French Stars of the San Antonio Spurs: Wembanyama Joins Parker and Diaw

• The San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
• Several French stars have played for the Spurs in the past including Tony Parker and Boris Diaw
• Parker and Diaw were both members of San Antonio’s last NBA championship team back in 2014

Victor Wembanyama was happy to see the San Antonio Spurs nab the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

He explained in an interview after the Draft Lottery that there is a special connection between the Spurs and France, with Tony Parker and Boris Diaw enjoying lots of success in San Antonio.

He is now officially a Spur after San Antonio selected him first overall on Thursday night.

Sports Brief looks at the French basketball stars who have played for the San Antonio Spurs before.

Tony Parker

Parker is undoubtedly the greatest Frenchman to play in the NBA. He won four championships in his illustrious career, capturing the title with San Antonio in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, per Bleacher Report.

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He won the Finals MVP in 2007 after averaging 24.5 points in the four-game sweep against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Parker retired on June 10, 2019, 18 years after he was drafted by the Spurs late in the first round.

Boris Diaw

Diaw played with the Spurs from 2012 to 2016, helping San Antonio reach the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014. His first Finals stint ended in disappointment, with the Spurs losing in seven games to the Miami Heat.

Diaw and the Spurs gained revenge the following season, beating the Heat in five games. He then played a huge part in that championship run, averaging 35 minutes per game in the Finals.

He led all players in the 2014 Finals in total assists with 29, per Basketball Reference.

Ian Mahinmi

Mahinmi was selected 28th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Spurs and made his NBA debut with San Antonio against Portland on October 30, 2007.

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He played only six games for the Spurs in the 2007-08 season, also missing the following season for the Spurs due to an ankle injury.

Mahinmi struggled to get playing time for San Antonio in the 2009-10 season, with the Frenchman playing just 26 games. However, he averaged 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in his last season as a Spur.

Nando de Colo

De Colo was selected 53rd overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Spurs. Three years after being picked, he decided to make the move to the United States, signing a two-year deal with San Antonio in 2012.

He reached the Finals with the Spurs in 2013, but they lost to the Heat in seven games.

De Colo averaged 4.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game during his two-season stint with the Spurs.

Joffrey Lauvergne

Lauvergne signed with the Spurs on July 18, 2017. He played his best game for San Antonio on February 13, 2018, scoring a career-high 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 117-109 loss to Denver.

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He only played one season for the Spurs. That was also his last season in the NBA.

Kylian Mbappe meets Wembanyama

Sports Brief recently reported on Kylian Mbappe watching Wembanyama ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery.

The football icon showed support for the projected NBA top pick in his last regular season game in France.

Wembanyama put on a show in front of Mbappe, recording 22 points and 9 rebounds in the Mets’ 93-85 win.