PARIS (AP) — French teen prodigy Victor Wembanyama embellished his fast-growing reputation when he became the youngest MVP in the French league's All-Star game.
The 18-year-old Wembanyama finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists on Thursday night as the All-Star France team won 136-128 against the All-Star World team — an annual contest between French and non-French players in the French league's LNB.
The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama is considered the likely top pick in the 2023 NBA draft next June and is a near-certainty to be the first top-five draft pick from France.
In the two months since his jaw-dropping performances in two exhibition games in Las Vegas, “Wembamania” has swept France with sold-out games whenever he plays for Paris-based Metropolitans 92.
Wembanyama is leading the French league with averages of 22.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. And those are his final numbers as an 18-year-old. He turns 19 on Jan. 4, 2023.
He hit a purple patch from early November to early December with a streak of four consecutive 30-or-more-point games.
Wembanyama's international career got off to a good start and he is 2-0 with Olympic silver medalist France, with 39 points scored and 13 rebounds in those two games.
France plays Lithuania and the Czech Republic in February.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Associated Press
