5 figures on Victor Wembanyama, who is making his NBA debut

2023-10-25 16:55:26

Victor Wembanyama plays his first NBA match, the North American professional basketball championship, on the night of Wednesday October 25 to Thursday October 26 (at 3:30 a.m. French time) with his San Antonio Spurs team which will face the Dallas Mavericks.

Rarely have debuts been so anticipated in this league which brings together the best players on the planet. Five figures to explain and illustrate this expectation around “Wemby”, the first Frenchman chosen as number 1 in the draft in June.

► 2.24 m, variable size

For AFP, Victor Wembanyama measures 2.24 m. For everyday The Team, the tricolor prodigy peaks “only” at 2.23 m. RMC sport speaks for its part about “2.22 m player” on his site. The NBA ignores centimeters and calculates in feet and inches. For her, the newcomer is 7 feet and 4 inches, or 2.235 m precisely. For the Spurs, it’s 7 feet 3 inches, or 2.21 m.

The size of 2.26 m also circulated in the media. Who is right ? Probably everyone. Victor Wembanyama was measured sometimes barefoot, sometimes with his shoes on as is usual in the NBA. Furthermore, the simple posture of a human being, more or less straightened under the measuring board, can vary the final result. At 19, the big teenager hasn’t finished growing anyway.

► 103 kg, expanding weight

The weight of Victor Wembanyama is also a questionable data. The NBA announces that the slender beginner weighs 210 pounds on the scale, or 95.25 kg. On a list released at the beginning of October, the San Antonio Spurs mentioned a weight of 230 pounds, or a little more than 103 kg.

During a press conference, the person concerned said that he had taken “4 to 7 kg” since arriving in Texas. Enough to resist the strong guys he will encounter on the floors, without losing his astonishing agility for an athlete of his size.

► 2.43 m, impressive wingspan

There is less debate about Victor Wembanyama’s wingspan, measured at his fingertips when he extends his arms horizontally: 2.43 m. No NBA player can compete with him on this level. This gives him a significant advantage, particularly in defense, to block opposing shots.

It’s official: Mavs are prepping for the Spurs, specifically 7-4 rookie Victor Wembanyama, with God Shammgod playing the role of Wemby. “Wemby! Wemby” he hollered while going out to defend Irving with his artificial Wemby length. pic.twitter.com/cKmgnP0M1n

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 21, 2023

Brad Townsend, an American journalist, filmed the Dallas players who trained by extending their arms with soft material protections to simulate the measurements of the phenomenon they were going to face.

► 21.6 points, series scorer

In 2022-2023, Victor Wembanyama finished top scorer in the French Pro A championship under the jersey of Metropolitans 92, the team from Boulogne-Levallois (Hauts-de-Seine). He was also crowned best rebounder, best defender, best blocker, best young player and best player of the season.

In four pre-season matches, preparation meetings, with Spurs, the Frenchman got closer to his French standards, scoring 19.3 points on average.

► 18,400 seats, a full room

For a simple training session at the beginning of October, 13,200 people gathered to admire Victor Wembanyama in the Frost Bank Center, the venue which hosts Spurs matches in San Antonio. This is because the hopes of the supporters are immense. The French rookie must bring their favorites back to the top, while the club has lost its luster after being part of the best American teams with another Frenchman, Tony Parker.

Given this gigantic craze, it will be difficult to obtain a ticket to see a game in the Frost Bank Center, where the 18,400 seats available may be insufficient. The club recorded 4,000 additional subscription requests.

1️⃣. DAY. OUT!!!#PorVida | @Ticketmaster | #sponsoredpic.twitter.com/iXQNKF2pcO

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 24, 2023

While sales of jerseys bearing the Frenchman’s name have soared, Spurs also expect to have 4 million additional subscribers on their social networks according toThe Team.