The athlete to follow | The “2.20 alien” who hallucinates LeBron and is drawn by half the NBA

Get to NBA it’s not easy. The American league has the best basketball players in the world -with honorable exceptions- and, for this reason, being part of any of the franchises is not an easy mission. The impact it had is still remembered Ferdinando Martinothe first Spaniard to get there and, years later, the incredible sporting career of the Gasol brothers, protected by a whole litter of great players who were – and some still are – part of the ‘ÑBA’. And it is that the two pivots have scored a before and after in Spanish basketball and, also, in the NBA.

Pau won two rings and Marc one, as well as breaking numerous records that will remain in the memory of the national sport. But, without a doubt, an image that was etched in fire for fans around the world was that initial leap between the two in the 2015 All Star, something that has never happened before in history. The two players have become, for their way of playing and their exemplary behavior, a mirror for the little ones who try to follow in their footsteps. Now, a young French talent of 2.20 meters He is called to be the center of the future … and shines in his first games in the G League.

In his first two games with the Metropolitans 92Victor Wembanyama dazzled and exceeded his best expectations. He has only played two games against the NBA scouts, but his numbers speak for themselves: in the first game he managed to sign 37 points (including 7 triples out of 11), 4 rebounds, 1 recovery and 5 blocks; in the second, she did 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. Y LeBron James it is clear: “Everyone has labeled Victor Wembanyama as a unicorn, but he is an alien. I’ve never seen anyone as tall as him and play so smoothly and gracefully. “Almost nothing.

Born in Versailles (France), Wembanyama has all the credentials to become one of the great players of the next few years. His height, 2.20 meters, is already impressive in itself, but it strikes even more if you take into account that he is a young man of 18 years and that still growing. From an early age he knew that sport would be his kind of him, it was in the genes and, now, he is convinced that he can become one of the best players of the next few years, even if, for this reason, he will need a lot of patience and training to continue developing and improving his characteristics.

Wembanyama was born into a family of athletes. His father, Felix, was a professional high jumper; his mother, Elodie, a basketball player. And not only has he “breastfed” sports since he was in the crib, but his genetics were soon capricious to endow his body with privileged characteristics. He was always the tallest in his class, full of agility, skill and with enviable coordination despite its height. For this he soon began to practice various sports, trying football or judo, but found that, like his mother, his body was made for basketball. And her adventure began.

Following in the footsteps of his mother, Nanterre 92 – one of the most prodigious quarries in France – soon noticed its qualities. It didn’t take long to prove that it not only stood out for its size, but also his hand was really good. In all the lower categories he stood out for his good manners and most of the big European teams started looking at his possibilities. So much that Barcelona too, decided to put him to the test during the 2018 Mini Cup, where he was one of the most important players of the culé team. Happy with him, they wanted to hire him, but Wembanyama decided to stay in France.

So much so that he arrived in the first team in Nanterre, where he was nominated best player in the French league in his first year as a professional. This helped him sign last year for the Asvelteam with which he played the Euroleague. It took only one top-level course to attract the attention of the NBA and, therefore, he did not hesitate to try it with the intention of becoming a major player in the coming years. So far, he has only played two G-League games, but not only impresses with his jump, resilience and ability to dribble so fast, but also especially for his ball control and, above all, for his ability to shoot. He is a great shooter.