San Antonio Spurs chief's reaction to Draft Lottery sums up Victor Wembanyama

17 May 2023 , 08:39

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Peter Holt couldn't contain his excitement after the San Antonio Spurs were awarded the top pick (Image: ESPN)

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery in the biggest way possible on Tuesday night as they secured the first overall pick in this year's draft.

By winning the first overall pick, they can look forward to selecting French phenom Victor Wembanyama. The 18-year-old sensation is the most-hyped rookie since LeBron James, and Spurs managing partner Peter Holt's reaction summed up the feeling in Texas.

The Spurs went into Tuesday night's Draft Lottery as one of the three teams with the highest odds - 14% - to receive the first overall pick. After the Detroit Pistons were taken off the board by receiving the fifth pick, and the Houston Rockets received the fourth pick, they knew they had a solid chance.

Wembanyama's exploits in France with Metropolitans 92 have earned him a reputation unlike any other newcomer to the league in recent memory, and the Spurs will now have the chance to build around him for the next four years.

And Holt seemed to be unable to contain his excitement after receiving the first pick, as he told ESPN: "I might faint," after the results of the lottery were read out.

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Wembanyama, who stands at 7ft4in, has the rare ability to shoot from three point range or dunk while barely moving himself off the ground. He's earned comparisons to Kevin Durant due to his ball-handling ability and his footwork.

Victor Wembanyama is unique due to his ability to dunk while barely leaving the ground

The French wonderkid earned compliments from Los Angeles Lakers megastar James earlier in the year after the four-time NBA champion was asked about the youngster.

James said of Wembanyama: ”We’re labelling like this unicorn thing... everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years,” James said. “But he’s more like an alien. Nobody has seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor.”

Wembanyama, who will soon be a member of the Spurs, replied: "First of all, I’m really glad he said that because I didn’t like to be called a unicorn. I like it because it’s just something not from this world. I like being called an alien, yeah. It’s really what I’m working to be—something unique and original.”

Daniel Blackham