Announced at 2.22 m in France and 2.25 m in the NBA, what is the real height of Victor Wembanyama?

It’s a size problem! The phenomenon is well known to basketball specialists but remains a real mystery for others, for the most novice. As soon as a European, and therefore French, player crosses the Atlantic to put his shoes on American soil and on the floors of the NBA, he sees his height suddenly and surreptitiously increase by a few centimeters.

Called to first place in the NBA draft, on the night of Thursday to Friday in New York, Victor Wembanyama does not escape this strange and intriguing phenomenon. If there is no doubt that the native of Chesnay is a giant and an extraordinary player – as much by his physique and his talent – ​​the new number 1 of the San Antonio Spurs is, according to the publications, announced between 2.19 m and 2.23m. For the NBA, it even now measures 2.25 m. What to get lost.

A few days ago, Guillaume Alquier, his personal physical trainer who has followed him on a daily basis for a year with the Metropolitans 92, definitively lifted the veil on this real false mystery. He assured us that the prodigy had recently been measured at 2.22 m… barefoot. The 19-year-old young man had therefore not finished his growth by landing in Boulogne-Levallois since he himself had assured that he measured 2.21 in September 2022.

In the NBA, a few centimeters of difference can take on enormous proportions

But if the former kid from Nanterre therefore measures 2.22 m, why is he presented as a 2.25 player in the NBA? There too the explanation has nothing supernatural – although we are talking about the extraterrestrial of world basketball – but finds its origin in the different cultural habits between the United States and Europe. If in France we ask athletes to take off their shoes before placing themselves under the height gauge, this is not the case in the States. The latter are measured with their shoes. It is therefore necessary to add 2 or 3 cm to each player.

It’s well known that the United States is the country of excess… For some, it’s also a marketing reason “to prove that they are bigger, stronger than the others”. For NBA scouts (recruiters) it has even become a game of guessing the true height of players. We understand better therefore why Joakim Noah and his 2.11 m seemed so “small” next to Wembanyama during their meetings like the one in Levallois at the end of May or during the draft a few days ago.

In the NBA, the championship of the giants by essence and excellence, just a few centimeters of difference can take on enormous proportions. In order not to be cataloged as an inside player, the three-time Olympic champion Kevin Durant lied for a long time about his measurements to be able to play winger. The double NBA champion has long claimed to measure 2.06 m while he would exceed 2.11 m. In recent years, in order to avoid misleading and truncated information, the NBA has modified its rules and tightened physical examinations.

According to our information, Wembanyama’s entourage has for a long time preferred to keep the real height of his protege a mystery so as not to worry or frighten the NBA franchises, who are cautious about recruiting a player who is too tall. Examples of players over 2.16m who have had a successful career across the Atlantic are indeed quite rare. Wemby is the second-largest player drafted in recent years after the Chinese giant Yao Ming (2.29m), also selected in first position in 2022. But the unique performances and skills of Wembanyama reassured them.