Victor Wembanyama received news that the San Antonio Spurs will have the first pick at the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22nd, and his personal equipment sponsor and the NBA are already preparing. Even though he has not yet joined the NBA, the league is already excited about his potential. The NBA held its lottery for the 2023 draft last night, revealing the order in which teams will choose players. The event will take place on June 22nd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Wembanyama, a French basketball prodigy, attended the lottery. The NBA even offered two tickets to fans to witness this crucial event for the future of basketball. Nike, Wembanyama’s sponsor and the NBA’s official supplier, organized a special lottery party for him and his family at their “Nike House of Innovation PAR/002” store on Champs Elysées, Paris. Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé, who is also a Nike ambassador, was in attendance.
Nike had the opportunity to create and share numerous contents on social media platforms and welcome a few media outlets. For instance, on Instagram, Nike posted a picture before the lottery with the caption “Do you think Wemby will change basketball? Think bigger. The wait is almost over.” Furthermore, they shared a video of Wembanyama’s reaction with the words “This is where it all begins.” French NBA broadcaster beIN SPORTS was also able to experience this evening from the inside, including an interview with Victor Wembanyama by Rémi Reverchon, which was broadcasted on the NBA Extra program.
@vicw_32 is already excited to learn from the legendary Gregg Popovich! In an interview with @SoFrenchProd, he expressed his eagerness to join the team. Meanwhile, social media has been flooded with videos of ecstatic Spurs fans celebrating the news.
Regarded as the biggest rising star in basketball, the player nicknamed “Wemby” represents an exceptional economic potential all on his own. So much so that Adrian Wojnarowski, an NBA specialist journalist, declared last October, “A president told me that Victor Wembanyama’s draft could increase the franchise’s value by nearly $500 million.” This amount could, in all likelihood, be added to the value of the Texan franchise if the Frenchman joins the Spurs in a few weeks. The story is even more symbolic because San Antonio is the most “frenchie” marked NBA team, notably with Tony Parker’s stint.