Victor WembanyamaHis status as one of the brightest basketball prospects of his generation has one fan spending nearly a million dollars!
The French athlete officially stepped into the world of the NBA following the selection of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 draft. Although the rising sensation appeared in October, his rookie jersey became the hottest item on the Sotheby’s auction block and sold for a staggering fee.
Victor Wembanyama’s NBA Debut Jersey Gets $760,000+ At Auction
Experts must have been surprised because their predictions about the 19-year-old athlete exceeded their expectations. Last week, Wembanyama’s debut jersey for Spurs landed on an auction site, with people believing it would fetch up to $100k or less.
However, jersey No. 1 media personality broke the record by selling more than five times the amount predicted. The French native donned the white, silver and black for the first time on October 25 during his team’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, where he made a big splash.
Wembanyama’s debut must have caught the attention of the bidders, as they happily closed the Sotheby’s auction block with almost a million dollars to own the jersey worn by the Pro A Most Valuable Player honoree.
Unknown fan, per TMZwon the 19-year-old’s jersey for $762,000 on Tuesday, November 21. While the individual may have paid a steep price for the rookie’s basketball jersey, it could be considered a wise investment given the athlete’s growing fame on the court.
Wembanyama has shown incredible skill in 14 games so far, averaging 18.6 points per game along with 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, one steal and 2.6 blocks. Likewise, his debut against the Dallas Mavericks in October was a night to remember.
Option No. 1 in the NBA draft used his 7-foot-4 height to the fullest to turn the game in the Spurs’ favor. As shared by the NBA, the Pro A Top Scorer honoree blocked a shot in the opening minute and scored his first NBA points with a 3-pointer at the 8:25 mark of the first quarter.
Wembanyama hit his second 3-pointer of the night with two minutes left in the opening quarter. Unfortunately, six points were all the athlete managed in the first three quarters of the game before he was forced off the court after receiving his fourth foul.
However, the 3-time Pro A Young Player of the Year turned things around in the fourth quarter by scoring nine extra points. The French sensation finished his NBA debut with 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting (3-for-5 from long range), five rebounds, two assists and one block.
Unfortunately, his efforts to achieve victory were not enough, as the game ended in a 126-119 Spurs loss to the Mavericks. Their loss did not overshadow Wembanyama’s achievements, and the rising NBA star positively reflected on the night, saying:
“I’m just focused on being the best when I step back on the court.”
Dallas All-Star Luka Doncic echoed similar sentiments about Wembanyama’s skills. “He’s going to be great; he’s already there,” the basketball player chimed in and then added, “His size is obvious (emphasis), like everybody’s talking about. The way he moves (7-foot-3), he moves incredibly. He moves like a point guard almost. It’s pretty amazing to see.”
Victor Wembanyama Throws Out First Pitch At Yankees Game Ahead Of 2023 NBA Draft
The sale of Wembanyama’s starter jersey is not the first time the French athlete has made a surprise appearance. In June, the 2-time LNB All-Star threw out the first pitch at Yankees Stadium two days before the 2023 NBA draft.
The teenager, affectionately nicknamed “Wemby” by his fans, dressed casually for his baseball moment in an open jersey and Yankees shorts. However, an MLB career does not appear to be in the Pro A Best Defender honoree’s future, given his lack of skill in the sport.
At that game, the media personality threw a fastball that ended up beyond the catcher’s reach. But Wembanyama’s failed throw attempt did not weigh on him as the 19-year-old smiled and shrugged off his mistake.
Surprisingly, fans are more concerned about the basketball player’s height and how the everyday things seem unusual in Wembanyama’s case. The comment comes under an NBA Buzz post that shows how small the baseball is in the hands of athletes. They captioned the update, “Victor Wembanyama holding a baseball is CRAZY!”
“Well, I can see how hard it is to throw a baseball. It’s the same as us normal people throwing marbles,” one fan teased another, adding: “Looks like he’s holding a rock.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
