Tag: Victor Wembanyama

Chris Paul, Devin Booker pulled up to watch Wembanyama, Henderson

Suns guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker were among the players in attendance to watch the projected top picks square off.

Phoenix Suns guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker were among the NBA players in attendance on Tuesday to watch projected top picks Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson square off in a preseason matchup in Henderson, Nevada.

With the Suns facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Paul and Booker made the quick trip over to catch the high-profile prospects in action. The game was expected to attract an estimated 200 scouts from NBA teams.

In addition to Paul and Booker, Trevor Ariza of the Lakers was sitting with them courtside. Free agent DeMarcus Cousins was in attendance, as were A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces.

The contest was a potential look at the top two draft prospects in action against each other. The eventual top two picks in a draft have only faced each other predraft a handful of times over the past 20 years. The most recent meeting occurred last season between Paolo Banchero (Duke) and Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga).

The two players showcased why each is so highly touted throughout the contest. The upcoming season should be worth monitoring to see if Henderson can become a viable option for the top pick in the draft ahead of Wembanyama.

They will meet again on Thursday at 3 p.m. EDT on ESPN 2.

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Projected top picks Wembanyama, Henderson clash in preseason matchup

Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, the top two prospects next year, will meet on the court for the first time on Tuesday.

Before the incoming NBA rookie class has an opportunity to take the court in an official setting, the basketball community will get an early look at two of the top prospects in 2023.

Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A in France will face Scoot Henderson and the NBA G League Ignite in two preseason games this week starting on Tuesday (10 p.m. EDT, ESPN 2) from Henderson, Nevada.

Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 center from Le Chesnay, France, is considered perhaps the top prospect since LeBron James. He boasts an 8-foot wingspan and is highly touted for his overall skills given his fluidity on the court, ability to handle the ball and space the floor.

The 18-year-old is widely projected to be the top pick over Henderson next year. Though the two have mutual respect for each other, Wembanyama agrees with the general consensus.

I’ve been following him for 1-2 years. Out of all of the prospects I’ve heard about in our class, I think he is my favorite one. I think he is the most reliable one I’ve seen. He is really a great player. If I was never born, I think he would deserve the first spot.

On the other side, Henderson enters his second season with the Ignite. He was the youngest American to sign a professional contract last year when he joined the team at 17. He has exceptional athleticism and shined in creating for himself and others last year.

With another year against G League competition, Henderson will look to show scouts and executives why he should be the top pick over Wembanyama. He believes he has taken a step toward being a strong leader for his team.

I feel like my game is very electrifying. I’m a leader that uplifts my teammates all of the time. Even if I make a mistake, I’m going to make sure everybody else is good and I feel like that’s where I’ve grown the most.

The exhibition game is expected to draw an estimated 200 scouts from NBA teams along with several other high-ranking executives. Players from the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles, who play in Las Vegas on Wednesday, are also expected to be in attendance.

Wembanyama called it the most important game of his career.

In terms of recognition worldwide, I think this is the biggest game I’ve ever played in my life. But I’m just curious to know how it will go because we’re an overseas team and we’re playing against an NBA team with NBA rules and an NBA court. This is really going to be a first time for me.

Said Henderson:

I’m looking forward to playing. Put it in my hands and I’m going to try to lead my team to the win; that’s what’s most important to me right now to start the season off right. If that changes the scouts’ minds then so be it but I feel like the outcome will be great.

The upcoming games will give scouts and executives a tremendous look at where each prospect is at this stage of their respective careers. The two players believe they are ready to live up to the hype, and those watching will certainly be eager to see how they handle it.

The two teams meet next on Thursday at 3 p.m. EDT on ESPN 2.

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Victor Wembanyama on Scoot Henderson: ‘If I was never born, I think he would deserve the first spot’

This is an all-time great quote from an NBA prospect.

We already knew that Victor Wembanyama was a phenomenal player but as it turns out, he is also someone who provides great interview answers.

Wembanyama and France’s Metropolitans 92 will face Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite for two preseason games later this week. Wembanyama and Henderson were projected at No. 1 overall and No. 2 overall in the first edition of For The Win’s 2023 NBA Mock Draft.

When asked about Henderson, the French-born big man delivered one of my favorite answers I’ve ever heard from a prospect. Wembanyama explained that if he had never been born, Henderson would instead be considered the best prospect in the upcoming draft class.

That quote is so good because it’s the perfect blend of sweet and confident.

Wembanyama assuredly meant this as a compliment for Henderson. He said that he has studied Henderson and feels he is the most “reliable” guard in the class.

Henderson, meanwhile, had some positive praise for Wembanyama as well (via Yahoo’s Krysten Peek):

“He’s very skilled, very tall. I respect his game for sure. With how lanky he is and how he moves, that’s nothing but work.”

Wembanyama will face Henderson on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and then again on Thursday, Oct. 6 at The Dollar Loan Center in Las Vegas. The games air live on ESPN2 and the NBA App.

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How to watch top NBA Draft prospects Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson face each other (for free!)

You can watch the top two NBA Draft prospects for free.

Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite will face off against Victor Wembanyama and the Metropolitans 92 next month.

For basketball fans and scouts alike, these preseason exhibition games are among the most anticipated prospect matchups in recent history. The two matches are scheduled for Oct. 4, and Oct. 6 at The Dollar Loan Center in Nevada.

“With these preseason games, we’re excited to offer a platform to some of the best young prospects from around the world to showcase their talents,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Fans can watch the game for free if they download the new NBA app.

They will be asked to join NBA ID, which is the league’s new global membership program. It links all of the NBA products together, and you can add fan experiences like NBA League Pass (which is now cheaper than ever) and NBA Pick ‘Em.

Wembanyama is joined by notable teammates including 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year guard Tremont Waters, former Philadelphia 76ers wing Aaron Henry, and Hugo Besson (who was selected by the Pacers in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft).

Henderson is joined by Leonard Miller (a top Canadian prospect we profiled earlier this year) and Sidy Cissoko, both of whom are projected first-rounders in our first 2023 NBA Mock Draft.

For those who want to attend the game in person, tickets are available starting at just $17 via AXS.com for Oct. 4 (here) and Oct. 6 (here). An additional broadcast partner for the game is expected to announce later this week.

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Ex-Celtics floor general Tremont Waters on playing abroad with Victor Wembanyama

The LSU product recently linked up with the host of NBC Sports Boston’s “Celtics Talk” podcast Chris Forsberg to talk about his time with the Celtics, his ties to other Boston alumni, and more.

Former Boston Celtics point guard Tremont Waters is playing overseas in the French Pro A league for the Metropolitans 92 alongside prized NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama. He secured the gig thanks to a kind word from fellow former Celtic Vincent Poirier and the Connecticut native’s skill as a floor general.

The onetime LSU player recently linked up with the host of NBC Sports Boston’s “Celtics Talk” podcast Chris Forsberg to talk about his time with the Celtics, his ties to other former Celtics, what life is like playing overseas with such a highly-regarded talent and more.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what Waters has been up to since leaving the Celtics as an unrestricted free agent to join the Milwaukee Bucks organization while we wait for training camp and preseason to arrive for Boston.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Projected top pick Victor Wembanyama measured in with an absurd 8-foot wingspan

The projected top pick next year recently measured in with an 8-foot wingspan.

Victor Wembanyama, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, reportedly measured in with an 8-foot wingspan, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The recent measurement is just one aspect of his game that has teams high on the 18-year-old standout from France. He is considered perhaps the top prospect since LeBron James given his fluidity on the court, ability to handle the ball and space the floor at 7 feet, 4 inches.

Wembanyama averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots last season with ASVEL Basket in the LNB Pro A, the top league in France. He opted to change teams ahead of the 2022-23 season and will suit up for Metropolitans 92 in Paris.

He also competed in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup with France.

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Teams will have the opportunity to scout Wembanyama up close when Metropolitans 92 play two exhibition games against the NBA G League Ignite Oct. 4-6 in Henderson, Nevada. The games will pit Wembanyama against the projected No. 2 pick, Scoot Henderson.

The friendlies will air on the ESPN family of networks.

Metropolitans 92 will play three games starting on Sept. 23 and then travel to Nevada for a week of practices and games. The Ignite will play a 50-game schedule this season starting on Nov. 4 from their new home arena in Henderson. They will be eligible for the playoffs for the first time.

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Chet Holmgren’s injury has some Thunder fans excited to tank for Victor Wembanyama

This is a pretty dark silver lining.

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie big man Chet Holmgren reportedly has an injured foot that could keep him sidelined during the upcoming season.

Holmgren, a 7-foot center from the Gonzaga Bulldogs who was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after a very impressive freshman campaign, was otherwise expected to play a big role for the Thunder. He had several promising and encouraging flashes while on the court during NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas.

According to Shams Charania, however, the rookie big man has suffered “potential torn ligaments” in his foot (via The Athletic):

“Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has potential torn ligaments in his foot, league sources told The Athletic on Wednesday. A timetable is being determined based on further evaluations.

The former Gonzaga standout is believed to have suffered the injury at a Jamal Crawford CrawsOver Pro-Am game that had to be stopped due to unsafe court conditions. It was reported that the court was too slippery and players could not keep their grip due to condensation on the hardwood floors.”

If the Thunder do not have Holmgren on the floor, they suddenly look like the favorites to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. If that were to happen, one could likely expect them to select Victor Wembanyama.

Oklahoma City already has the toughest schedule for the upcoming season.

Wembanyama is arguably the most promising basketball prospect in the world. He faced off against Holmgren during the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2021. Holmgren led the U.S. to win a gold medal and Wembanyama’s France took home the silver.

Holmgren has a 7-foot-6 wingspan and Wembanyama has a 7-foot-9 wingspan. Both players are dominant rim protectors but also excellent sharpshooters for their position, too. If the Thunder lose a lot of games because Holmgren is out, but they are able to draft Wembanyama, fans of Oklahoma City may not be too upset.

If this happened, it would immediately become one of the most exciting frontcourt pairings in recent history.

Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 basketball prospect in the world, is also just a kid who loves Legos

“I feel like I’m an artist on an off the court.”

Bronny James and the California Basketball Club (CBC) faced off against U18 French Select during the AXE Euro Tour, and one of the notable players on the French team is Oscar Wembanyama, who is the younger brother of projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

The game was broadcast on ESPN2, and the elder Wembayama was in attendance to watch the action.

Wembanyama recently made his first trip to the United States, and he saw the Dallas Wings take on the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA. While in Texas, he worked out at SMU. When asked how he liked his time in America, he said that he “looks forward to living there” soon.

During his interview on the ESPN2 broadcast, the prospect was also asked if his game resembles any player in the NBA, and he said that he didn’t think comparing himself to anyone would be at all “ambitious enough” — he said he wanted to be the “best ever” in his field.

However, if he had to pick two players, he mentioned Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But my favorite part of the interview was when he was asked to describe himself:

“I feel like I’m an artist on an off the court. I love thinking about a lot of things and working to get an art piece done … I love drawing. I love building legos. I love it. I love writing.”

You can watch that clip from the interview by clicking here.

He elaborated that he liked the “process” of starting from nothing and then reaching his goals. The big man added that he is also a fan of classical music.

Wembanyama was already my favorite prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft. His highlights are truly out of this world. But now that I know he likes drawing and building legos and writing, he has earned even more of my respect and admiration.

The Tip-Off

LeBron James had a great reaction to Bronny’s stunning poster dunk:

“Both of LeBron James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, are playing games in Europe with the California Basketball Club as part of the AXE Euro Tour. And while the California squad dropped its opening game in London, Bronny arrived in Paris ready to put on a show.

He even managed to surprise his dad in the process.

With CBC up by 12 in the second quarter against the U18 French Select squad, Bronny — the No. 49-ranked player in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports — went coast-to-coast for a one-handed dunk over a defender. It brought the entire arena to its feet — and for good reason. What a dunk.

But the best part had to be the Proud Dad Moment from LeBron. He immediately took to Twitter with his live reaction to the poster slam from Bronny.

Oh my goodness is right.“

You can watch the full highlight right here.

Shootaround

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

— The reported NBA Christmas Day 2022 games, ranked by watchability

—Bronny James is pursued by schools including Oregon, Ohio State and is expected to ‘take the college route’

— HoopsHype trade rumor rankings: Jaylen Brown, Russell Westbrook and more

— Trevelin Queen speaks to Sixers Wire about his incredible journey to the NBA, G League, fit with Sixers

2023 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: An early look at the top prospects next year

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor over the course of the 2022-23 season.

With the basketball world over a month removed from the NBA draft, many have started to look ahead to the next rookie class and which prospects may be available.

The class is headlined by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who is considered one of the top prospects in recent memory. He has performed well in the top basketball league in France and looks to already be locked in as the top pick in 2023.

Elsewhere, there are several other prospects that will be worth monitoring over the course of next season. The rankings will certainly change but it can be a productive exercise to see how prospects moved up and down draft boards ahead of next year.

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor as the 2022-23 season approaches in a couple of months.

Note: The order of the draft was determined by the reverse championship odds set by Tipico Sportsbook. The 2023 draft will only have 59 picks after the Bulls were stripped of their second-round pick by the NBA due to a tampering violation involving the signing of Lonzo Ball.

France’s Victor Wembanyama ruled out of EuroBasket 2022 due to injury

Wembanyama has been ruled out of participating in EuroBasket 2022 with the French national team due to an injury suffered last season.

Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out of participating in EuroBasket 2022 with the French national team due to an injury suffered last season, the organization announced.

Wembanyama was first injured during the playoffs with ASVEL Basket in the LNB Pro A, the top league in France. He has not yet been cleared to return to the court due to what the team called a muscle injury.

The 7-foot-3 center was initially among 17 players named to the French roster ahead of EuroBasket 2022, which will run Sept. 1-18. The team, in consultation with his doctor, will hold him out of action to allow the injury to properly heal.

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Wembanyama, who is projected to be the top pick next year, averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots last season. He competed in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, averaging 14 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.7 blocks and 1.4 assists to help France earn the silver medal.

The 18-year-old enters next year considered the top prospect in quite some time. He dazzles on the court with his fluidity and does things players his size shouldn’t be able to do. Teams will also be thoroughly impressed with his 7-foot-9 wingspan and ability to alter shots.

Wembanyama opted to change teams ahead of next season. He will play for Metropolitans 92 under head coach Vincent Collet, who is also with the French national team. The move is expected to better prepare him for the transition to the NBA next year.

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