He’s a 7-foot, 3-inch shot-blocking center who can dribble, pass and shoot three-pointers, said to be the best basketball prodigy since LeBron James 20 years ago. He’s Victor Wembanyama, a 19-year-old phenom from France, projected to be the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft scheduled tonight in Brooklyn—and a future marketing star who already has a deal with Nike.

Wembanyama’s package of size and skills make him a unique figure in basketball with few obvious peers. Scouts compare him to versatile hoops stars such as Kevin Durant or Kristaps Porzingis—only bigger (Even his height is up for debate).

James, after witnessing Wembanyama play an exhibition last year, referred to him as an “alien,” remarking it was a stronger word than “unicorn” in assessing his skills. Observers are almost as impressed with Wembanyama’s smile and charisma, saying he, like James, could also be a brand endorsement star—if he so chooses.

“Victor Wembanyama shows the promise of being an immediate marketing sensation for companies of all types across the endorsement spectrum,” Nick DePaula, a writer who covers the NBA sneaker deal and endorsement landscape, said in an email. “He will have an instant global fanbase following his path as a rising NBA star. Wemby has already shown to have a unique blend of not only one-of-a-kind skill and ability on the court but also a presence and persona consistent with being someone that brands will want to align with to highlight products and campaigns on their behalf.”

Wembanyama has a shoe and apparel deal with Nike dating to his time as a professional in Europe, DePaula said. It is speculated that the deal would soon be renegotiated with the total value potentially exceeding the $87 million of James’ first contract with Nike in 2003, still the largest rookie shoe contract in basketball history.

Nike only added to the speculation by tweeting a picture of Wembanyama moments after the San Antonio Spurs won the first pick in the draft lottery last month, suggesting the young player could change more than just basketball. The artwork seemed to play into the “alien” remark by Nike stablemate James.

“I anticipate Nike looking to activate and elevate Victor around the globe and for him to be featured prominently in brand campaigns immediately during the start of his NBA career,” DePaula said.

Nike did not return a message seeking comment. On Wednesday, Nike Basketball posted an “All eyes on” video clip on Instagram and Twitter featuring Wembanyama.

Observers anticipate that Wembanyama could enter into other deals shortly. One sports executive, who asked not to be identified, said the young star was expected to sign a substantial memorabilia and trading card deal with Fanatics.

Fanatics declined to comment.

‘No lack of suitors’

“Typically, right around the draft there’s a decent amount of endorsement opportunity because brands recognize there’s eyeballs on these players,” said Bob Lynch, CEO of SponsorUnited, which tracks athlete, team and league sponsorships. “On the night of the draft or the couple days before and the couple days after, there’s such engagement in these players. Think about it—all of a sudden, you’re drafted by the Knicks, it might be that entire fanbase is just going to immediately connect with that player socially. It’s a ripe environment for a brand at that moment in the spotlight along with the player.”

Of course, San Antonio is a much smaller media market than New York, but Wembanyama’s stardom won't be hindered by geography—and he should have ample opportunity to connect with brands this summer.

“Right now there’s an appetite. There’s no lack of suitors at the table waiting to do business with him,” the sports executive said. “I think everyone’s going to want to jump on board and it’ll be up to him to be selective about who he partners with.”

Wembanyama has made one thing clear—he’s into basketball. A pro since 2019, he continued to play through last week with his Metropolitans 92 squad in France, even at the risk of an injury that could cost him tens of millions of dollars. ESPN had been streaming Wembanyama’s games online, adding to the anticipation of his stateside arrival. Disney-owned ESPN and ABC will televise tonight’s draft, promising “more coverage than ever before.” 

“Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts traveled to France to interview Wembanyama. ABC aired the interview on Wednesday, the morning after he threw the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Yankees game.

Wembanyama’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, has said he intended to make the athlete “rare,” although some chalked that up to a negotiating ploy.

“We don’t want him all over the place. We don’t want to have 20 partners. That doesn’t make him a known basketball player,” Ndiaye told ESPN in a February article.

Ndiaye’s agency, Comsport, did not return an email seeking comment.

Lynch said much will depend on Wembanyama’s appetite for deals. “That’s a big part of it—do they have an interest in doing campaigns, and do they have the ability? Are they somebody that’s actually good in front of the camera, comfortable in those environments? There are some who grow into that gradually.”

Agencies and colleges are doing a better job of preparing young athletes for marketing, Lynch said. Athletes themselves are also more powerful branding assets than they once were, thanks to social media. Wembanyama already has 1.7 million followers on Instagram, nearly 1 million on TikTok, and 190,000 on Twitter.

Also, so-called name image and likeness (NIL) rules that were passed in 2021 and allow college athletes to get paid for brand deals have given them more early marketing experience. (Those do not apply to Wembanyama since he is already a pro.)

“It’s been almost 20 years since LeBron James was drafted. Social platforms didn’t even exist when LeBron James came around. Even though all eyes were on him he didn't have the sort of audience himself to expose to a brand,” Lynch said. “Now you have these athletes that are bigger than most of the teams they play for in terms of their audience and social media presence, so more dollars can be justified coming to players. They’re their own media networks in a way.”

The financial services firm Self Financial, which entered into a multiyear jersey-patch sponsorship deal with the Spurs last season, is preparing for what was once local branding to go national with Wembanyama wearing a Spurs uniform.

“Knowing that the Spurs could potentially pick one of the biggest emerging players of a generation is a really exciting moment for us. As the jersey patch sponsor for the Spurs, this will mean that millions of both avid and casual basketball fans worldwide will see, wear and recognize the Self logo,” Brett Billick, chief marketing officer at Self, said in emailed remarks.

“Last season’s brand exposure was more localized due to the team’s performance, but drafting a top player would put both brands on a more national stage in the upcoming years,” Billick added. “The Spurs have already shared how ticket sales and jersey orders have increased since the draft lottery night, which suggests that the fanbase and frequency of exposure will certainly expand.”