$4.21 billion worth French club campaigns for Victor Wembanyama to become 1st rookie All-Star since Blake Griffin
Victor Wembanyama got huge hype coming into the NBA while being picked first in the 2023 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. With the entire country of France backing up the 7-foot-4 big man, the initiative now is to get him to be part of the 2024 All-Star Game as a rookie.
Not many rookies get to be All-Stars. The latest to do that was Blake Griffin in 2011. Thirteen years later, French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain is starting the movement for Wembanyama to join the elusive group of rookie All-Stars.
With the way the All-Star Game starters are being voted, it will take more than online voting to get Victor Wembanyama in. Fifty percent of the votes will come from the fans, but the other half will be composed of select media members and players.
The All-Star reserves selection process is clear-cut, with 30 coaches casting ballots to choose three frontcourt and two backcourt players, along with two wild-card picks. Seven reserves are picked per conference, and all 14 enter the All-Star draft pool, streamlining the path to All-Star recognition.
While the vote of France could play a huge factor in the campaign, Victor Wembanayama must also win the votes of the media, players and coaches to get his chance.
Elusive list of rookie NBA All-Stars since 1980 that Victor Wembanyama could join
Seventeen players made the NBA All-Star Game as rookies, and starting the list in 1980 were Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Bill Cartwright. Two years later, Isiah Thomas, Kelly Tripucka and Buck Williams also had the recognition in their rookie years.
Ralph Sampson was the lone rookie to make the 1984 All-Star Game, but the following year, Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan made it in their conferences. Patrick Ewing was the last rookie NBA All-Star in the 1980s in 1986.
David Robinson, Dikeme Mutombo, Shaquille O'Neal, Grant Hill and Tim Duncan joined the club in the 1990s.
The 2000s had only one rookie All-Star, and that was Yao Ming with the help of China votes that got him in and promoted changes in the voting system.
For the 2010s, Blake Griffin was the only player to make it, although he was drafted in 2009 and skipped his first year in the NBA due to an injury.
Since then, no rookies have made it to the All-Star Game, and what could keep Victor Wembanyama from making it is the San Antonio Spurs' losing record. He averages 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 25 games.