French basketball prodigy Wembanyama prepares for NBA ascent

French teenager Victor Wembanyama is expected to be selected later as the top young recruit in an NBA franchise. 

Victor Wembanyama, 19, played in France's top basketball division until June but from October will feature for the San Antonio Spurs in the United States in the NBA, the world's most celebrated league. AFP - ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

The 19-year-old, who played last season for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in the French first division, is the first Frenchman to boast the honour of number one draft pick in the world's most prestigious basketball league.

It is understood the San Antonio Spurs will exercise its option to bring in the teenager. The choice will be confirmed during the draft pick ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in New York City on Thursday night.

Wembanyama – hyped as the next big thing in the NBA – arrived in the United States on Monday for a round of publicity stunts before the draft pick ceremony.

He travelled on the New York subway for the first time as part of his journey to Yankee Stadium where he threw the "ceremonial first pitch" in the game between the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners.

During a visit to the US last October with the France squad, the then 18-year-old impressed a phalanx of observers including Lebron James who hailed the youngster's sinuous movments despite standing at two metres and 24 centimetres.

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“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien,” James said. “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor."

Jay Bilas, who has been part of ESPN’s coverage for every draft since James enjoyed top billing in the 2003, said: “Wembanyama is built for the modern game. We’ve never seen anything quite like him on a basketball floor.”

The modern NBA game requires big men to be comfortable playing away from the basket, able to handle the ball and defend against opponents on the perimeter of the hoop. Defenders are expected to block shots at one end and shoot three-pointers at the other.

Wembanyama can seemingly do all that. He was the most valuable player and defensive player of the year in the French league. He led the division in scoring, rebounding and blocks.

France coach Vincent Collet said: "There are tall guys who shoot with their feet in the cement, but Victor is able to move and shoot, it's something quite unique."

Nearly 60 players are expected to be chosen by the 30 teams in the two NBA conferences during the draft pick ceremony.

“I’m trying to be the best,” Wembanyama said ahead of the ceremony.

“Being the best, it’s not only on the court. There’s whole dimensions in the job of basketball player, an NBA player. I want to be the best also at the media, the press conference, all this stuff. I don’t like to do things halfway.”