Spurs say No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama won’t play in Sacramento’s California Classic
One of the big talking points leading up to next week’s California Classic has been the potential summer league debut of No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama.
Unfortunately for basketball fans in Sacramento, that won’t happen.
The San Antonio Spurs announced Wednesday that Wembanyama will not participate in next week’s California Classic, which be held Monday and Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
The 19-year-old French phenom is expected to make his Spurs debut at the Las Vegas Summer League, although it’s still not clear when that will happen. Wembanyama will join the team in Las Vegas, but it still isn’t known when he will play his first game, a league source told The Sacramento Bee.
Tuesday’s announcement squashed hopes of a marquee matchup between Wembanyama and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller when the Spurs play the Charlotte Hornets on the first day of the California Classic. San Antonio’s decision comes as no surprise following Wembanyama’s whirlwind world tour from France to New York to San Antonio. Wembanyama and Miller have a second chance for a first encounter if Wembanyama plays July 7 on opening night in Las Vegas.
Wembanyama, a 7-foot-5 center with an 8-foot wingspan, has been billed as a generational talent. He is the top prospect to enter the NBA since LeBron James. Some analysts say James would have gone No. 2 behind Wembanyama if they were in the same draft.
Wembanyama told French newspaper L’Equipe on Monday he will not play for France at the FIBA World Cup Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 in Manila, Philippines, saying he will instead focus on preparing for his rookie season in the NBA. Wembanyama said he made the decision after consulting with his medical team, noting he will play an 82-game season in the NBA and then represent France at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It would be unrealistic in terms of development and unwise in terms of health,” Wembanyama said, according to a translation from the Associated Press. “I hope people will understand. It’s frustrating for me, too. The French team is as central as ever. I want to win as many titles as possible with them. But I think it’s a necessary sacrifice.”
The California Classic is returning to Sacramento this year after being held at Chase Center in San Francisco last summer. The two-day event will feature triple-header action both days.
The Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat have been fixtures in the California Classic since it was founded in 2018. The Spurs and Hornets were added this year as part of an expanded six-team field.
The Lakers will play the Heat in the first game at 3 p.m. Monday. The Spurs will play the Hornets at 5 p.m. The Kings will play the Warriors at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, the Warriors will play the Hornets at 3 p.m. followed by the Spurs-Lakers game at 5 p.m. and the Kings-Heat game at 7 p.m.
This story was originally published June 28, 2023 at 7:30 AM.
