Will San Antonio Spurs draft Victor Wembanyama with No. 1 pick?

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Victor Wembanyama (R) of Boulogne-Levallois dunks in the Betclic Elite game against Paris at Salle Marcel Cerdan in Paris, France, May 16, 2023. /CFP

The San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, acquiring the first-overall pick which enables them to select French giant Victor Wembanyama at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City, on June 22.

Wembanyama, 19, is the most eye-catching NBA prospect since LeBron James. As a reportedly 2.24-meter-tall player with a 2.4-meter-long wingspan, he can dribble to drive early offense and make shots from long distance. His height also gives him remarkable vision to find and pass to open teammates.

Wembanyama is much more dominant on the defensive end, not only because of his size and athleticism, but for his skillful footwork and reading of the opponents' offense. He can establish a no-fly zone in the paint by himself and often closes out to deny 3-pointers by the opponents.

Peter J. Holt, owner of the San Antonio Spurs, poses for a photo after winning the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery with the first-overall pick at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, May 16, 2023. /CFP

Of course, Wembanyama is far from perfect, especially with his slender frame. He is around only 100 kilograms, which explains why he is vulnerable to physical contact on both ends of the game. He can't shoulder too much of offensive duty at the moment for this reason. If he enters the NBA, his team shouldn't have him face heavyweights like Giannis Antetokounmpo or LeBron James by himself before he puts on more muscles.

In spite of all the problems Wembanyama has right now, he is still one of the most promising "unicorns" that NBA has ever seen. That's why the Spurs are expected to draft him with the No. 1 pick.

"It's going to be unbelievable. Our future was already bright, now it's going to be through the moon," Spurs owner Peter J. Holt said at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center. This is the third time for the team to have the first-overall pick for the NBA Draft. They selected two Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers and champion big men, David Robinson and Tim Duncan, on the last two occasions.

"I'm trying to win a ring ASAP. So be ready," Wembanyama told ESPN after the lottery results were announced.