As part of its NBA Experiences initiative, the NBA gives a set of fans a chance to dine with its star players at marquee events. Last year, Victor Wembanyama allowed a group of fans to pick his brain the night before he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Spurs.
One of those fans asked him the mandatory "What will you purchase with your first NBA paycheck" question that every high-profile rookie is posed with. But it's unlikely that any of those other rookies stunned everyone in the room with their response like Wemby did.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Vice President of NBA Experiences Evan Bruno detailed Wemby's interaction with the fan.
"His answer? The Millennium Falcon LEGO set. Item No. 75192," Bruno recalled.
The NBA exec was admittedly stunned by the Frenchman's answer.
"I thought to myself, 'Wow. The Millennium?' I mean...then you realize, he's just a kid. You realize that at the end of the day, he's a kid at heart."
Wemby's answer was particularly startling in an age where young millionaire athletes are known to purchase sports cars, jewelry and houses over anything as simple as a LEGO set. The answer was another peek into the 7-footer's grounded approach and humble demeanor.
The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year also won over a lot of fans with his attitude toward developing vices, a sensitive topic he touched upon in a recent interview with "The Ringer."
Victor Wembanyama:
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 18, 2024
“I feel like I’m immune to the distractions like partying, alcohol, drugs. Like, why would I ever do that? … I don’t have nothing to compensate for.”
(via @KevinOConnorNBA, h/t @OfficialNBABuzz)
pic.twitter.com/6IfvPgH72H
Both revelations have to be encouraging to Spurs fans as they get a glimpse into the mindset of their young star.
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