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The NBA has never seen a prospect like Victor Wembanyama before. The 19-year-old born in suburban Paris will be both the tallest and longest player in the league next year. No one with his size has ever moved so gracefully on a basketball court. No one has ever been this skilled with the ball in their hands while also being this big, this fluid, and this young.
Wembanyama will be the No. 1 overall pick to the San Antonio Spurs when the 2023 NBA Draft happens on June 22. While the rest of the prospects in this draft class have been done playing for months, Wembanyama just finished out his season with Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 by leading the team to the finals of the top pro league in France.
Wembanyama would have been in the first pick in the draft off physical tools alone, but the fact that he also won MVP of LNB Pro A only cements his status as an all-time great prospect. To watch Wemby this season in France is to see something you’ve never seen before every single night. We’ve been collecting those plays all year.
Before the 2023 NBA Draft, here are the 35 most ridiculous plays from Wembanyama’s season with Mets 92. We ranked them just for you.
No. 35 A closeout attack and a dunk
LE PREMIER POSTER DE LA SAISON DE VICTOR WEMBANYAMA #BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/CvaG8mWYye
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) September 27, 2022
Easy pump-fake-and-go for the 7’5 guy.
No. 34 Pump-and-go again
@vicw_32 @Metropolitans92 #LNBTV #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/JW7UG1Uy2j
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) March 24, 2023
Too easy.
No. 33 Another coast-to-coast
Wemby démarre fort !
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) March 28, 2023
Block & coast to coast #BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/VvOx81MKtF
Sure.
No. 32 Euro-steps two defenders for the dunk
VICTOR. WEMBANYAMA. #BetclicELITE #LNBextra @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/Ox5Umyd4sV
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) May 16, 2023
No one this big should also be this fluid.
No. 31 A steal and a dunk
@vicw_32 !@Metropolitans92 #LNBextra #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/1Akkz7IeYp
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) May 7, 2023
That huge wingspan is going to help him get so many deflections in the passing lane.
No. 30 Stonewalling a shot at the rim
I say Victor Wembanyama needs to work on his strength game… then… #nba #basketball pic.twitter.com/iLAkMPC47b
— KnowBuddiez (@KnowBuddiez) June 4, 2023
Just imagine how intimidating he’s going to be as he gains weight.
No. 29 A quick spin in the post for a dunk
When you watch Victor Wembanyama, you just ask yourself "How the hell do you guard this!?"
— Ty Jäger (@TheTyJager) June 2, 2023
He gets in the post off the screen, uses a soft spin move and somehow still reaches over the defender to do a light dunk. pic.twitter.com/jVqKh2ZfRg
Go, go gadget arms.
No. 28 Wemby dunks home a game-winner
WEMBY GAME WINNER
— Overtime (@overtime) January 9, 2023
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/YPaOU1Mtbn
No better game-winning play than that.
No. 27 Wemby splashes the turnaround jumper
"It's unguardable."#NBADraft prospect Victor Wembanyama with the smooth turnaround J and sky-high release point.
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2023
Watch live: https://t.co/a4Adbtj4Uz pic.twitter.com/YXhPLrWbNE
That’s a pretty easy ATO.
No. 26 Blows up the pick-and-roll, switches, stuffs the shot
⛔️ Accès au cercle refusé.@vicw_32 @Metropolitans92 #LNBextra #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/nYdbS2yNyU
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) April 8, 2023
This man is the human eraser.
No. 25 Side-step contested three
Wemby dans ses oeuvres #BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/D7XutVA0Zn
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) December 6, 2022
It’s incredible to watch anyone pull off this move. Especially so for a guy who will be the tallest player in the NBA.
No. 24 Behind-the-back dime to a teammate
Wemby with a smooth behind the back dime (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/Lm4xWiCPu7
— Overtime (@overtime) March 24, 2023
Yeah, he can pass, too.
No. 23 Wemby blocks a three
How many humans can block a shot like this?
— NBA (@NBA) February 10, 2023
Watch Wemby on the NBA Apphttps://t.co/0fEZTG2apq pic.twitter.com/sYf6H8qiRy
Good luck shooting over an 8-foot wingspan.
No. 22 A ridiculous touch pass for an open dunk
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) June 12, 2023
Wemby is going to get so many volleyball-like tip passes with touch like this.
No. 21 Hustle play to save the ball, get the seal, and the slam
The board. The save. The SLAM
— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2023
Wemby using his length to set up the bucket!
Watch FREE on the NBA App ⤵️https://t.co/MU2UA1Fmdu pic.twitter.com/L9vG2NMzaU
Wemby’s high motor is one of the most impressive things about his game.
No. 20 Shot creation and the flush
The moves from Wemby on this possession
— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2023
Watch the game free on the NBA App ⤵️https://t.co/MU2UA1Fmdu pic.twitter.com/oPUUYeg1bU
Wemby is never far away from a slam, even when he’s cooking as a dribbler on the perimeter.
No. 19 An effortless stepback three
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA EN MODE MVP #FinalesBetclicELITE #LNBextra pic.twitter.com/OBCuuSoNmp
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) June 15, 2023
He did this in the Finals against the best team in France. Straight cash.
No. 18 A tip pass for an open three
Wemby somehow taps it out to an open shooter and then follows up the miss!
— NBA (@NBA) March 24, 2023
Watch live on the NBA App: https://t.co/mIcQXjs7fU pic.twitter.com/0aYPZ3qIR0
How?
No. 17 Wemby smothers the rim and goes coast-to-coast
Wemby doing Wemby things.
— Overtime (@overtime) March 28, 2023
(via @NBA)
pic.twitter.com/Favpnc5rHN
Wemby is going to prevent so many good looks at the rim from even happening. Oh by the way: once he blocks your shot, he’s off pushing the ball for a bucket the other way.
No. 16 Smooth side-step three
Side-stepping for the triple ☔️
— NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2023
Wemby gives Metropolitans 92 the lead in Q3... Watch now on the NBA App: https://t.co/RrOsEE3ROg pic.twitter.com/Ag9aqEB51s
Silky.
No. 15 The rip, the euro, and the slam
Wemby face-up.
— NBA (@NBA) February 4, 2023
Wemby euro.
Wemby hammer.
Watch on the NBA App: https://t.co/0fEZTG2apq pic.twitter.com/uCi80WmSOV
Looking like a 7’5 wing in this one.
No. 14 A falling runner from three
CE SHOOT SURRÉALISTE DE VICTOR WEMBANYAMA #BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/SOWyvCCL6H
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) December 2, 2022
Just mind-blowing stuff. Not much else left to say.
No. 13 Wembanyama tip-dunks his own missed shot
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) June 12, 2023
Wemby throwing lobs to himself off the glass could break the league.
No. 12 And-one on the baseline fade
@vicw_32 avec la faute !@Metropolitans92
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) April 30, 2023
#LNBTV #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/4jcgiJ7UQA
Here’s a prediction: Wembanyama is going take and make a lot of mid-range shots early in his career. The makes like this one will be beautiful.
No. 11 Coast-to-coast for the dunk
COAST TO COAST + POSTER DE VICTOR WEMBANYAMA #PlayoffsBetclicELITE @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/SgkYGKGvoL
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) May 21, 2023
“Don’t stand on the tracks when the train’s coming through.”
No. 10 Clutch shot-creation off the bounce
This move from Wemby in the clutch pic.twitter.com/RznZqxI5fg
— NBA (@NBA) February 4, 2023
Wembanyama’s ball handling on the perimeter is just so impressive. He doesn’t need to get all the close to the rim to dunk it, either!
No. 9 Casual side-step three
☄️ @vicw_32 à trois points !@Metropolitans92 #PlayoffsBetclicELITE #LNBextra pic.twitter.com/9cp9Qrcdwn
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) June 4, 2023
Did we mention he’s 7’5?
No. 8 A logo three
LOGO WEMBY
— NBA (@NBA) February 10, 2023
Watch #NBADraft prospect @vicw_32 and @Metropolitans92 in action on the NBA Apphttps://t.co/0fEZTG2apq pic.twitter.com/kd72i6OXJg
This man has RANGE.
No. 7 Wemby puts on a ball handling clinic, and makes the and-one
I tune into the Wemby game today and the first play I see if this???? Are you kidding me man ♂️ This dude is special. #SAVANT pic.twitter.com/xlNVZeYnQ2
— Savant Hoops (@SavantHoops) June 2, 2023
Sure.
No. 6 Blocks the three, hits a jumper
Block the jumper, hit the jumper!
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2023
Wemby is a force.
Watch @Metropolitans92 in the LNB semis live on the NBA App: https://t.co/a4Adbtj4Uz pic.twitter.com/X3y5YxqNJz
Most people think of rim protection as happening ... at the rim. Makes sense. But Wemby’s length and mobility on the perimeter is going to allow him to block so many threes. When it happens, he’s off and running to beat you on the other end.
No. 5 Wembanyama schools defender on an island
@vicw_32 a activé le mode destruction !@Metropolitans92 #LNBextra #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/VMq3nCBiyb
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) May 7, 2023
Clear out one side of the floor and let the 7’5 guy go to work. Nothing you can do about that.
No. 4 Stuffing a fast break
Victor Wembanyama #BetclicELITE #LNBTV @vicw_32 x @Metropolitans92 pic.twitter.com/AJpDKyVhhV
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) December 2, 2022
The rim can’t shield you from Wemby. Nothing will.
3. Wembanyama breaks up transition alley-oop
Impossible. @Metropolitans92's phenom centre @vicw_32 comes up with an impossible 1 on 2 fast break defence in @LNBofficiel Pro A: pic.twitter.com/AxsXJqoHWa
— eurobball Views (@eurobballviews) November 1, 2022
You can throw a fastbreak lob over most defenders. Not the guy with the 8-foot wingspan.
No. 2 The one-footed runner from three that broke that internet
This Victor Wembanyama bucket is TOUGH ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) November 4, 2022
Watch him live now on the NBA App:
https://t.co/0fEZTG2apq pic.twitter.com/gLUZDCSXSV
Not even the most skilled shooters in the NBA are audacious enough to regularly attempt a floater from three-point range in a game. This will be the ultimate “no, no, no, YES” shot in the NBA for Wemby, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it one day becomes a real part of his arsenal.
No. 1 Tip-dunking his own missed step-back three
Wemby got his own rebound for the jam
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2023
Watch live on the NBA App
: https://t.co/b5MGDG4xqB pic.twitter.com/SBJNqoNSSx
When I told my some friends about this play, they didn’t believe it. A guy juked some defenders on the perimeter, bounced into a step-back three, followed his own miss and tip-dunked it? And he’s 7’5? How is that even possible?
To watch Wemby is to see things on a basketball court that have never been done before. This is the chief example.
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