By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama is not just hype. Yes, the NBA publicity machine is working overtime, but it’s also obvious that the French phenomenon has a real chance to go down as the best basketball player of all time.
A unique blend of mentality, abilities, and work ethic created the most coveted player since LeBron James and since last summer the NBA is eagerly waiting for him.
And here’s lies the problem. Arguably the best prospect in ages comes from Europe and European basketball gets very little in return.
Of course, everyone wants to see Wembanyama thriving on the biggest stage like he is destined to. But his presence and career, outside the global appeal of the sport and a renewed interest in the NBA and the national team in France, give back very little.
It’s not the first time this happens, as the NBA has already practically expanded in Europe being a solid market competitor to the EuroLeague and domestic competitions.
But this time around, what happened with Wembanyama is troubling for the future of European basketball.
Groomed for the NBA
The initial plan for Wembanyama was to be part of the top level in Europe, playing for LDLC ASVEL, owned by Tony Parker, after leaving Nanterre.
Playing in the EuroLeague, however, is not easy for a teenager, even if he is phenomenal, and the wear and tear of playing two or three games per week wouldn’t be helpful to Wembanyama’s preparation for the draft.
So just after one year in which he averaged in the EuroLeague, clearly the best competition in the world outside the NBA, 17,6 minutes per game and 6,5 points per game – great numbers for a teenager but not sexy enough for a top draft pick – a whole project was built around him in Metropolitans 92, owned by Boris Diaw who enlisted French national team coach Vincent Collet to help Wembanyama reach his potential.
Against much easier competition in the French league and by playing only one game per week, Wembanyama shined. Even if losing the Finals with a sweep to EuroLeague contenders Monaco wasn’t his brightest moment, the job was done. After all, the consensus about Wembanyama being the no1 pick was decided at the start of the season, after his games in Las Vegas against the G-League ignite.
French clubs getting back just one million euros
EuroLeague is all about winning, the pressure on anyone involve for results is high, so it’s very hard for a young player to develop his game and have a starting role. And even when this happened with Luka Doncic, there were huge doubts about his abilities leading to the draft until he arrived in the NBA.
The next big thing in French basketball, Zaccharie Risacher, who was expected to be part next season of LDLC ASVEL’s main rotation, moved to EuroCup club JL Bourg for reasons similar to Wembanyama’s choice.
And while you can’t stop Wembanyama from competing in the top stage in the world, it’s obvious that a pattern is created for young European players which doesn’t include the EuroLeague.
Things can get even worst if the talks about a salary cap in the EuroLeague end up reducing the salary ceiling, which currently with just three exceptions is two million euros net per season – practically the equivalent of a four million contract in the NBA – with all the clubs at least thinking about cutting expenses.
A salary cap not accompanied and directly tied to a rise in revenues is simply not a good idea if you want to grow and this approach may cripple even more EuroLeague’s ability to keep top European talent in the competition.
So the bottom line is simple. Wembanyama will conquer the NBA, he will go down as one of the best ever in the sport, he will inspire a lot of kids to play basketball not only in his native France and French basketball will get back a national team star on major FIBA tournaments.
However, French club competitions and even the teams he played for will get the 850.000 euros buyout permitted by the NBA CBA plus the reportedly laughable sum of 138.000 euros which went to the league for the streaming rights of his game. This should not be enough…