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European basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama becomes youngest ever MVP of French league’s All-Star Game as the hype around this 7-foot-4 ‘once in a generation player’ keeps growing
French teen prodigy Victor Wembanyama embellished his fast-growing reputation when he became the youngest MVP in the French league’s All-Star game.
The 18-year-old Wembanyama finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists on Thursday night as the All-Star France team won 136-128 against the All-Star World team – an annual contest between French and non-French players in the French league’s LNB.
The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama is considered the likely top pick in the 2023 NBA draft next June and is a near-certainty to be the first top-five draft pick from France.
In the two months since his jaw-dropping performances in two exhibition games in Las Vegas, “Wembamania” has swept France with sold-out games whenever he plays for Paris-based Metropolitans 92.
French phenom Victor Wembanyama won his home league’s All-Star Game MVP award
With a talent as potentially game changing as his, the NBA has actively warned its franchises against ‘tanking’ to improve their chances at drafting the French star.
Before the season began, NBA commissioner Adam Silver decided to put the league ‘on notice’, saying he would be ‘paying particular attention’ to any teams attempting to tank their season for his services.
The NBA Draft uses a lottery system to decide who gets the first overall pick – instead of gifting it to the team that finishes the season with the worst record.
As of the time of publishing, the Pistons are the worst team in the NBA, followed by the Hornets, Rockets, Spurs, and Magic.
Wembanyama is averaging 22.9 points and 9.6 rebounds a game – all before he turns 19
Wembanyama is leading the French league with averages of 22.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. And those are his final numbers as an 18-year-old. He turns 19 on Jan. 4, 2023.
He hit a purple patch from early November to early December with a streak of four consecutive 30-or-more-point games.
Wembanyama’s international career got off to a good start and he is 2-0 with Olympic silver medalist France, with 39 points scored and 13 rebounds in those two games.
France plays Lithuania and the Czech Republic in February.
He’s the presumptive 1st pick in the NBA Draft – with the Pistons leading the race to the bottom
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