When the conquistadors went to discover the New World, their wives went to the port to give them a last embrace. This season, Victor Wembanyama begins his last dance in the body of a French basketball player, before jumping across the Atlantic as a very likely first pick. This monthly follow-up is our way of embracing it.
THE BEST PROSPECT IN THE WORLD
We closed the September edition of Victor Wembanyama with a few wishes: may he have a successful trip to Vegas and not disappoint the Americans. If at the moment T, you do not have enough elements to provide a clear answer to this autumnal question, it means that you live in a cave. Some caves are now equipped with fiber, it means that you live in one of the worst caves in France.
On October 4 and 6, Victor Wembanyama not only made a name for himself abroad. He redistributed all the cards, reinvented the rules, turned the story upside down in a quarter-full room. Two days which – if our friend from “2m21 without shoes” reaches the level predicted for it – will remain in everyone’s memory as two days of endless night. You know the editor who gets a bit lost in words and poetry. In short, all that to say that Vico has slammed 37 points at 7/11 from parking on Tuesdaythen was enough to 36 points on Thursday. We will remember this handshake with LeBron James, the comments of scouts and analysts in a trance, then this praise of the King, released to the wind, not necessarily measured but so benevolent: we loved it. “It’s not a unicorn, it’s a UFO”.
The highlights of Victor Wembanyama tonight in Las Vegas.
37 points
11/20 shooting
7/11 three-pointer
5 against
4 reboundsThe best prospect in the world.
Point. Barre.pic.twitter.com/Wznp4z8tCu
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) October 5, 2022
COME BACK TO THE COUNTRY
Media coverage is tightening around Victor Wembanyama, to such an extent that we are now talking about « Maniac ». Typically the kind of term that the news are crazy about, which helps to explain to Marie-Yvonne – 66 years old, domiciled in Meurthe-et-Moselle – how our French jewel is a French jewel. “Hey, I saw the basketball player, Hector Malaga there, he’s tall, huh? “. Yes grandma, yes.
Now revered across the Atlantic, the 18-year-old prospect is presented in… Paris: a pitchside seat to attend the Classic between the Paris Saint Germain and Olympique de Marseille, a hello from the center of La Défense Arena on the occasion of the match between Racing 92 and Montpellier Hérault Rugby, round trips here, heads passed there, and a blaze now on all lips, even those who have never seen a basketball game in their life. In two months, Victor has gone from a nascent head on the scale of his sport, to one of the two most publicized sportsmen in Île-de-France just behind Kylian Mbappé. What sources do we rely on? None, it’s just our feelings, with enough hindsight not to say too much nonsense (well, we believe).
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Victor ???????????????????????????????????????? has a message for you! ????????#PSGOM I #The classic pic.twitter.com/0oKxwDHmEi
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) October 16, 2022
It’s not just VIP seats in life, there’s also basketball. A trip to Le Mansthe first league game for the Metropolitans 92 for two weeks, and a great victory for the Parisians, 94 to 89. By « grande », it is understood that this success is the first founding stone of the collective desired by Vincent Collet. Only ric-rac victories so far, against diminished or bottom teams, and finally a first roar in Sarthe. Les Manceaux are now 2nd in Betclic Élite with… six successes for a single loss. This is to say the performance obtained by Victor and his old people. The stat line of the *read with the voice of Stéphane Guy* “french genius” ? 24 points at 6/12 shooting, 9 rebounds including 4 offensive, 2 blocks, 1 interception, 3 turnovers and 3 personal fouls for 8 fouls caused. All this at only 18 years old, on some of the best professionals in our championship, one of the most prestigious in the world (yes). Words fail us.
More quietly, the Metropolitans 92 will dry ADA Blois at home. Almost 30 points difference, 113 to 88, and a game sheet still very plump for the 4th scorer, 4th rebounder, 1st in evaluation and 1st in counterattacks, of the French championship: 17 points at 7/10 in shooting including 2/3 from the parking lot, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 1 personal foul and 4 fouls caused for 29 evaluation. That’s a lot of numbers everywhere, it’s not very synthetic, but one thing is certain: if he stays the course, Victor Wembanyama risks winning a trophy which is not that of Young player of the year . And god knows that the LNB likes to highlight its prospects, sometimes at the expense of veterans less « bankable » who nevertheless deserve the reward (Matt Morgan, we’re talking to you: we’ll have to work hard to get the MVP in front of Vico).
“WE HAVE THE RIGHTS! AND FOR CHEAP IN MY OPINION…”
On October 27, the NBA announces that it has reached an agreement with the LNB to broadcast in the United States, via l’application NBA, the matches of Levallois – and therefore of Victor Wembanyama. The cameras will be the same as those used by LNB TV, namely automatic tricks that struggle to follow the counter-attacks, offer a slightly gray image and film three kilometers from the floor. Are going to find out what a small market really is.
Where the Amerloques succeed a nice blow, it is under the baskets. During the meeting between the Metropolitans 92 and the JL Bourg – which we talk about a little further down – the social networks of the NBA did not stop swinging very quality videos of Victor Wembanyama. Of slow-mo in abundance, a constant focus on the movements of the Parisian, full of small details which professionalise the atmosphere on the edges of the field of Betclic Élite. Should the LNB have implemented this type of monitoring before handing it over to the Americans? Seeing what the communication services are doing in a lot of French clubs, namely a good job (Sonia Alberto at Cholet Basket, the BCM Gravelines cameras…), there is necessarily a reason why the LNB has not put the package on Wemby game coverage.
Wemby looking graceful with a euro-step to the rack to beat the buzzer!
Stream is available in US & Canada
➡ https://t.co/0fEZTG2IeY pic.twitter.com/k17PR1uct7— NBA (@NBA) October 29, 2022
HALLOWEEN AT EQUINOX
In all humility, brilliant story of our editor-in-chief on this subject. Because we celebrate Halloween at Ekinox only once in our life, and we didn’t think we’d do it in the presence of Victor Wembanyama. The tall man’s stat line? 23 points at 7/12 in shooting including 9/10 in throws, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks, 5 lost balls, 1 personal foul and 8 fouls caused for 28 evaluation. The clear confirmation that LeBron James’ favorite UFO is aiming for the MVP trophy in Betclic Elite. He begins to regularize his mammoth performances, and even makes hover above our heads the threat of an evening with 40 or 50 pawns. Laugh laugh, not all the balls go through him and yet Victor – too easy – finishes quietly beyond 20 units. In addition, the Metropolitans 92 leave with… a fifth victory in a row. We do not necessarily realize it but he is already becoming a player who makes his team win. We are not going to bring out the history books, but there weren’t many 18-year-old prodigies who hit fathers of families when they left with the win. In France, they can even be counted on the fingers of a hand that had four of them cut off.
(They still tried everything to stop Victor). pic.twitter.com/wNQ7GjeZ7R
— The Psy TrashTalk ???????????????? (@giovannim6) October 30, 2022
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA’S OCTOBER MONTH IN FIGURES:
- October 4 @ Ignite Team (gala match): 37 points at 11/20 shooting including 7/11 from the parking lot, 5 blocks and 4 rebounds
- October 6 @ Ignite Team (gala match): 36 points at 11/24 shooting including 2/7 from the parking lot, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks
- October 15 @ Le Mans (championship): 24 points at 6/12 shooting, 9 rebounds including 4 offensive, 2 blocks, 1 interception, 3 turnovers, 3 personal fouls and 8 fouls caused
- October 21 vs Blois (championship): 17 points at 7/10 in shooting including 2/3 from the parking lot, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 1 personal foul and 4 fouls caused for 29 evaluation
- September 29 @ Bourg-en-Bresse (championship): 23 points at 7/12 in shooting including 9/10 in throws, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks, 5 lost balls, 1 personal foul and 8 fouls caused for 28 d’assessment
Curtain draw on a very chubby month of October which will have borne the name of « Animal » beyond the hexagonal borders. We meet again in a month to take stock of the month of November: difficult to do better than this edition, but also difficult that Wemby does not do better than this edition.