The moment the San Antonio Spurs clinched the No. 1 pick in next month’s National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, several celebrations broke out all over the Alamo City.
Barring any major changes and developments, San Antonio simply has a clear path to 19-year-old French hoops phenomenon Victor Wembanyama, with many experts asserting him to be the best prospect since LeBron James.
According to a report from San Antonio CBS affiliate KENS that was run by sister station Austin ABC affiliate KVUE, Spurs General Manager Brian Wright understands the euphoria fans of the team, which was once the model of consistent success in the NBA from the late 1990s to the latter part of last decade, have been experiencing since last Tuesday.
"Have a great time, celebrate,” Wright said, KENS reported.
But the front office executive stressed that even with the player colloquially known as “Wemby” on the roster, the Spurs have a lot of work to do when it comes to even sniffing the recently implemented play-in tournament.
"Obviously, a long road still ahead and a lot of work to do to build this out and get to be where we want to be," Wright said in the report.
He considered the first overall pick, San Antonio’s third in its 50-year existence, “a huge step forward.”
Austin Journal reported that the Spurs’ previous No. 1 selections are arguably the franchise’s two best players ever: David Robinson, who was taken first in 1987, and Tim Duncan, who became current head coach Gregg Popovich’s inaugural selection eight years later.
San Antonio FOX affiliate KABB reported that the Spurs, who stumbled to a 22-60 finish in the just-concluded 2022-2023 regular season, experienced a soaring demand for tickets after the NBA Draft Lottery.
"The minute they announced Charlotte and we knew we're getting the No. 1 pick, hugs and chaos ensued," Frank Miceli, the franchise’s chief revenue officer (CRO) told KABB.
The team and its fans have to wait a month until Wembanyama in a silver and black uniform is an actual thing.