Meet the Mastermind Behind Victor Wembanyma’s Athletic Success

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

Victor Wembanyama is already a household name as far as basketball is concerned. He has been able to attract all the buzz thanks to his prowess on the court. Standing at 7’4″ and boasting an 8-foot wingspan, the French prodigy has quite garnered a reputation as the next big thing in the game of basketball.

The level of hype surrounding Wembanyama has been compared to that of the legendary LeBron James got when he was drafted into the league in 2003 and we can see how far he has come to achieve what he has. It is only a matter of time before Wembanyama follows in the great footsteps his more advanced predecessor has set for him. But as with every successful athlete, there is more to their story than just the raw talent. A lot of forces are involved but a great coach puts all the cherry icing on the athlete’s career. In Victor’s scenario, he’s been quite lucky for being under the tutelage of some of the best coaches in the sports world.

Victor’s talent was originally identified by Michaël Allard, who saw him when he was only 10 years old. He drew the attention of Nanterre in 2013 after Michaël Allard, a youth coach for the club, noticed him on the bench at an under-11 game due to his exceptional height, at 1.80 meters (5 ft 11 in), initially mistaking him for a coach. Michaël saw something special in the young player and began working with him to develop his skills. Wembanyama further gained his first professional experience with the Nanterre 92 senior team under head coach Pascal Donnadieu before joining ASVEL of the Pro A to play under T. J. Parker.
Victor later joined the Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A, a team that attracted him because of its head coach Vincent Collet’s reputation for nurturing and giving young players an opportunity. Wemby gained the current level of fame internationally because of Collet’s coaching.

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Who is Vincent Collet?

Vincent Collet is a former professional basketball player from France who is presently the head coach of the senior men’s France national team and Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A. He is the secret ingredient behind Victor’s stardom status.
Starting with Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and now Victor Wembanyama, he has trained the best basketball players France has ever produced.
He has also led the French team to glory on multiple occasions.

Right now Vincent is focused on Wembanyama and is working day and night to ensure that Wembanyama stays in the top crop of the best hoopers to ever play the game. He has otherwise been praising Victor for being such the talent that has made the Metropolitans 92 team get the spotlight it has been getting lately. He said, “He is the one who really made it possible for the team to be so visible and above all to attract many spectators.”
In a separate interview with BasketNews, Collet said, “I never met such a player before, and I will never meet such one after. So it’s an opportunity. ”
Vincent further tells BasketNews, “Victor is like Arvydas Sabonis. Not as strong as Sabonis, but with the same skills. And Victor is not only a tall guy. He’s superb in skills.”
Arvydas Sabonis, a former basketball player from Lithuania, is regarded as one of the best centers in history, and being compared to him while still, 19-years old is quite the compliment one can get.

Collet is coaching Wembanyama in a manner that diverges from many of the coaching philosophies he has developed throughout his career. Collet is cultivating in a way he wouldn’t be if he were only seeking to win another league championship, allowing for more errors and letting Wemby get away with more poor shots.
Victor enjoys shooting jumpers and typically performs four pull-up jumpers per game, which is unusual for someone of his size. He also performs one-legged jumpers, spot-up jumpers, and other jumps again not usually for someone like him. By his admission, Collet would have ejected any of his players from the game if they had attempted this 15 years prior but for Victor, he gets a pass. Wembanyama has developed a preference for that freedom from his coach, which enables him to perform with exquisite finesse.

As of now, we can see how his coach’s influence has been instrumental in carving him into what he is now. To become one of the most exciting prospects in history he has Collet to thank. More importantly through his tutelage, Victor has been hardworking, committed, and humble toward achieving his dream of playing in the NBA. As it comes to fruition, we can only hope that he does not lose momentum.