We’re still several months away from the 2023 NBA Draft, but it’s already pretty clear among the NBA circles that 7-foot-4 do-it-all player Victor Wembanyama out of France will be the top pick in the draft while explosive 6-foot-3 guard Scoot Henderson will be the draft’s No. 2 overall pick. Apparently, even Wembanyama agrees with that projection.
The two players met on the court for the first time on Monday night as Wembanyama and his French club Metropolitans 92 took on Henderson and his NBA G League Ignite squad in a prime-time showdown broadcast nationally on ESPN2. After the game, Wembanyama had a strong compliment for Henderson – and also himself, too.
“He’s really a great player. If I was never born, I think he would deserve the first spot,” Wembanyama said after the game according to NBA writer Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
It was quite a wild quote that certainly caught the attention of the NBA world, who offered a number of reactions on Twitter.
While the comments do raise some eyebrows, Wembanyama certainly isn’t wrong. Henderson is a generational talent who would likely be the No. 1 overall pick any other year. But he’s just not going to be selected over a 7-foot-4 player with a guard’s skill set.
About Kevin Harrish