Wembanyama, Victor (2004-…), is a French basketball player. He plays forward for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Early in his professional career, the 7-foot 4-inch (224-centimeter) Wembanyama gained attention for his unusual combination of size and skill. His ability to dribble, block shots, and make both three-pointers and dunk shots won him the attention of fans around the world. 
Wembanyama was born in Le Chesnay, a western suburb of Paris, France, on Jan. 4, 2004. He comes from an athletic family. His father, Felix Wembanyama, was a track and field athlete, and his mother, Elodie de Fautereau, has played and coached basketball professionally. He has siblings who are athletes as well. As a boy, Victor played soccer and practiced judo before he started concentrating on basketball. He stood nearly 6 feet (183 centimeters) tall at the age of nine, when he first drew the attention of professional coaches. He joined the youth program at JSF Nanterre (now Nanterre 92) in 2014.
In 2019, Wembanyama’s Under-16 French national team won a silver medal at the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) European Championship. He later starred in leagues and tournaments for players who were under 18 or 21 years of age. In 2021, his French team won a silver medal at the Under-19 FIBA World Cup. He blocked a record-setting 40 shots in the seven-game tournament.
Later in 2021, Wembanyama began playing for ASVEL Basket, a Lyon-based team in LNB Pro A, the top-level French professional league. In 2022, he signed a contract with Metropolitans 92, a LNB Pro A team that plays near Paris. In December, he was named most valuable player (MVP) of the league’s all-star game. He led the league in blocked shots and scoring and was named both MVP and the top defensive player for the 2022-2023 season. In June 2023, the Spurs selected Wembanyama as the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Wembanyama led the league in blocked shots for the 2023-2024 season and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
