Victor Wembanyama Could Become A Financial Beacon For The Spurs

The 2023 NBA Draft was, according to the NBA, the most watched draft in history.

Aired on ESPN, the first round of the draft averaged 4,928,000 viewers – up 24% from last year according to NBA PR – and the drafted peaked with 6,085,000 viewers in the first quarter hour.

3,743,000 viewers followed the entire draft, up 23% from last year.

Unquestionably, those ratings were a direct result of the NBA’s aggressive marketing of superstar prospect Victor Wembanyama, the 7’5 Frenchman who has caught the imagination of basketball fans all around the world.

The NBA, which historically has leaned away from prospects in their marketing campaigns until after they’ve been drafted, embraced the presence of Wembanyama, even going as far as purchasing broadcast rights to his games in the French LNB during the course of the season.

They even set up an epic two-game event in Las Vegas last fall, pitting Wembanyama against Scoot Henderson of the G-League Ignite. Wembanyama scored a total of 73 points in those contests, exposing him to the American audience in a convincing manner.

It was a welcomed surprise to most dedicated NBA fans to see the league lean into the online hype of Wembanyama, as more people had a chance to actually watch him play.

This, too, helped Wembanyama shed the usual moniker of being an “unknown European”, which in the past were attached to players such as Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Andrea Bargnani, and an army of European prospects, who the American public simply hadn’t been exposed to.

Wembanyama comes in as arguably the most hyped prospect of all-time, which is underlined in the ratings presented above. But going beyond that, his profile stands to benefit the San Antonio Spurs – the team which picked him first overall – as well.

According to Ric Jensen, assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio who specializes in sports marketing and management, via San Antonio Business Journal, the economic value of the Spurs organization could increase by over half a billion. According to Jensen, that might even be considered a “conservative” estimation, and he estimates that Wembanyama’s economical impact could be upwards of $80 million to $100 million annually.

The Spurs, as a brand, have always held global appeal due to the volume of international stars they’ve had over the years. They’re broadly known in Europe due to Tony Parker and Boris Diaw, but from France, but also have fans in Argentina due to the career of Manu Ginobili.

Wembanyama appeals to not just the French, but to the broader European and international audience. Not to be forgotten, the American market is also ready to embrace Wembanyama. He speaks English fluently, is wired with extreme confidence, and he loves to play above the rim, all usual home runs with American viewers.

Of course, Wembanyama will need to produce at a certain level for all the financial impacts to hit, and for interest to remain. But as of right now, he presents enormous commercial appeal, in large part due to the NBA’s decision to lean into the growing hype early.

It’ll be interesting to see if this new way of marketing prospects, months out from the draft, is to become the new normal for the league.