Victor Wembaniama is officially a San Antonio Spur.
After years of anticipation, the French phenom joined the NBA as the first pick of the NBA draft on Thursday night. As widely expected, the Spurs selected the 7-foot-4 center, who is expected to transform the position and lead San Antonio from the lottery to NBA prominence.
Vembanyama followed in the footsteps of San Antonio and fellow No. 1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who went on to Hall of Fame careers while leading the Spurs to five NBA championships. Spurs fans won’t have to wait long to see him. Head coach Gregg Popovich confirmed after the selection that Vembanyama will play in Summer League games.
“We’re talking about what he needs to do moving forward,” Popovich told reporters. … “He will participate in summer league. To what extent, we’re not sure yet.”
No. With the 2 pick, the Hornets took Alabama’s Brandon Miller, a 6-9 pick ahead of G League Ignite guard Scott Henderson. The Portland Trail Blazers then took Henderson at No. 3, taking the opportunity to select a player widely considered the second-best player in the draft.
Follow live pick-by-pick updates, analysis and grades from Yahoo Sports below.
What: NBA Draft, two rounds with a total of 58 picks (two picks forfeited for tampering violations)
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
When: 8 pm ET Thursday
TV: ABC (first round only); ESPN (first and second rounds)
What to know about the 2023 NBA Draft
Follow the 2023 NBA Draft live updates, picks, analysis
Complete 2023 NBA Draft Order
First round
1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembaniama, C, France
2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama
3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite
4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, G Overtime Elite
5. Detroit Pistons: Auser Thompson, G, Overtime Elite
6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas
7. Washington Wizards (from Pacers): Bilal Coulibaly, F, France
8. Indiana Pacers (from Wizards): Jarez Walker, F, Houston
9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Mavericks): Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky
11. Orlando Magic (from Bulls): Jedd Howard, G, Michigan
12. Dallas Mavericks (from Thunder): Derek Lively II, C, Duke
13. Toronto Raptors: Grady Dick, G, Kansas
14. New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn
15. Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Puffkin, G, Michigan
16. Utah Jazz (from Timberwolves): Keyonte George, G, Baylor
17. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana
18. Miami Heat: Jaime Jacques Jr., F, UCLA
19. Golden State Warriors: Brand’s Underworld, G, Santa Clara
20. Houston Rockets (from Clippers): Cam Whitmore, G, Villanova
21. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix): Noah Clowney, F, Alabama
22. Brooklyn Nets: Tariq Whitehead, G, Duke
23. Portland Trail Blazers (from New York): Chris Murray, F, Iowa
24. Dallas Mavericks (from kings): Olivier-Maxens Prosper, F, Market
25. Detroit Pistons (From the Grizzlies via Celtics): Marcus Chaucer, G, Houston
26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland): Ben Shepherd, F, Belmont
27. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas
28. Utah Jazz (Philadelphia via Brooklyn): Bryce Sensabaugh, F, Ohio State
29. Denver Nuggets (Trade with Indiana declared via Boston): Julian Strather, F, Gonzaga
30. Los Angeles Clippers (Milwaukee via Houston): Kobe Brown, F, Missouri
Second round
31. Boston Celtics (from Pistons): James Naji, C, FC Barcelona (Spain), Nigeria
32. Denver Nuggets (Trade with Indiana declared via Houston): Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State
33. Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio Spurs): Leonard Miller, F, G League Ignite
34. Sacramento Kings (Trade report With the Celtics via Charlotte): Colby Jones, G, Xavier
35. Chicago Bulls (Reported trade with Wizards via BostonPortland, Atlanta, Clippers, Detroit and Cleveland): Julian Phillips, F, Tennessee
36. Milwaukee Bucks (via Orlando Magic): Andre Jackson Jr., G, UConn
37. Denver Nuggets (Announced trade via Oklahoma City, Washington and New Orleans): Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson
38. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento via Indiana): Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas
39. Boston Celtics (from Charlotte, Utah, via New York): Mouhamed Gueye, F, Washington State
40. Los Angeles Lakers (trade announced via Indiana Pacers, Dallas, Oklahoma City): Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine
41. Charlotte Hornets (from Oklahoma City via New York and Boston): Amari Bailey, G, UCLA
42. Washington Wizards (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers and Washington): Tristan Vukcevic, F, Serbia
43. Portland Trail Blazers (from Atlanta): Ryan Rupert, G, France
44. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto): CD Sissoko, G, G League Ignite
45. Memphis Grizzlies (from Minnesota): GG Jackson, F, South Carolina
46. Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans): Seth Lundy, G, Penn State
47. Indiana Pacers (trade report with Lakers): Mojave King, G, G League Ignite
48. Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Miller, F, Miami
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans): Bates, G., Eastern Michigan Sees
50. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami via Boston, Memphis and Dallas): Keyontae Johnson, F, Kansas State
51. Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas
52. Phoenix Suns: Daumani Camera, F, Dayton
53. Minnesota Timberwolves (from New York via Charlotte): Jaylen Clark, G, UCLA
54. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Slawson, F, Furman
55. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland via Milwaukee and Detroit): Isaiah Wong, G, Miami
56. Memphis Grizzlies
– Pick taken away by Chicago
– Pick taken away by Philadelphia
57. Washington Wizards (Boston via Charlotte)
58. Milwaukee Bucks
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