There wasn’t the slightest surprise at the top of the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center as the Spurs added to the ever-growing international flavor of the NBA with a win over ultra-hybrid French unicorn Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick.
The 7-4 center with defensive skills became the 14th international player to be drafted first and the first to not play basketball at an American college since Andrea Bargnani of Italy in 2006.
The 19-year-old Wembanyama has been well known as the best draft pick since LeBron James and the league’s next generation and global superstar, where the last five MVP winners – Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice), Nikola Jokic (twice) and Joel Embiid (2023) – were born outside of the United States
This includes 4 of the five All-NBA First Team members this season – Antetokounmpo (Greece), Embiid (Cameroon), Luca Doncic (Slovenia) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada).
![Victor Wembanyama will appear in the 2023 NBA draft on June 22.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000013074066.jpg?w=1024)
![Viktor Wembanyama](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/GettyImages-1258922025.jpg?w=1024)
“I’m not surprised by the ultra-success of so many international players, just as I’m not surprised by the success of American players. We are actually on an equal footing throughout the world,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said earlier this week in a conference call. “I believe because basketball is really a worldwide game, it’s the second hottest sport in the world after soccer or soccer, whatever you desire to call it, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the rest of the world has great prospects.
“The US still has the most, but the concept that we might have all of them is a bit ridiculous. Now, years ago – 30, 40, 50 years ago – the United States had so rather more than anyone else. But basketball’s popularity has exploded, especially since the Dream Team days at the 1992 Olympics, and I believe it’s to be expected that you’ve great talent emerging internationally.
Based on the NBA, the 2022-23 Opening Night rosters featured 120 international players from 41 countries, including a league-leading number of Canadian players (22), with all 30 teams boasting not less than one international player on their roster.
Embiid, Jokic and Antetokounmpo were the three MVP finalists for the second straight season.
Read the Recent York Post coverage of the 2023 NBA draft:
“It might be much like, say, take a look at Shohei Ohtani,” Bilas said of the two-way Angels superstar. “Baseball is an American game. Well, they play basketball throughout the world, and Japan has been playing baseball for a very long time. The concept that we can’t see some of the best players in the world coming from other countries, we felt for a very long time like we owned the game, which we do not. I believe we must always get used to it by now.
Wembanyama played three seasons at the highest level of skilled basketball in France, including a loss on this yr’s French League Finals for his club team, the Metropolitans 92.
The teenager led the league in scoring (21.6 points per game), rebounds (10.4) and blocks (3.0), and was named Defensive Player of the 12 months.
![Viktor Wembanyama](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000012929048.jpg?w=1024)
“I believe international outlooks generally have a bit more maturity and again, that is overall. This doesn’t apply to everyone,” said Bilas. “But they play professionally before they go into the draft process they usually were brought up more as professionals they usually play against older players. There’s probably a greater probability of maturing more quickly once they reach military age, and from a global perspective, that is 18.
“I do not know in case you’d prefer to say it’s easier because international applicants should deal with coming to a recent country and things like that, but they played basketball at a high level, most if not all of them for years before they got into for conscription. They could have a bit of a bonus early as a consequence of the level of competition and maturity of the players they’re playing against. They play with men of a younger age.
And now, Wembanyama will begin his NBA journey alongside Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich at the Spurs, whose former No. 1 overall pick Tim Duncan led San Antonio to 5 NBA titles after his election in 1997.
![Victor Wembanyama speaks to reporters ahead of the 2023 NBA draft on June 22.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/NYPICHPDPICT000013074506.jpg?w=1024)
These teams also featured international stars Manu Ginobli (Argentina) and fellow Wembanyama Frenchman Tony Parker.
“For me, San Antonio is a winning city,” Wembanyama said Wednesday. “On the night of the lottery when the Spurs picked no 1, I used to be lucky they picked as a franchise that has such a culture and experience of winning. So I’m really looking forward to it.”