He is the greatest hope of French basketball and well beyond. In a year, he could be called as the first pick in the NBA draft. But the moment the NBA boss calls his name, Victor Wembanyama will no longer be associated with Asvel. The giant (18 years old, 2m19), 2022 French champion without participating in the final due to an injury with Tony Parker’s club, exercised his exit clause as expected, one year before the end of his contract.
Neither his entourage, nor Asvel who will do his best until the last moment to convince him to stay, confirm the information. But it is the one that filters despite the desire of the Villeurbanne boss to keep him at all costs. “We want to build everything around him next season. It will be at the heart of the project, the focal point. I hope he will decide to stay with us,” Tony Parker told us the day after the title, June 26.
If Victor Wembanyama does not change his mind, the blow is tough for Asvel. But what matters now is to know where the 219 cm phenomenon will bounce back after a season undermined by injuries and playing time which did not satisfy those around him.
Vincent Collet: the weighty argument of Boulogne-Levallois
All the clubs on the planet are ready to welcome him with open arms. But the giant’s choice always seems to be oriented towards its region of origin, Île-de-France, to get closer to its own people. Born in Chesnay and trained in Nanterre, two avenues are available to him. The hottest remains Paris and Paris Basketball. The club had already positioned itself before he joined Asvel and the two parties have always remained in contact.
At the start of the school year, Paris Basketball, which narrowly ensured its continuation in BetClic Élite, will play the Eurocup, the second European Cup after the Euroleague. This prospect will ensure international visibility for Wembanyama and significant playing time. Two arguments that weigh in the balance if we add the presence of a coach, Jean-Christophe Prat, renowned for his training.
Another track has emerged in recent hours: the Metropolitans of Boulogne-Levallois. Even if the future of the club remains uncertain, the Mets have a weighty argument in their bag: Vincent Collet. The coach of the France team who did not wish to discuss his future during the gathering of the Blues for the next two qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup should remain on the bench of the “Mets” for one more season.
With an enticing project: shaping the Wembanyama diamond before the big leap into the NBA in 2023 and the selection for Paris 2024 of which he should be part. Being under the coach’s orders also seems to be an offer that interests the Wembanyama clan. Paris Basketball or Boulogne-Levallois? The choice is in the big hands of Victor Wembanyama and his entourage. It is expected in the coming days.
