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French prospect Victor Wembanyama is currently seen as the favorite to be selected first overall in next year’s NBA Draft. With his guard-like quickness and shooting ability at 7-foot-2, Wembanyama is an NBA scout’s dream prospect.
However, Wembanyama still has some competition for the no.1 selection in athletic point guard Scoot Henderson. During a recent interview with NBA reporter Tim Reynolds, Wembanyama spoke about Henderson’s game.
"Out of all the prospects I've heard about in our class, I think he's my favorite one," Wembanyama said. "I think he's the most reliable that I've seen. He's really a great player."
Wembanyama then threw some shade at Henderson regarding their battle to be selected first in the 2023 NBA Draft.
“If I was never born, I think he would deserve the first spot," Wembanyama said.
Scoot Henderson also got the chance to speak about Victor Wembanyama in a recent interview. Henderson, however, took a more humble approach.
"People always try to compare and contrast whoever," Henderson said. "I don't look at it like that. I look at it as two good ballplayers."
Henderson is an 18-year-old, five-star American recruit playing for the NBA G League Ignite. The Ignite are the G League's developmental team.
Meanwhile, Wembanyama, also 18 years old, has already played three years of professional basketball. He is currently playing for Metropolitans 92, a French basketball team in the Paris metropolitan area.
Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 are set to take on Henderson and the NBA G League Ignite in two exhibition games this week. The games are scheduled for Oct. 4 and 6 in Las Vegas and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and the NBA App. The two games will also mark Wembanyama’s first taste of NBA life. Wembanyama recently spoke about what he expects from the experience.
"We're playing against an NBA team, with NBA rules, on an NBA court," Wembanyama said. "This is really going to be a first for me. I'm curious to know how it's going to go. I know it's going to go well, but I'm still curious."
For details on how to watch Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson’s two matchups, click here.
For Tim Reynolds' full report on Victor Wembanyama, click here
Which NBA team is most likely to land Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 draft?
Many teams are expected to enter into a tanking battle this season to secure the best odds at the number one overall pick next year. The possibility of landing a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama entices NBA front offices.
However, the current NBA Draft Lottery odds only offer teams a maximum 14.0% chance at the first pick. The teams with the three worst records next season will all be tied with 14.0% odds to land Wembanyama.
In Bleacher Report’s latest 2023 NBA Mock Draft, they had the San Antonio Spurs projected to get the no.1 pick and land Wembanyama. The Spurs traded away All-Star guard Dejounte Murray for picks earlier this offseason and will likely tank this season.
Selecting second in B/R’s mock draft was the Houston Rockets. The OKC Thunder followed them at third, the Indiana Pacers at fourth, and the Utah Jazz at fifth. One of these teams will likely end up with Victor Wembanyama, but with the way the draft lottery works, it’s difficult to predict.
