Victor Wembanyama is officially a San Antonio Spur.
After years of anticipation, the French phenom joined the NBA on Thursday night as the first pick of the NBA Draft. As widely anticipated, the Spurs selected the 7-foot-4 center, who's expected to transform the position and lead San Antonio from the lottery back to NBA prominence.
Wembanyama follows the footsteps in San Antonio of fellow No. 1 overall picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who went on to Hall of Fame careers while combining to lead the Spurs to five NBA championships. Spurs fans won't have to wait long to see him. Head coach Gregg Popovich confirmed after the pick that Wembanyama will play Summer League games.
"We're talking about what he should be doing moving forward," Popovich told reporters. ... "He will participate in the Summer League. To what degree, we're not sure yet."
With the No. 2 pick, the Hornets took Alabama's Brandon Miller, selecting the 6-9 forward over G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. The Portland Trail Blazers then pounced on the opportunity to select the player widely regarded as the draft's second-best player and took Henderson at No. 3.
What to know about the 2023 NBA Draft
It's official:San Antonio Spurs select Victor Wembanyama with No. 1 overall pick
Dan Devine on a generational prospect:Is it even possible for Victor Wembanyama to live up to the hype?
Vincent Goodwill on pre-draft hype:Victor Wembanyama embraces spotlight and expectations that come with No. 1 pick
Team fit over best-available player:Charlotte Hornets select Brandon Miller with No. 2 overall pick
Rounding out top three: Portland Trail Blazers select Scoot Henderson with No. 3 overall pick
Thompson twins make history:Amen, Ausar Thompson become first brothers selected in the top 10 of the same draft
Notable slide:Villanova's Cam Whitmore falls out of lottery to Rockets at No. 20
We have a trade!:Pacers take Bilal Coulibaly, trade him to Wizards for Jarace Walker
Trade news: Mavericks reportedly trade No. 10 pick, Davis Bertans to Thunder
A touching tribute: Jett Howard and family wear purple in honor of grandma with Alzheimer's
Full 2023 NBA Draft updates, picks, analysis, grades
2023 NBA Draft complete results
First Round
1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, C, France2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, G Overtime Elite5. Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, G, Overtime Elite6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas7. Washington Wizards (from Pacers): Bilal Coulibaly, F, France8. Indiana Pacers (from Wizards): Jarace Walker, F, Houston9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF10. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Mavericks): Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky11. Orlando Magic (from Bulls): Jett Howard, G, Michigan12. Dallas Mavericks (from Thunder): Dereck Lively II, C, Duke13. Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick, G, Kansas14. New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn15. Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin, G, Michigan16. Utah Jazz (from Timberwolves): Keyonte George, G, Baylor17. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana18. Miami Heat: Jaime Jaquez Jr., F, UCLA19. Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara20. Houston Rockets (from Clippers): Cam Whitmore, G, Villanova21. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix): Noah Clowney, F, Alabama22. Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead, G, Duke23. Portland Trail Blazers (from New York): Kris Murray, F, Iowa24. Dallas Mavericks (from Kings): Olivier-Maxence Prosper, F, Marquette25. Detroit Pistons (from Grizzlies via Celtics): Marcus Sasser, G, Houston26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland): Ben Sheppard, F, Belmont27. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): Nick Smith Jr, G, Arkansas28. Utah Jazz (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): Brice Sensabaugh, F, Ohio State29. Denver Nuggets (reported trade with Indiana via Boston): Julian Strawther, F, Gonzaga30. Los Angeles Clippers (from Milwaukee via Houston): Kobe Brown, F, Missouri
Second Round
31.Boston Celtics (from Pistons): James Nnaji, C, FC Barcelona (Spain), Nigeria32. Denver Nuggets (reported trade with Indiana via Houston): Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State33. Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio Spurs): Leonard Miller, F, G League Ignite34. Sacramento Kings (reported trade with Celtics via Charlotte): Colby Jones, G, Xavier35. Chicago Bulls (reported trade with Wizards via Boston, Portland, Atlanta, Clippers, Detroit and Cleveland): Julian Phillips, F, Tennessee36. Milwaukee Bucks (via Orlando Magic): Andre Jackson Jr., G, UConn37. Denver Nuggets (reported trade via Oklahoma City, Washington and New Orleans): Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson38. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento via Indiana): Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas39. Boston Celtics (from Charlotte, via Utah, New York): Mouhamed Gueye, F, Washington State40. Los Angeles Lakers (reported trade via Indiana Pacers, Dallas, Oklahoma City): Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine41. Charlotte Hornets (from Oklahoma City via New York and Boston): Amari Bailey, G, UCLA42. Washington Wizards (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers and Washington): Tristan Vukčević, F, Serbia43. Portland Trail Blazers (from Atlanta): Rayan Rupert, G, France44. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto): Sidy Cissoko, G, G League Ignite45. Memphis Grizzlies (from Minnesota): G.G. Jackson, F, South Carolina46. Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans): Seth Lundy, G, Penn State47. Indiana Pacers (reported trade with Lakers): Mojave King, G, G League Ignite48. Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Miller, F, Miami49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans): Emoni Bates, G, Eastern Michigan50. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami via Boston, Memphis, and Dallas): Keyontae Johnson, F, Kansas State51. Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas52. Phoenix Suns: Toumani Camara, F, Dayton53. Minnesota Timberwolves (from New York via Charlotte): Jaylen Clark, G, UCLA54. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Slawson, F, Furman55. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland via Milwaukee and Detroit): Isaiah Wong, G, Miami 56. Memphis Grizzlies: Tarik Biberovic, F, Turkey— Forfeited pick by Chicago— Forfeited pick by Philadelphia57. Golden State Warriors (from Washington via Boston, Charlotte): Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana58. Milwaukee Bucks: Chris Livingston, G, Kentucky