Did Wembanyama celebrate Rockets not getting No. 1 pick? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Fourteen NBA teams had a chance to win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.
And it appears there may have been at least one that the French phenom preferred not to land the No. 1 overall pick.
The Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs were the final four teams remaining in Tuesday night's 2023 NBA Draft Lottery.
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French network beIN Sports' broadcast of the event showed Wembanyama's live reaction as the top four picks were revealed, and he appeared happy when the Rockets were eliminated from contention.
Rockets 2022 first-round pick Jabari Smith Jr. took notice of the apparent celebration as well.
It's unclear if Wembanyama actually preferred not to go to Houston, or if his reaction was to something unrelated. Regardless, he didn't seem to mind heading roughly 200 miles west in Texas after the Spurs won the top pick.
The Spurs-Rockets rivalry has lacked some luster in recent years, but it's surely on its way back with Wemby bound for the Alamo City.
