Wembanyama confidently declares himself the new face of the NBA! Refuses endorsement deals for carbonated drinks, and his agent jokes about winning seven championships.

On June 5th Beijing time, The Athletic published an in-depth article revealing the superstar incubation plan for Victor Wembanyama, detailing how this global top-tier athlete is being shaped. Here is the full content—

Wembanyama surveyed the room, perhaps the only one present who truly believed in the bold statement he was about to make. Just a few months earlier, a blood clot injury nearly ended his career. The 2.24-meter-tall star player of the San Antonio Spurs declared his ambition to a room full of people managing his global commercialization and building his national popularity.

In the coming years, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant will gradually retire, leaving the NBA in urgent need of a new generation of iconic players—ones that even casual fans can instantly recognize. Wembanyama provided the answer:"The league has no choice. I will become the face of basketball."

According to those present at the time, looking back a year later, Wembanyama—who made that bold statement in front of a group of Nike executives—is steadily fulfilling his promise. At the start of this season, his goal was simply to lead the team to the playoffs and realize his extraordinary talent. Now, he has already stepped onto the NBA Finals stage to face the New York Knicks, far surpassing expectations in his growth trajectory. If he wins the championship, he will fully unlock global commercial resources.

Wembanyama's meteoric rise may seem sudden, but the co-founders of Comsport, the agency handling his business affairs—Mejana and Ndiaye—had a complete plan from the start. They have been managing his affairs since he was 13, working alongside his parents to accompany him through his growth, and are now pushing him toward the most critical phase of his career: becoming a global superstar.

The discussion is no longer about whether Wembanyama can become the new face of the NBA, but whether he can rise to become a world-class sports superstar across multiple disciplines.

Can he go further along the legendary paths of Jordan, Kobe, James, and Curry? Can he match the global fame of Messi and Ronaldo, becoming a household name worldwide?

The management team has meticulously and step-by-step planned his growth path in all dimensions: physical maintenance, on-court refinement, and public image. They understand that a young man with rare physical talent is vulnerable to various pitfalls, so they are steadily and carefully presenting a multifaceted, vivid Wembanyama to the world.

Combining insights from the team's management, NBA officials, Wembanyama's inner circle of advisors, and the player himself, this article reveals the complete logic and far-reaching impact of the league's next global superstar blueprint.

All of Wembanyama's development decisions are precisely calculated and adhere to a principle of restraint.

Mejana: "Our core approach is to avoid off-court distractions that could take away his focus. Therefore, we strictly control the number of endorsement deals. Taking too many endorsements would make it impossible to concentrate on improving skills, resting his body, and recovering from injuries."

Before entering the NBA, multiple beverage brands offered multi-million dollar commercial contracts, all of which Wembanyama turned down. At that time, he was living on an annual salary of about $150,000 from the French league. Carbonated drink and skincare brands scrambled to partner with him, but all were rejected without exception.

"We won't let him be tied to soda brands like Coca-Cola. Major companies are lining up to cooperate, but Victor will never endorse carbonated beverages. He doesn't want to indirectly mislead children into drinking soda."

At the post-game press conference podium, Gatorade bottles are always placed on both sides of the microphone. Whenever Wembanyama sees water bottles, he refuses to sit down, and the PR team must remove them. One time this year, the staff couldn't clear them in time, and as soon as he sat down, he said bluntly: "This won't do! Who put this here?" Then he tossed the bottle under the table.

Many young stars eagerly sign endorsement deals and fill their social media pages with ads, but Wembanyama's team does the opposite—deliberately controlling his exposure frequency during his rise.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in an interview: "In the past, a player like Wembanyama would only gain massive attention after winning a championship. But in the age of social media, combined with his unique background and incredible physique, even without the internet, he would still attract the world's attention."

In early commercial planning, Nike crafted the "alien genius" persona for him, leading to a smooth partnership. The deliberate slowdown in exposure prioritizes basketball as the main focus, while also maintaining a sense of mystery and scarcity that continues to boost his commercial value.

Louis Vuitton has repeatedly invited Wembanyama to shoot brand campaigns, partnering with French football superstar Kylian Mbappé and LeBron James. He appeared in a Fanatics brand ad ahead of the Finals and became the cover athlete for NBA 2K27. Following the tradition of Spurs predecessors, he also starred in a humorous ad for the Texas-based supermarket chain H-E-B.Despite an endless stream of resources, his commercial endorsements remain restrained, avoiding oversaturation.

Silver said: "Victor understands that flashy off-court hype cannot define a career. Championships are what cement history. Commercial resources and public speaking platforms are just added bonuses."

Most of his non-working public appearances come from chance encounters. Fans love capturing glimpses of his daily life, while he just wants to show his ordinary side and enjoy the life fate has given him. But even his everyday actions have become a spectacle watched by millions.

In December 2024, he went to play chess at Washington Square Park in New York, which became a defining moment of his career. During the previous offseason, he visited China and Japan without any official promotional itinerary. Random photos taken by passersby made international news in multiple countries, with the buzz spreading organically—no deliberate marketing needed.

Viewership data directly confirms his popularity: In the Western Conference Finals, Wembanyama delivered an epic performance that topped global trending topics on social media and ranked first in Google's global search across all categories. The hype transcended sports circles, signaling that Wembanyama already has the potential to break beyond basketball fans and achieve worldwide fame.

The entire industry agrees: To reach the level of a global superstar, winning a championship is the top priority.

Silver said: "To carry the league's face, winning a championship is a hard prerequisite. I've talked to Victor about this many times, but I don't really need to. To stand at the top of global sports, results are the ticket."

In Game 2 against the Knicks, Wembanyama has a chance to even the series. If he goes on to win the championship, his historical status and global value will leap to a new level.

As a teenager, Wembanyama once asked his agent how to reach the pinnacle of basketball. The agent joked: To become the greatest of all time, you need to win seven championship rings—one more than Michael Jordan.

Now an adult, Wembanyama has a clear goal: win multiple championships and MVPs. He understands that without solid on-court achievements, all global development plans are empty talk.

After the All-Star break, Wembanyama stated: "Social media and the league can package any star, but the ultimate spotlight is always determined by real strength and the fans. The league's face can be built through commercial hype, but that has its limits. Top-tier players are the final answer."

Now, Wembanyama must maintain his true self while riding the wave of global popularity, be himself, and lead the team to wins. The league won't hand him the title of franchise face for free. He must deliver dominant performances that force the entire basketball world to acknowledge his greatness.