The San Antonio Spurs, based in Texas, were awarded the No 1 pick in the Draft Lottery on Tuesday evening.
Generational talent Wembanyama, once described by basketball legend Lebron James as an ‘alien’, is widely expected to be picked up by the Spurs.
Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that French football superstar Kylian Mbappe watched the 7ft 5ins 19-year-old’s final regular season game.
And Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe, one of the best players in the world, met up with Wembanyama on the evening of the draft, social media video has revealed.
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San Antonio Spurs, given the No 1 pick, are almost certain to choose the generational talent, 19
.@KMbappe
est présent pour la soirée de la #NBADraftLotteryavec @vicw_32 !À suivre sur beIN SPORTS et via l'app NBA https://t.co/NQE1sWpx7M pic.twitter.com/gTkU51mE40
— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) May 16, 2023
The official English-speaking Twitter account of Ligue 1, the top division of football in France, posted a picture of the pair posing together happily with the caption: ‘French excellence’.
NBA France’s account then put up a video of the duo meeting on the evening of the Draft Lottery.
Twitter footage shows Mbappe greeting Wembanyama, shaking hands warmly and having a chat – with 5ft 10ins Mbappe forced to look up a long way at the man towering tall over him – before they are whisked off into another room.
San Antonio had the joint-best odds – 14 percent – of getting the top pick, and will now have the chance of selecting the teenager once dubbed an ‘alien’ by James.
‘I’m gonna [do] everything to win as many games as I can,’ he said during a live interview with ESPN from Paris. ‘I’m trying to win a ring ASAP, so be ready.’
Spurs owner Peter Holt, who was in attendance in Chicago at the lottery, was elated after it was announced that his team had won the No. 1 pick, screaming ‘let’s go!’ immediately afterwards and later joking he ‘might faint’ when he was interviewed.
Footage of Wembanyama in Paris was filmed by the NBA as he learned of the No 1 pick. He seemed delighted when the announcement was made, clapping and clenching his fists.
And fans of the San Antonio franchise matched that excitement from Holt as they were captured erupting when they found out Wembanyama would likely be a Spur.
Fans recorded at a bar were seen spraying alcohol and jumping in the air when they saw the franchise-altering news announced.
Wembanyama will follow in the footsteps of former Spurs big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who were both No. 1 overall picks, and fans will hope the French teenager can emulate Robinson and Duncan’s Hall of Fame careers.
‘People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it’s bigger than that,’ Spurs general manager Brian Wright said Tuesday night.
‘His ability to be a great teammate, his ability to think the game, unique challenges, you see him doing things that you wouldn’t even have guessed someone could do. His approach, his professionalism.
‘When you use the word generational talent, it extends beyond your ability to put the ball in the basket. And he’s unique in so many ways.’”
