(Chicago) Victor Wembanyama will for all intents and purposes continue his journey with San Antonio, as the Spurs won the lottery for the NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
Spurs were one of the three clubs with the best odds of deciding first, at 14%.
The 19-year-old Frenchman, who stands seven-foot-four, will almost certainly be the pick of Spurs, who have won just 22 games this season.
The hype is already intense regarding Wembanyama. He is expected to have an immediate impact in the league.
“He’s an incredible young man,” commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN in the minutes before the lottery was announced. He really seems like the kind of player you see once in a generation. »
He has the size of a center, the precision of a forward and the passing skills of a playmaker.
It was the third time Spurs had won the lottery. They turned to David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1997. Those choices were key to winning five championships under coach Gregg Popovich.
“It’s so exciting,” said associate manager Peter J. Holt, the Spurs representative at the McCormick Center, where the lottery was held.
Compatriot of Wembanyama, Tony Parker was also one of the great players in the history of the Spurs, just like the Argentinian Manu Ginobili.
Charlotte will draft second, Portland third and Houston fourth.
The Pistons will have to wait in fifth place, after showing the worst performance in the league this season.
They, the Spurs and the Rockets were leading with a 14% chance.
Orlando, Indiana, Washington, Utah, Dallas, OKC, Toronto and New Orleans will have picks 6 through 14, in that order.
Wembanyama has completed three seasons with the pros in France, securing the Premier League scoring title on Tuesday.
The Spurs have built a brand new training facility at a cost of $500 million. It is planned to open in August this year.