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There's no question that the NBA's latest Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama is an absolute freak of nature. He has the athleticism of a guy half his size, the shooting touch that's uncharacteristic for a seven-footer, and the explosiveness typically found in shooting guards or small forwards.
However, that does not mean that he no longer causes the jaws of hoops fans to drop when he pulls off some amazing moves. As it turns out, the 2023 number-one overall pick displays the same explosiveness even during scrimmages.
Watch as he slams a one-handed alley-oop while working out with Team France in preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
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By now, NBA fans have seen a full season's worth of Victor Wembanyama highlights. However, not many have seen him in international competition.
Wemby was part of the French U16 squad that competed in the national championship in 2019. He averaged 9 points and 9.6 rebounds throughout that event. Then in 2021, he was a part of the U19 World Cup squad for France. In that competition, Wemby averaged 14 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Wemby graduated to the senior team afterward and was part of France's roster for the FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers in 2023. In four games, he averaged 19 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
His play in international competitions as well as his performance for Metropolitans 92 led to him being the consensus number one overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Victor Wembanyama beams with French pride after 2024 NBA Draft
Victor Wembanyama made history in 2023 as the first-ever number-one overall pick from France. As it turns out, it would not take long before another Frenchman would be taken as the first pick in the draft as the Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccarhie Risacher with the first pick in this year's draft.
Afterward, the Washington Wizards selected Alex Sarr with the second pick. Sarr is also from France which means the 2024 draft's first two picks were not only international players, they also hail from the same nation.
This is certainly something to be proud of as a nation and Victor Wembanyama could not help but share his feelings on X. Wemby made a post that translates to "It's France brother" after his fellow Frenchmen were taken first and second in the draft.
Risacher becomes only the fourth international player to be selected first overall without playing college basketball in the United States. The other three are Wemby who was taken last year, Andrea Bargnani from the 2006 draft class, and Yao Ming in 2002.
Of course, other international players have been selected with the first overall pick aside from these four such as Australia's Andrew Bogut, Canada's Andrew Wiggins, and Nigeria's Hakeem Olajuwon.
However, these players all went to college in American universities. For example, Bogut played collegiate basketball at the University of Utah, Wiggins went to Kansas and Olajuwon went to college in Houston.
