San Antonio Spurs GM Brian Wright told Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald how they identified Victor Wembanyama as their next franchise pillar when he was 16 years old.
The Spurs landed a once-in-a-generation prospect when they won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery and earned the right to select Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick.
Wembanyama has already become the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and led the Spurs back to the NBA Finals in three years, and the franchise always knew they wanted him.
Spurs GM reveals how a 16-year-old Victor Wembanyama left the team’s CEO amazedOn Netflix’s ‘Hard Knocks,’ Spurs GM Brian Wright and head coach Mitch Johnson were seen talking about Wembanyama to Seahawks coach Mike MacDonald.
“Our CEO saw him, he just happened to be in the gym, when he was 16… He came back from his trip and said ‘I think I saw the greatest player I’ve ever seen in my life.’ And literally 12 months later, we put a plan in motion to turn the team over and have a chance to draft him.”
Wembanyama gained international notoriety after leading France to the silver medal at the FIBA U-19 World Championships in 2021, losing to a Chet Holmgren-led Team USA squad in that final.
The Spurs did start breaking up their passively competitive roster around that time, trading DeMar DeRozan and buying out LaMarcus Aldridge. They traded All-Star Dejounte Murray the summer of the 2022-23 season to completely focus on tanking for the best odds at Wembanyama.
The NBA Draft Lottery isn’t guaranteed, but the Spurs’ magical luck whenever there’s a generational big-man on offer struck again, as Wembanyama joined former MVPs Tim Duncan and David Robinson as a Spurs No. 1 overall pick.
Victor Wembanyama wants to be the greatest everThe clip also showed Coach Johnson talking about how Wembanyama has a clear ambition to be the greatest player ever.
“Of all the goals, he wants to be the best player ever. No question. He’d tell you that without a blink. He wants to be the best player ever, which is a crazy statement. But he’s still never done anything that puts himself above the team.”
Photo by Al Bello/Getty ImagesWembanyama has averaged 23.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks in 181 games over his career so far. Outside of health issues, Wembanyama has been virtually unstoppable on the court.
His run to the 2026 NBA Finals shows how elite he already is, without considering the development the 22-year-old still has to uncover.
He might live up to his goal of being the greatest ever if he stays on this trajectory, but that’s impossible without multiple championships, regardless of individual skill.
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