NBA Draft: 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama cemented at No. 1

June 22 (UPI) -- Victor Wembanyama, at 7-foot-3, is a near certainty to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which will air Thursday on ESPN and ABC.

The event will start at 8 p.m. EDT at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The second round will air later on ESPN. Wembanyama has been widely regarded as one of the best prospects in recent memory.

"I don't let all this stuff get into my head," Wembanyama told reporters Wednesday, when asked about outside expectations. "I have such high expectations for myself that I am immune to all of this [hype]."

The San Antonio Spurs learned that they would pick first -- for the right to draft Wembanyama -- last month during the lottery. The Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons also have Top-5 picks.

The Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks hold the Nos. 6 through 10 picks.

Wembanyama and the Spurs effectively confirmed that he would join the team after the lottery order was determined. The extremely versatile center-forward from Le Chesnay, France, averaged 21.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 2.5 assists per game this season for Metropolitans 92 of Betclic Elite, a top-tier French league.

The 18-year-old is known for a soft shooting touch and impressive ball handling ability for a player of his size.

Thursday's event will include 30 first-round selections. Former Alabama guard-forward Brandon Miller, G-League guard Scoot Henderson and Overtime Elite twin brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson are among the other top prospects.

Most mock drafts expect Miller to be the Hornets' pick at No. 2. Henderson is the most-popular selection for the Trail Blazers at No. 3.