‘A true unicorn’: Expectations for Victor Wembanyama were wild. He exceeded them

The Frenchman arrived in the NBA amid a storm of hype. But a year on, those who came up against him in Europe are surprised by how good he has become

Hailed as the best prospect since LeBron James, labelled an all-time great in the making and distinctive for his 7ft 4in frame, expectations were high from the outset when Victor Wembanyama was drafted No 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs last year.

He arrived in the United States to a maelstrom of hype, aided by eye-catching performances in a pair of showcase exhibition games against the G League Ignite in Las Vegas the previous October for Parisian club Metropolitans 92. Concerns were raised over the durability of his slender frame and projections were tempered by calls for patience with a young player not only taking his first steps in the NBA but moving to a new continent.