Redeem now - Victor Wembanyama, an NBA prospect from France, is expected to be the first pick in the draft.
- The 19-year-old is believed to be as tall as 7-foot-5 and plays like a guard.
- He threw out the first pitch at a Yankees game and made the baseball look incredibly small.
Sometimes it just takes a different perspective to fully appreciate how big professional athletes can be.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.Case in point: Victor Wembanyama.
The 19-year-old French prospect is widely expected to be the first pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday by the San Antonio Spurs.
But despite being listed as 7-foot-5, it can be difficult to appreciate just how tall he is when most sports fans have only seen highlights of him playing against other tall European players with the skills of a much smaller guard.
That changed this week when Wembanyama traveled to New York for the draft.
On Tuesday, he was a guest of the New York Yankees and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
On the way to Yankee Stadium, Wembanyama had to duck to enter the subway station and again to get on a train.
—NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2023Then, at the stadium, Jomboy Media got a photo of Wembanyama holding a baseball, making it look like a ping-pong ball.
—Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 20, 2023Wembanyama is considered one of the best draft prospects ever, with some saying he is the most hyped player to enter the NBA since LeBron James in 2003.
During an interview with ESPN, Wembanyama was asked about the reaction to his height here in the United States.
He noted that it was different, in a good way.
"I'm used to it, but I'm lucky that, in that environment, all these people know about basketball," Wembanyama told ESPN. "They recognize me for something else than just my height."
Former NBA player JJ Reddick interviewed Wembanyama for his podcast "The Old Man and the Three" and sang high praises about the maturity level of the 19-year-old.
"I couldn't get over how mature, grounded, emotionally intelligent he is," Reddick said on ESPN's "First Take." "He has everything."
Reddick (right), who said he is a "legit" 6-foot-4, posed with Wembanyama and told his ESPN cohosts he was in awe of not even reaching his shoulders.
—JJ Redick (@jj_redick) June 20, 2023
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