Victor Wembanyama’s highly-anticipated NBA summer debut is now expected to come in Las Vegas next month.
The San Antonio Spurs announced Wednesday that Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, will be with the team at the NBA Summer League that starts July 7.
Wembanyama will not accompany the Spurs when they travel later this week to Sacramento for the California Classic – the first of two summer league appearances for the club next month.
The Spurs’ summer club will play games in Sacramento on July 3 and July 5 before moving on to Las Vegas for the league’s primary summer league.
Wembanyama will meet the team in Las Vegas, the Spurs said. He’s expected to begin practicing with the Spurs summer squad later this week in San Antonio.
The Spurs will open their Las Vegas slate of summer games on July 7 – with a matchup that night against Charlotte in a game that could see Wembanyama facing off with No. 2 draft pick Brandon Miller of the Hornets.
Wembanyama is also scheduled to make an appearance in Las Vegas on July 8 at the inaugural NBA Con event.
It was revealed earlier this week that the Frenchman won’t play with his national basketball team at this year’s World Cup in order to protect his still developing body – instead taking that time to continue preparing for his rookie season with the Spurs.
Wembanyama said it was a ‘difficult’ decision to make, adding that it is ‘irrevocable.’
The top pick in this year’s NBA draft had previously said he wanted to play in the tournament, which runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10 and will have France among the medal favorites. But both he and the Spurs suggested in recent days that his participation was no longer certain.
Wembanyama said he made the choice ‘on his own’ after consulting with close friends and his medical team. He told the France coach and other players from the team about his decision over the weekend, L’Equipe reported on Monday.
Wembanyama comes with far more height and hype than most No. 1 picks. Listed at 7-foot-4, he dominated the French league in his final season, leading all players in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
Wembanyama said he hesitated a lot and pointed to the need to preserve his body, which he already put to the test during a long season with his with Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 club, which reached the finals in the Pro A League.
