Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs in 2023. Photo by Eric Gay via AP Photo
No rookie took the NBA by storm this past season more than Victor Wembanyama. The French phenom lit it up in his first year with the San Antonio Spurs, cementing his place in the league. There is only room for him to grow his game and improve further.
But Wembanyama has made sure not to let the glitz and glamor of the NBA change his persona. He has stuck to his true and humble ways, claiming that he is “immune” to the distractions.
But now, the French giant has revealed what he wanted to spend his first NBA paycheck on. According to Matt Guzman of Sports Illustrated, the first item Wembanyama wanted to buy was not a luxury car, mansion, or lavish jewelry. Rather, it was a Star Wars LEGO set.
The set, in particular, was the Millennium Falcon LEGO set, listed as item no. 75192. The set has a price of $849.99 USD, making it one of the most expensive sets, but a pristine item for any LEGO collector.
Whether or not Wembanyama actually used his first paycheck to purchase the set is unknown. But Wembanyama is a kid at heart, who is just trying to be himself rather than anyone else.
“I thought to myself, ‘Wow. The Millennium?’ I mean … then you realize, he’s just a kid,” said Evan Bruno, Vice President of NBA Experiences. “You realize that at the end of the day, he’s a kid at heart…He’s a really down-to-Earth, humble kid who wants success and has seen success early. For him to come into the league and not only live up to the hype, but exceed the hype has been incredible. He’s he’s been nothing short of spectacular as a superstar both on and off the court.”
Living Up to the Hype
The Spurs drafted Wembanyama first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, after winning the Draft Lottery that year. He has flourished so far in the NBA, concluding a solid rookie campaign, and only seeks to blossom and mature his game further.
Wembanyama shone on the court during his rookie campaign, taking no time to adjust to the NBA. In his first season with the Spurs, he averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. He shot 46.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from the three-point range.
The Spurs will now seek to use their first-round picks in this year’s 2024 NBA Draft to build a solid core around Wembanyama. That would, in their hopes, open a championship window for years to come.
