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Metropolitans 92 star Victor Wembanyama hasn’t even stepped foot on an NBA court yet, but the projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft is already being lauded as a generational talent.
While many expect the Frenchman to excel in the NBA, it brings with it much more rigorous physical demands. At 7’5″ and a reported 230 pounds, Wembanyama’s workout routines in preparation for the next step of his career have not been focused on bulking up, but building strength over time.
Guillaume Alquier, the Metropolitans 92 strength and conditioning coach, was tasked with getting Wembanyama ready for life in the NBA, and he explained the 19-year-old’s training regimen while speaking with ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.
“He’s adding some weight normally, but not 10 pounds, or 20 pounds every month,” Alquier said. “That could be difficult for his motor control, his knees, his joints. We try to build it as best as we can.”
Alquier added: “The most important thing is to have strength in the legs, to produce force to play basketball: To play inside, to play D, post up, everything. After that, you have core activation, and the last thing is the prevention stuff—trying to do the best thing to be healthy all the time during the season.”
Thanks in part to Alquier’s training, Wembanyama had an impressive 2022-23 season with the Metropolitans 92 in France, averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks in 34 games while shooting 47.0 percent from the floor and 27.5 percent from deep.
Wembanyama is expected to have the same level of success in the NBA, and it’s possible the San Antonio Spurs, which own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, could bring in Alquier to continue training the Frenchman in some capacity in 2023-24, per Woo. However, nothing has been decided yet.
The 2023 draft is set for June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. When Wembanyama hears his name called, he will be ready.