As the 2023 NBA draft approaches, Victor Wembanyama is becoming more of a household name. The 7-foot French prospect has wowed fans all year with his highlights and is expected to be the number one pick this year.
Seeing as Victor Wembanyama is one of the most talked about prospects since LeBron James, everyone is trying to get a chance to talk to him. That being said, some are going out of their way to profit from the exposure of him.
FIBA recently published an interview with the international sensation. The only problem is that it wasn’t real. Not long after it went live, Wembanyama took to Instagram to tell the world that he never spoke to them.
Victor Wembanyama sits down for a royal interview
While some may be pretending to have spoken to the 7-foot-3 phenom, Victor Wembanyama sat down with Sports Illustrated to discuss a wide range of topics.
Unsurprisingly, among the top things talked about was the anticipation of his break into the NBA. There has never been a player with his size and skills, which is why he’s already in the realm of LA Lakers star LeBron James. Some have even debated that he’s a more exciting prospect than the Ohio high school star.
During his time with SI, Victor Wembanyama talked about tailoring his game to his size. He admitted that it’s hard for him to have role models, but he’s doing his best to break all expectations.
“I really can’t accept role models,” Wembanyama explained. “Because when you’re 6’2″ [versus] 7’3”, it’s not the same sport. So the way I want to play, I have to innovate and just create new things.
“I have to diversify my skills even more so people don’t get bored. I want to exceed expectations.”
Never before has a player of his stature been able to dominate on the perimeter like him. In addition to having range in attack, Wembanyama is an imposing force in defense with his long arms. His first game in the NBA will surely be one of the most anticipated debuts in history.
With such an exciting player on the way, all eyes are on the bottom of the standings in this final stretch of the regular season. While some teams are looking to make a run for a title, others are trying to give themselves the best chance of recruiting Wembanyama this summer.