The Big Lead

Barcelona’s 13-year-old ‘Wemby Antetokounmpo’ wonderkid goes viral

The next European wonderkid is here, and FC Barcelona Basquet's 13-year-old phenom is being touted as a mixture of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama.

By Divij Kulkarni

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
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In recent memory, Europe has produced some of the greatest NBA players of the modern era. Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have both won championships and multiple MVPs, and it seems safe to say that Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama will join that list soon, as well.

As the game continues to grow internationally, more and more top talent is expected to come from Europe, as scouts begin to take it seriously. And at only 13 years of age, FC Barcelona Basquet's Mohamed Dabone has gone viral, being described as a mixture of Giannis and Wemby.

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Dabone recently impressed at the EuroLeague Youth Tournament in Abu Dhabi, averaging 12 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game against significantly older opposition. Despite being only 13, he stands at 2.1 metres (6'10") in height, combining athletic ability with immense size.

Size has become increasingly important in the NBA in recent years. The new era of basketball requires players to be both big and skilled. Dabone is too young to make any predictions as to where he might end up in his career, but with the foundation he has, becoming a No. 1 overall draft pick when eligible is quite attainable.

Dabone will turn 14 in October of this year, and the minimum age for NBA draft eligibility is 19. So he won't be ready for the league until 2030, even if all goes exactly as planned. Now that he's joining the senior team, though, he will be one to keep an eye on moving forward.

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