21 June 2023 , 18:03
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Thursday's stage is set for Victor Wembanyama to be the No.1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, something he's been preparing for his entire life.
The seven-foot-four French teenger has dreamed of playing in the NBA, and ever since that ambition started to look like a reality he's been making adjustments to get himself in the best shape. Wembanyama will become the tallest active NBA player when he steps out on the court for the first time, but he's looking to work on his power due to having a very slim frame.
"I gotta eat whenever I can. Before practice, after practice, before I go to bed, after waking up, before the nap, after the nap," said Wembanyama said in an interview with Good Morning America. The Frenchman is determined to deliver after being labelled as a "generational talent", with even LeBron James giving the 19-year-old his approval.
"I have such high expectations for myself. And I'm so determined that the expectations of others are nothing compared to what I expect of myself," Wembanyama added. The prospect has been blessed with a great talent, but has an athletic trainer to get the best out of him.
According to ESPN, his trainer, Guillaume Alquier, records Wembanyama's sleep schedule and even has a strict training and recovery plan to follow daily. Wembanyama is tasked with sleeping 10 hours a day, and his training is also extremely focused.
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Wembanyama completes drills that are solely on his feet, ensuring they're stuck on the ground to strengthen him from the bottom up. "Having your feet actually connected to the ground is really important as a basketball player," Wembanyama explained.
"If your feet are strong. You can then get better on every other aspect of your body." Wembanyama is expected to be selected by the San Antonio Spurs, who very much hit the jackpot when they won the NBA Draft Lottery.
Wembanyama is the most exciting prospect since LeBron James and Kobe Bryant (2023 Aurelien Meunier)It's almost guaranteed that Wembanyama will be playing for the Spurs next season, as it would be the biggest shock in draft history if they allowed the Frenchman to go elsewhere or traded the pick away. Regardless, Thursday night is the moment that Wembanyama has been waiting for, when it all becomes official.
"It's an event that I've been waiting for and I've been thinking about for the last years," Wembanyama said, "Our life is gonna change from one day to another - for sure one of the most important nights in my life.
Wembanyama will also be coached by one of the all-time greats, with Gregg Popovich beginning his coaching career 31 years before the prospect was even born and has worked with the Spurs previous number one picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
Popovich started off as an assistant coach at Air Force in NCAA back in 1973, but landed his first head coaching role in the NBA 23 years later. Popovich has been with the Spurs ever since, winning five NBA championships and being named coach of the year three times. There's nothing that Popovich hasn't seen in the NBA, and he'll be able to pass on his wisdom to Wembanyama.