Victor Wembanyama is No. 1 pick in NBA draft, with huge expectations

NEW YORK (AP)— Victor Wembanyama is the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, headed toSan Antonio with enormous expectations to become basketball’snewest sensation.

The selectionof the 19-year-old from France that had been a foregone conclusionfor months was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver onThursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, followed by chantsof “Wemby! Wemby” from a group of Spurs fans waving signs from thefirst row of seats.

Wembanyamaarrives with far more height and hype than most No. 1 picks. Listedat 7-foot-4, he dominated his French league in his final seasonthere, leading all players in scoring, rebounding and blockedshots.

Now he makesthe move to the NBA, perhaps as the best prospect since LeBronJames came out of high school in 2003. Wembanyama brings a packageof skills that seem perfect for the modern NBA and too vast for oneplayer, with the size of a center and the shooting and ballhandlingability of a guard.

“Hearing thatsentence from Adam Silver, I’ve dreamed of it so much,” Wembanyamasaid, tears in his eyes as he left the stage with his Spurs cap onand hugged his siblings. “I’ve got to cry.”

Wembanyamawas the center of attention throughout the draft process and sat inthe middle of the green room — for the short time he was there,anyway. He smiled for young fans who screamed “Victor!” as hewalked around the arena, even encouraging one to throw him abasketball that he signed and tossed back up into the stands.

The CharlotteHornets took Alabama freshman forward Brandon Miller with the No. 2pick.

ScootHenderson of the G League Ignite, whose bling-filled jacket stoodin sharp contrast to Wembanyama’s solid green look, was the No. 3pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.

It was duringa two-game series between teams featuring Wembanyama and Hendersonlast October in Las Vegas that Wembanyama solidified himself as themain man in this draft, scoring 37 and 36 points in front of scoutsand some future opponents.His highlights, such as afollow dunk of his own missed 3-pointer, became can’t-miss contentfor basketball fans during the past season.

Wembanyama isthe Spurs’ third No. 1 pick and the first since Tim Duncan in 1997,which led to a stretch of five NBA championships through 2014before they struggled in recent seasons.

He became thefirst international player drafted No. 1 without playing anycollege basketball since Andrea Bargnani in 2006.

Draft historywas made with the Nos. 4 and 5 picks. Twins Amen and Ausar Thompsonof Overtime Elite became the first brothers to be selected in thetop 10 of the same draft, with Amen going to the Houston Rocketsand Ausar following to the Detroit Pistons.

Anthony Blackof Arkansas was taken sixth by Orlando, ending the run of threestraight players who hadn’t gone to college. But then it was rightback to the international ranks when Indiana picked BilalCoulibaly, Wembanyama’s teammate with Boulogne-LevalloisMetropolitans 92 whose stock soared in the postseason as the teamreached the finals in the Pro A League.