With the midway point of the 2022–23 season rapidly approaching, a few teams may already be turning their focus to the next NBA draft where Victor Wembanyama—widely regarded as a potential generational talent—awaits. To better their chances of landing the 18-year-old seven-footer, some franchises may look to begin tanking sooner rather than later.
However, those clubs may risk irking the same player they hope to land by tanking, as the French superstar expressed some confusion about the strategy of losing on purpose to secure a better draft pick.
“Tanking? It’s a weird strategy,” Wembanyama said in French in a recent interview with French newspaper Le Parisien. “I find it unreasonable, and I try not to think about it. I also heard that the NBA considered changing a few rules for me, but that doesn’t concern me.”
Wembanyama may be skeptical of tanking, but his raw talent certainly makes it seem like a viable move for the NBA teams currently floating at the bottom of the league. While standing at 7-foot-3, the French League star is an adept ball-handler and shooter, giving him a unique ability to score from all three levels with ease. On defense, the teenager has the makings of an elite rim-protector with a nearly eight-foot wingspan.
Currently a member of Paris-based team Metropolitans 92, Wembanyama leads the French league with averages of 22.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. He also stuffed the stat sheet at the French league’s All-Star game on Thursday night, racking up 27 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists in the showcase.
The 2023 NBA draft is still months away, but for a few teams, the race to land the No. 1 pick may begin in the near future. Heading into the New Year, the Pistons (9–28), Hornets (10–26), Rockets (10–25) and Spurs (12–23) boast the worst records in the league, thus giving them the best odds to earn the top pick and perhaps, a generational player from France.
