Which team does Victor Wembanyama play for? Taking a closer look at future lottery pick's career
Victor Wembanyama is widely touted as the biggest prospect entering the NBA since LeBron James. However, unlike James, Wembanyama has undergone his basketball education in France.
Victor Wembanyama is currently in his sixth year as a professional. Throughout his young career, the highly-touted prospect has played for Nanterre, ASVEL, and most recently, Metropolitans. As you can probably guess, all three of these teams are from Wembanyama's native country.
This past season, Wembanyama showcased his exceptional skill diversity; playing in the highest tier of French basketball, the unicorn big man averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 56.1% from two-point range and 27.5% from deep.
During his young career, Wembanyama has also experienced European-level competition, participating in both the Euro Cup and the EuroLeague, both of which feature elite-level teams from around the continent.
What can you expect from Victor Wembanyama
Once he enters the NBA, Victor Wembanyama will likely be greeted with a significant amount of fanfare. While it's not official yet, the San Antonio Spurs will take him with their first pick, and he will likely slide right into their starting lineup to begin the season.
As with most seven-foot big men, Wembanyama will likely struggle with the physicality of the NBA to begin his career. Yet given his elite skillset and the clear polish that comes with multiple years of playing professionally overseas, there is an expectation that he will figure out ways to be impactful.
In terms of his actual playstyle, Wembanyama is a skilled ball-handler for his size with a reliable pull-up jump shot. We can also expect him to be fed touches in the post as Gregg Popovich tests his ability to finish around the rim against some of the stronger NBA defenders.
Defensively, Wembanyama will be relied upon to protect the rim and occasionally close out to shooters as the San Antonio Spurs look to put his size and length to good use. Of course, no one player is going to revolutionize a team's defense; it's a collective approach that needs buy-in from the entire roster.
So, while Wembanyama will enter the NBA with more experience than most and will possess a more dynamic skillset than his rookie peers, there will still be a learning curve for him. After all, the NBA is full of elite athletes and the world's best players. Stepping into the league after multiple years in Europe, where the game is totally different, will be a culture shock for the young protege.
Still, Victor Wembanyama will have an elite coaching staff and close support system to help him integrate to the American style of play, and once he does, the entire league will be put on notice.