Victor Nonga Wembanyama-de Fautereau-Vassel, born on January 4, 2004, commonly known as “Wemby” and “the Alien”, is a French professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Spurs selected him first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball prospects in history because of his uncommon blend of height, mobility, and skill.
Before fame
His mother, a former player, started teaching him basketball when he was five. At 15, he played in the EuroCup for France, becoming the competition’s second-youngest participant. While with Nanterre 92, he was named LNB Pro A Best Young Player for the 2020–2021 season and won the same honor again in 2022.
Trivia
He represented France at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship and the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, helping the team secure silver medals on both occasions.
Family life
His older sister, Eve, is also a professional basketball player and earned a gold medal with France at the 2017 FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship.