Wembanyama focused on perfecting his own picture

PARIS (France) - Drawing rarely makes the list of ways to develop yourself in the game of basketball. But it's exactly the concentration on and dedication to artistic details that has Victor Wembanyama on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world - all the while perfecting his own picture.

The French star talent has basketball observers anxiously crossing the days off their calendars before the tip-off of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 when they can finally watch one of the most unique players in the game.

To describe what Wembanyama can do on the basketball court would take too long. And words wouldn't do the artistic justice that typing his name in YouTube and watching countless videos would better accomplish. Be mindful of others around you when you do watch those videos, because they will undoubtedly result in a "whaaaatt?" response, or "man, that's just not fair."

 
Oh, and if watching Wembanyama do things you didn't imagine possible for someone with a 7 ft 2 in (2.19m) frame, the kicker is that he only turned 17 on January 4.

But let's give a rest to all the staring at his height and disbelief in his ability at his age for a few minutes and focus on why Wembanyama is a major reason France fans are dreaming about finally winning the first U19 World Cup title in the country's history following third-placed finishes in 2007 and 2019.

Full professional

Wembanyama will be one of the most experienced players in the tournament in terms of playing for a professional team. He made his French ProA league debut in September 23, 2020 and ended up averaging 6.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 17 minutes in 18 games over the season with Nanterre.

"I played as a full pro and this really prepared me. I understand the game more and more. I really gained basketball knowledge," said Wembanyama, who also played in four games in the pan-European EuroCup club competition, averaging 1.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 8 minutes while becoming the second-youngest player in the history of the competition.

That experience also included him learning how to take more responsibility, something he had already done at the youth levels.

"Sometimes I hesitated to go and dunk the ball when I knew I could do it at the lower ages," Wembanyama said. "But that's just because I was not fully confident in my responsibilities. I just needed to realize it to do it: be more aggressive, be more like a killer and don't think so much."

 
Wembanyama learning those lessons was also a reason he was a late arrival to the France U19 team, which went through a full training camp without the youngster before he was able to join following the conclusion of the French ProA regular season.

"My first impression is that there is a good chemistry. I fit in quite smoothly and that's a relief. Coming into a group like this so late has never been so easy for me," he said. "I can fit in many positions and they really respect my game. They don't treat me like a center just because I am tall. They respect my game and I really like it."

Wembanyama is ready to do whatever is needed of him in Latvia, where France are drawn into Group B with Korea, Spain and Argentina.

"If I have to be the franchise player I will be the franchise player, no matter how young I am," he said. "I know I will get double teams, but I am really confident about my passing ability. I know i will be able to pass out of double teams and will find my teammates open."

Never really started playing basketball

It shouldn't be a surprise that Wembanyama has such a good understanding of the game. The native of Le Chesnay, a western suburb of Paris just down the road from where he plays in Nanterre, grew up playing all kinds of sports with his older sister and younger brother. Victor never really started playing basketball as he says he always had a ball in his hands growing up and just soaked it in with his mother being a former basketball player and coach. His father is a former high jumper in athletics while his sister Eve Wembanyama helped France win the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship 2017 and his brother plays handball.

Eve Wembanyama

Victor himself played basketball and soccer at the same time for two years early on in Nanterre - skipping Wednesday basketball practices for soccer training.

Off the court passion

When he was not playing sports, Wembanyama grew up drawing.

"The way I draw is with a lot of details. I'm always trying to reach … not perfection … but the most perfect line, the most perfect shade," he explained.

"That's the same when I am trying to improve my shooting form. Over the years you can see my form getting better and better. This comes from me. I have never had a shooting coach correcting my form. I am training myself to get it better and better - until it looks and is perfect."

He added: "My drawing is getting better too … just like my shooting form."

Major disappointment

 
Besides being accompanied by drawing and a desire to improve his game, Wembanyama's short career has also included two landmark experiences from which he learned plenty.

He played for France for the first time at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019, and despite being a year younger helped the team to the Final, where they lost to Spain 70-61.

"In the heat of the moment is was really a big disappointment because I had never had such a tough preparation for a tournament. It was almost three months with the team. It was really hard and I couldn't believe we did all that to lose in the Final," he said. "But over time I grew to think it’s a challenge, defeating Spain has become a challenge, a real revenge."

Wembayama averaged 9.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 5.3 blocks and was selected to the All-Star Five - despite not playing up his real ability.

 
"I learned that I am able to be good even if I am not playing my game. This means I can be way better. I didn't have much freedom at the U16 European Championship," he said. "Usually I am very confident but those three months really destroyed my confidence."

The second place finish at the U16 continental tournament did qualify France for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2020, where Wembanyama and co. were hoping to match what France's famed 2001-born generation with Theo Maledon and Killian Hayes did two years earlier, when they reached the Final. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic however caused the cancellation of the U17 World Cup and Wembanyama's chances of showing the world what he could do.

"I had really high expectations for myself and the team. My goal was to absolutely dominate. I think I was ready for the global stage," he said.

Life-changing injury

Having gotten over the U17 World Cup being called off and started the 2020-21 season well, Wembanyama's mindset took a major change in November 2020 when he went down with a stress fracture in his lower right leg. The injury forced him to miss two and a half months.

"My mind set changed completely in those two and a half months off the court. I was re-thinking my whole life, my whole career, my plans for the future," he admitted. "I realized before my injury I was too much in a competitive mindset. I wanted to spend the most time in the weight room, the most time on the court, the most time working on my handle. And this was too much. I needed to work on quality more than quantity."

All that thrown together and mixed up with an artistic view has the making of one amazing picture when everything is said and done in Latvia.

FIBA