Victor Wimpanyama is officially the San Antonio Sports.
After years of anticipation, the French phenom joined the NBA Thursday night as the first pick of the NBA Draft. As was widely expected, the Spurs selected the 7-foot-4 quarterback, who is expected to turn the center around and lead San Antonio from the lottery to NBA status.
Wimpanyama is following in San Antonio’s footsteps when he picked up fellow first-place finishers David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who went on to the Hall of Fame as they teamed up to lead the Spurs to five NBA championships. Tottenham fans won’t have to wait long to see him. Coach Gregg Popovich confirmed after the selection that Wimpanyama would play the summer league games.
“We’re talking about what he should do going forward,” Popovich told reporters. … “He’ll be in the Summer League. To what degree, we’re not sure yet.”
With the #2 pick, the Hornets acquired Brandon Miller from Alabama, picking the forward 6-9 over G League guard Ignite Scoot Henderson. The Portland Trail Blazers then took the opportunity to select the player widely regarded as the second best player in the draft and took Henderson third.
Follow updates, analysis and live scores selected with Yahoo Sports below.
What: NBA Draft, 2 rounds consisting of 58 total picks (selections forfeited due to tampering rules violation)
where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
when: 8 p.m. ET Thursday
television: ABC (first round only); ESPN (First and Second Rounds)
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The complete NBA 2023 draft order
first round
1 – San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wimpanyama, C, France
2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama
3 – Portland Trail Blazers: Scott Henderson, GL, G League Ignite
4 – Houston Rockets: Amin Thompson, G Elite Overtime
5. Detroit Pistons: Osar Thompson, G, Elite Extra
6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas
7. Washington Wizards (from Pacers): Bilal Coulibaly, France
8. Indiana Pacers (from Wizards): Jaras Walker, FH, Houston
9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (from the Mavericks): Casson Wallace, G, Kentucky
11. Orlando Magic (from the Bulls): Jett Howard, G, Michigan
12. Dallas Mavericks (from Thunder): Derek Lively II, C, Duke
13. Toronto Raptors: Grady Dick, G, Kansas
14. New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, Okun
15. Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin, G, Michigan
16. Utah Jazz (from the Timberwolves): Keyonte W, G, Baylor
17. Los Angeles Lakers: Galen Hood Chevino, GI, Indiana
18. Miami Heat: Jaime Jacques Jr., F, UCLA
19. Golden State Warriors: Brandine Budzimski, G, Santa Clara
20. Houston Rockets (from Clippers): Cam Whitmore, G, Villanova
21 – Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix): Noah Clooney, F, Alabama
22. Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead, G, Duke
23 – Portland Trail Blazers (from New York): Chris Murray, P, Iowa
24. Dallas Mavericks (of kings): Olivier Maxence, Prosper, F, Marquette
25 – Detroit Pistons (from grizzlies via Celtics): Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland): Ben Sheppard, P, Belmont
27. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas
28. Utah Jazz (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): Bryce Sensabaugh, P, Ohio State
29. Denver Nuggets (You mentioned trade with Indiana Via Boston): Julian Strother, P, Gonzaga
30. Los Angeles Clippers (from Milwaukee via Houston): Kobe Brown, F, Missouri
Round two
31. Boston Celtics (from Pistons): James Nnaji, Midfielder, Barcelona (Spain), Nigeria
32. Denver Nuggets (You mentioned trade with Indiana via Houston)
33. San Antonio Spurs
34. Charlotte Hornets (from Charlotte via Philadelphia and Atlanta)
35. Washington Wizards (trade to Boston via Portland, Atlanta, Clippers, Detroit and Cleveland reported)
36. Orlando Magic
37- Denver Nuggets (trade reported via Oklahoma City, Washington, and New Orleans)
38 Sacramento Kings (from Indiana)
39. Charlotte Hornets (from Utah via New York)
40- Los Angeles Lakers (trade reported via Indiana Pacers, Dallas, Oklahoma City)
41. Charlotte Hornets (from Oklahoma City via New York and Boston)
42. Washington Wizards (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers and Washington)
43- Portland Trail Blazers (from Atlanta).
44- San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto)
45. Memphis Grizzlies (from Minnesota)
46- Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans)
47- Indiana Pacers (reporting on a trade with the Lakers)
48. Los Angeles Clippers
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans)
50. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami via Boston, Memphis, and Dallas)
51. Brooklyn Nets
52. Phoenix Suns
53 Minnesota Timberwolves (from New York via Charlotte)
54. Sacramento Kings
55. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland via Milwaukee and Detroit)
56. Memphis Grizzlies
– Lost selection by Chicago
– Forfeited pick from Philadelphia
57. Washington Wizards (from Boston via Charlotte)
58. Milwaukee Bucks
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