“Wemby! Wemby! Wemby!” When the name of San Antonio Spurs first draft pick Victor Wembanyama was announced on Thursday, an explosion of joy radiated from the AT
He proudly wears a Wembanyama jersey, in the colors of Boulogne-Levallois, his former club in the French championship. “I ordered it the day after the lottery (May 16, editor’s note) and I received it the day before yesterday, I was so stressed not to receive it in time”, he says, before apologizing : he must run to the store to buy the one that the French prodigy will wear with San Antonio. Because a long tail has already formed, now that the Spurs have the right to sell the official flocked tunics of N.1 …
Meanwhile, suddenly the volume goes sky high just as the hero of the evening can’t suppress his emotional tears at ESPN’s microphone. We shout, we applaud him, we carry him, we comfort him with immense fervor, he, the 19-year-old young man, whose shell finally breaks through on the last day of the rest of his life, when until now he seemed impervious to the madness surrounding it. Human after all Victor, who has not yet seen the one waiting for him in San Antonio.
Jose, in his sixties, a member of the security at the edge of the floor, does not remember having witnessed “such a thing”. People came as families, some of the babies being very young. The atmosphere is such that one of his colleagues goes to take pictures with the supporters. Since the doors opened, the party is in full swing in the AT
If a portrait of Wembanyama painted on the back of a fan’s head grabs attention, the ultimate look prize went to dapper Sovia Lauriano, 70, in her ‘Wemby’ getup of boots silver shoes with a homemade hat adorned with a basketball hoop on which hangs a picture of Victor.
All have their eyes riveted on their smartphone mini-screen filming the giant screen hanging from the ceiling where we retrace the glorious hours since 1999, the date of the first coronation which gave birth to a dynasty, that of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, under coach Gregg Popovich, with four more titles (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). This “draft watch party” was at the initiative of Spurs, aware since the lottery of May 16, which offered them the first choice, of the excitement rising in the city.
Quickly swarmed outward signs of “Wembamania”, evidenced by the fresco painted on the wall of the restaurant Rudy’s Seafood, where we proudly take a picture in front of the portrait of the player. Another, adorning the Southtown 101 bar, had an impromptu visit from … Popovich, who drove past Wednesday and posed with a smile with his author Colton Valentine.
A work has even more success, a giant statue cut out of wood, drawing Wembanyama, arms spread wide with two balloons in his hands. “She is 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters. We created it because of the enthusiasm it brings to our city”, explains one of its creators Robert Alvarado, 61 years old. “We started it about two weeks ago. It took us 13 days, from idea to drawing, cutting, sanding and painting”.
While looking at this Wembanyama, barely larger than the original (2.24 m, 243 cm wingspan), fans are already talking about all that the phenomenon will bring to their favorite team. “I expect him to do great things…Another title? Yes, of course,” says Jacob Barrios, 21, a student.
Further afield, one store, Mission Crafts Chandlery, created an aromatic candle and car air fresheners with Wembanyama’s face in the body of a Saint. Everything has been sold we are told. To each his Messi(e)… Stephen Navarro, 21, student wants to send a message. “If there’s anything I can say to Victor, it’s that we can’t wait to have him, to see him embrace the city, our community. Come have fun, enjoy San Antonio, you’ll love it.