During the 2023 NBA draft lottery, the Washington Wizards found themselves just one ping-pong ball shy of landing the coveted No. 1 overall pick, which would have allowed them to select French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.
While they ended up with the eighth overall pick, which they used to select Bilal Coulibaly, the Wizards were left to watch as Wembanyama went to the San Antonio Spurs, a decision that many around the league believe could change the trajectory of a franchise for years to come.
On Wednesday, Wembanyama made his presence felt in a big way, scoring a career-high 50 points in a stunning performance against the Charlotte Hornets.
He shot 18-of-29 from the field, including an impressive 8-of-16 from three-point range, showing off his versatility and confirming why he’s considered one of the most anticipated prospects in recent memory. Wembanyama’s performance served as a reminder of what Washington missed out on by just falling short in the draft lottery.
As Varun Shankar writes for The Post, while the Wizards have some promising young talent, including players like Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis (before his trade to Boston), and the newly drafted Coulibaly, they still lack a true superstar to anchor the team for the long term.
The absence of a transcendent talent like Wembanyama means the Wizards are still in search of that one player to build around, someone capable of taking the franchise to new heights and making them a legitimate contender in the future.
The comparison between Wembanyama’s breakthrough performance and Washington’s current situation highlights the gap in star power the Wizards still face in their rebuilding process.
Jordan Poole is more comfortable in his second year in D.C., plus more notes on the Wizards: https://t.co/hURT7pN086
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 16, 2024
