Victor Wembanyama lost his final game as a Metropolitans 92 player in the French LNB Pro A League - as attention turns to the French teenager's NBA journey.
Wembanyama is projected to be the number one overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft, with considerations from NBA experts that he may emerge as one of the brightest prospects in league history behind LeBron James.
However, despite the 19-year-old's bright future, Metropolitans 92 lost Game 3 to Monaco who claimed a 3-0 finals series sweep. Wembanyama poured in 22 points along with seven rebounds and two assists, leading all scorers on the team. However, Monaco's offensive firepower was spearheaded by Jordan Loyd and Jaron Blossomgame - who both scored 22 points as well.
Loyd previously spent time as a former NBA player with the Toronto Raptors. Likewise, Blossomgame previously played a season in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers while also playing on four G-League teams, including the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Windy City Bulls.
Fans of the exciting French prospect praised his efforts, breaking out in song singing "Mercy Wemby" as he addressed the crowd and walked off the court for the last time in the French league. Despite the loss, Wembanyama claimed the league's MVP award as part of a sweep of the major awards.
After the game, Wembanyama addressed the media and thanked the fans who believed in his generational talents. However, as an extreme competitor, he also revealed his disappointment in the loss.
"I'm sorry for the fans who love to see a show," Wembanyama said. "Of course, I'm proud of what I've managed to do along with my coach (Vincent Collet), in bringing the team to the finals. But I'm not satisfied."
While he wa disappointed in the loss, the French prospect can now turn his attention to preparing for the NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 22. The San Antonio Spurs have the first pick of the evening, with all signs pointing to Wembanyama being the obvious choice to take first.
If Wembanyama is selected first, he'll become the third first overall pick in Spurs history, joining both David Robinson and Tim Duncan - two other big men prospects who turned into city legends by never leaving the team for the duration of their NBA careers and leading the organization to multiple NBA championships.
Wembanyama will also have the opportunity to be coached by Gregg Popovich, whose accolades and reputation around the league qualify him as one of the greatest coaches ever. Popovich, who is also the President of the organization, has won five NBA championships with San Antonio, three NBA Coach of the Year awards, and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2023 as a first ballot.
The Frenchman will join a young core of standout NBA prospects, adding star presence alongside Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell. Johnson led all scorers with 22 points per game last season, showing that the team has other pieces in place to complement their expected draft pick.
The Spurs will also enter next season with nearly $40 million in cap space this summer. The team could choose to pair an NBA veteran with their pick and try to develop him at a faster rate, or they could allow him to be the star of the show and save the money for when they're ready to make serious runs in the NBA Playoffs.
