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Victor Wembanyama’s agent Bouna Ndiaye says the French super prospect has no interest in shutting his season down early to protect his stock ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Wembanyama, who turns 19 in January, stands at seven-foot-four and after being billed as the best basketball prospect since high school LeBron James back in 2003, he put on a show in Tuesday’s showcase exhibition game.
Playing for French team Metropolitans 92 against fellow elite prospect Scoot Henderson and his G-League Ignite side in his first game in the United States, Wembanyama scored 37 points on 11-of-20 shooting, hitting seven-of-11 from long range while blocking five shots.
Almost a lock to go first overall in the draft, the only thing that could get in his way is injuries. It is not uncommon for elite prospects to get ‘shut down’ in their draft seasons once they have proved their value to protect their bodies, but Ndiaye said that is not something being considered in this case.
“NBA people are telling me to shut him down, and we are not going to shut him down,” he told ESPN.
“If we came with that kind of talk to [Wembanyama], he will look at us and say, ‘What are you talking about?’.
“He’ll never agree to that. He wants to compete and get better. With Victor, it’s basketball first and everything else second.”
Metropolitans 92 kick off their LNB Pro A season – the top men’s league in France – this Sunday.
