Shutterstock / Franck Fife
Most of us grew up watching Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs go on the most consistent run in NBA history. Duncan played 19 seasons for the Spurs, and 18 times the team won 50 games. The other time was a shortened season due to a lockout, and they won the championship. And, the Spurs seem to have found their next great center to follow in the footsteps of David Robinson and Duncan, as they won the draft lottery and secured the rights to draft French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Of course, that means they won Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery. Coming off a 22-60 season, the Spurs had a 14% chance of landing the first pick, and their ping pong balls came up when the time is right.
The last time they picked number one it was indeed Tim Duncan, and all he did was win five titles for the team.
Now, they’re set to get the first pick again, just as a generational center is once again available.
The results for the Top 4 picks in the 2023 #NBADraftLottery presented by State Farm:
1. Spurs
2. Hornets
3. Trail Blazers
4. Rockets pic.twitter.com/0iJPmiDrmF— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2023
If you’ve been living in a cave, unable to get any news about basketball, you may not know who future Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is. In short, he’s a 7-foot-4, 19-year-old French center that moves like he’s 6-foot-5 and shoots like he’s that height, too. He’s just incredibly good.
Victor Wembanyama’s highlights from his last game are ridiculous.
This isn’t even fair 😂 pic.twitter.com/jRf8dRWK1n
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) May 8, 2023
And, Spurs fans went absolutely nuts when they saw the news. Take a look.
Wembanyama is a San Antonio Spur, and the city has lost its collective mind in the best way possible. pic.twitter.com/vOrUDlaGmF
— Casey Viera (@Casey_Viera) May 17, 2023
SPURS WIN
SPURS WIN
PANDEMONIUM
BIENVENUE A SAN ANTONIO VICTOR WEMBANYAMA pic.twitter.com/demSoxfTfn— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) May 17, 2023
After a full season of all the Lakers and Clippers fans at school teasing him for being a @spurs fan in SoCal, all my 9 year old son cared about today was the Draft Lottery.
Jax insisted I didn’t tell him until after school and basketball practice.
Here’s his reaction #PorVida pic.twitter.com/PO8SSvUR1v
— Quan (@TheFinalQuan) May 17, 2023
What a night Spurs fans! pic.twitter.com/3mKDCrfIQh
— Joe Reinagel (@joereinagel210) May 17, 2023
With the Spurs being one of the best-run franchises in the league, it seems like a perfect landing spot for Victor Wembanyama to live up to his full potential.