The city of San Antonio has big expectations for Victor Wembanyama.
Hundreds of fans waited for hours at the airport, cheering as the No. 1 NBA draft pick emerged from a private plane on Friday, and the welcome party has lasted all weekend.
“The last 72 hours have been really tiring but I’m really enjoying the moment,” the 7-foot-4 Frenchman told reporters on Saturday.
“Everyone is doing a perfect job around me. Everyone is doing their best so I feel good … My family and my people around me do a lot for me. Everywhere I’ve been I’ve been welcomed warmly.”
Widely hailed as the most exciting draft prospect since LeBron James, the 19-year-old Wembanyama can be dominant on defense as well as possessing the ability to dribble the ball like a point guard and shoot from a three-point range efficiently.
He enjoyed dinner on Friday night with NBA champions and San Antonio Spurs legends Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Manu Ginobili. Even among fellow NBA stars, he still towered over them as he posed for a photo afterwards.
“Probably in a couple hours, I learned more about the NBA than in my whole life before that,” Wembanyama told reporters afterwards when asked about the dinner.
“It’s so comforting to see these people who are so important to the city of San Antonio and to the franchise are such kind people and generous. Because they genuinely wanted to share with me their experience. They’ve already started to take great care of me. It’s just so comforting to be in that position.”
Couldn’t ask for better role models pic.twitter.com/lcw7cvbeTt
— Wemby (@vicw_32) June 25, 2023
And after saying that he was excited to sample the local speciality of breakfast tacos when he reached San Antonio, Wembanyama tried them on his first morning in the city.
“I love breakfast tacos … Bacon and egg, and beans and cheese,” he said at an event at the Arneson River Theatre when asked which tacos he had.
The assembled fans cheered in response, already excited to see the budding superstar in their city before he has even played an NBA game.
Now he’s touched down in Texcas, attention turns to the upcoming season and the impact that Wembanyama can have in the league.
“It’s really comfortable,” he added in his press conference. “I’m really happy to be in this position.”