French center and consensus No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama has officially declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, he announced during a segment on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“Declaring for the draft … it’s something crazy I’m not realizing yet,” Wembanyama said. “I realized pretty young I wanted to play in the NBA but it becomes a reality more every day. I’m so lucky to have this dream within the reach of my hand.”
Wembaynama, 19, is 7-foot-5 and his announcement is really just a formality — given that he is viewed as the top prospect since LeBron James entered the league straight out of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003.
In other words, Wembanyama is viewed as sort of the player who can change the fortunes of a franchise quickly.
He said earlier this season he had no preference on where he ends up or which team drafts him.
“There is no wrong team,” Wembanyama said, via Brian Windhorst and Jonathan Givony of ESPN. “I am not worried; there is no bad organization. I never tell myself I don’t like to go there.”
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 2.3 assists for Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A league, playing 29 games.
“I’ve been working more than ever on my body with my personal trainer Guillaume [Alquier],” Wembanyama said, via Givony. “I’m ready to go over all sorts of obstacles. So far it’s worked pretty well. I haven’t missed a game yet. I’ve been there for my guys every game.
“There’s so many games in a NBA season. It’s hard to play all 82 games, some players are built a certain way. Others got to rest. My goal is to play the most games I can, and help my team as much as I can.”
The NBA Draft Lottery is set for May 16. We have each team’s odds of winning at this link.
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