Victor Wembanyama Says He Plans to Play ‘a Little Bit’ in Summer League

The 19-year-old French phenom could be in for a busy summer following his expected selection by the Spurs with the top pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

As Victor Wembanyama closes in on becoming the NBA’s next No. 1 pick, the touted French phenom already appears to be preparing for his anticipated debut amid speculation regarding his summer plans.

Wembanyama, the presumed top pick for the Spurs on June 22, shared a peek into his thoughts on playing in the NBA Summer League on Thursday after his Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 were swept by Monaco in the LNB finals.

During his post-game conversations with Monaco players, Wembanyama was asked if he’ll play in the Summer League next month, to which the 19-year-old replied, “A little bit.”

Wembanyama’s apparent confirmation of his intent to join his future team for Summer League comes in the midst of conflicting reports regarding his availability.

Wemby plays his final game in France before the NBA Draft and says he'll play "a little bit" in the Summer League. pic.twitter.com/oGyTqNaebX

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 17, 2023

On Thursday, a report from SpursTalk.com noted Wembanyama playing in the NBA’s summer sessions is “unlikely to happen,” per team sources. The same report also stated the team expects Wembanyama to sit out the Summer League games, and practice sparingly.

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Two days later, however, NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Spurs are “hopeful” Wembanyama will participate in the Summer League “to some degree.”

If Wembanyama were to suit up, the 7-foot-4 star could see the floor at the California Classic Summer League from July 3 to 5 and/or the Las Vegas Summer League from July 7 to 17. Interestingly, both sessions will take place around the time Wemby may have his sights set on honoring his intention to play for France at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which runs from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10.

Needless to say, in a day and age where load management has become the norm, it’ll be fascinating to see how Wembanyama and San Antonio approach his status as the NBA summer circuit nears its start.