some team, he could be a ‘Dream’ come true with potential to inspire a tanks a lot season houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-n… via @houstonchron – 9:39 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Could tanking for Victor Wembanyama by others work in Heat’s favor? Latest “Ask Ira” at sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… plus more. – 8:07 AM
Chris Biderman @TheWarriorsWire
After a pair of dazzling performances from Victor Wembanyama in Las Vegas, Steph Curry praised the French top prospect. warriorswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/06/ste…1:00 AM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Landing Victor Wembanyama? That might be a ‘Dream’ scenario for Rockets. ift.tt/HKGh8gE5:18 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Sylvain Francisco is really excited about the upcoming partnership with Victor Wembanyama at French national team.
“Vic that’s my boy” he said. @S_CISCO_2 @vicw_32 pic.twitter.com/dEkFJFHDFB3:19 PM

Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Now on @njdotcom
Kevin Durant on French basketball star Victor Wembanyama: ‘Everyone is excited for his arrival to the league’ nj.com/nets/2022/10/k…2:25 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Landing Victor Wembanyama? That might be a ‘Dream’ scenario for Rockets. houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-n…) via @houstonchron – 2:02 PM
Tas Melas @TasMelas
Triston McKenzie is baseball’s Victor Wembanyama. pic.twitter.com/JfHJ1Av3Eg11:50 AM

Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Victor Wembanyama shocked the world with his stellar perfomrances in Las Vegas. Some of the biggest NBA stars took a bow to him.
On this occasion we had a talk with the great @Barlowe500 at @SdnaGr on his strengths, ceiling, ideal NBA destination + more.
sdna.gr/mpasket/101131…10:28 AM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com
I think we’ve seen a very similar duo before 👀
🇺🇸 Tremont Waters 🤝 Victor Wembanyama 🇫🇷
🇸🇩 Manute Bol 🤝 Muggsy Bogues 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4WXZgCxRzp6:23 AM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
#Nets Kevin Durant adds onto Victor Wembanyama praise: ‘How can you miss him?’ nypost.com/2022/10/07/net… via @nypostsports10:00 PM
Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
Talking Draymond Green, Victor Wembanyama and the 2023 NBA Draft with @krystenpeek on @getcallin.
Join us: callin.com/link/HNFRuxZUWn7:06 PM
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Big @ringer content day…
Pod with Verno and Lefkoe on all the latest NBA news: https://t.co/rRS1jgOA1P
Written story on Victor Wembanyama: https://t.co/UNsaA0GYX0
Video interview with Scoot Henderson: https://t.co/lYYwsIKUWT
🏀🏀🏀 pic.twitter.com/47UZnFwUiu5:15 PM

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude @ROSGO21
Chatting with Victor Wembanyama, the 7’4 young Frenchman who stole the show in Las Vegas, possibly the best NBA prospect ever.
📷: @Jim_ICE pic.twitter.com/iCKR0bOTO54:27 PM

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New Mismatch with @Chris Vernon and our guest @AdamLefkoe to discuss Draymond Green sucker punching Jordan Poole, the video leak, the week in Las Vegas watching Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, and Lefkoe throws some NBA questions at me and Verno. open.spotify.com/episode/1n1UIL…3:45 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
“LeBron James would be number two, that’s how crazy [Victor Wembanyama] is as a prospect.”
—@Rjeff24 😳 pic.twitter.com/rfrDhUSaaJ3:34 PM

Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked On Pelicans is live w/ @Will Guillory!
🏀 Why the Pelicans offense will look different this year
🏀 Trade for Victor Wembanyama?
🏀 Continuity will be key early on in the season
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzTh35
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBESaga40 pic.twitter.com/CxWiVMzRVU3:30 PM

Mike Finger @mikefinger
If the plan comes together and the Spurs are lucky enough to end up with Victor Wembanyama, it will have been a long time coming. Their many-layered connections started before the world’s biggest basketball sensation was born.
expressnews.com/sports/columni… via @expressnews – 1:59 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Teenage sensation Victor Wembanyama has Derrick Rose in awe: ‘I never saw it before’ nydailynews.com/sports/basketb…1:47 PM
Kevin Pelton @kpelton
Did a pair of YouTube videos this week:
– Reacting to the first Victor Wembanyama-Scoot Henderson matchup before yesterday’s second: youtu.be/kqqcSJk6y5c
– Mailbag discussing the projection process and Alperen Sengun’s passing: youtu.be/N2xBzX-Wi-Y1:41 PM
The Ringer @ringernba
KD crossed with Rudy Gobert.
Gen-Z Kareem.
Ralph Sampson raised on YouTube videos.
Execs around the NBA agree that Victor Wembanyama has the upside to be one of the greatest players ever.
@Kevin O’Connor: bit.ly/3CbItgq1:21 PM
Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked On Pelicans is live w/ @Will Guillory!
🏀 Why the Pelicans offense will look different this year
🏀 Trade for Victor Wembanyama?
🏀 Continuity will be key early on in the season
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzTh35
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBESaga40 pic.twitter.com/konIAo88Cg12:59 PM

Jeremy Woo @JeremyWoo
I’ve been doing this a while – I was too young to see LeBron, and didn’t see Luka in person – but I’ve never seen a prospect as inherently good as Victor Wembanyama. The clips are truly amazing but you kinda have to see it up close to believe it. More: https://t.co/uwaWvZZHWq pic.twitter.com/S8NxAvHLuv12:58 PM

More on this storyline

Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes: First, let me start off by saying you were right. You told me about this kid named Victor Wembanyama from France about three years ago. Nicolas Batum: “I know. I tried to warn you. I told you before anybody knew about him.” Haynes: I know. You said he was going to be the future of the NBA. He was so young at the time that I guess I just dismissed you. -via Yahoo! Sports / October 10, 2022
Nicolas Batum: “The first time I remember seeing him in late June of 2018, he was 14 years old. I heard about him a little bit before that, but had never seen him live. I had a practice with the French national team in Paris and he was practicing after us. I saw him walking in and I’m like, ‘This is the big kid I heard about a couple weeks ago?’ And one of the coaches said, ‘Yeah. He’s the new kid. He’s supposed to be great and he’s really tall.’ I said, ‘No, he’s not tall; he’s different.’ I saw him joking around with his friends and just being young. I saw him pick up the basketball and he started dribbling. I was shocked how he could handle the ball at that size. Then our coaches said it’s time for us to get on the bus and I’m like, ‘Go. Go. I’m staying. I’m going to check this kid out. Give me 15 minutes.’ -via Yahoo! Sports / October 10, 2022
Nicolas Batum: “After watching him, I talked to Tony Parker because we’re part owners of [French basketball team] ASVEL Basket. I said to Tony, ‘Yo, I got the next one. I just saw the next one. I like everybody else, but this kid is insane. He’s gonna be crazy good.’ I’ve been following the kid since he was 14 years old, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet his family a couple of times. He’s special.” -via Yahoo! Sports / October 10, 2022