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Victor Wembanyama has officially been a San Antonio Spurs player for less than 48 hours, but he's already being treated like a franchise legend. An 18-foot tall statue and murals have sprung up around San Antonio, a mariachi band wrote and performed an original song, the hundreds of fans who showed up in brutal heat to provide a hero's welcome at the airport were chanting "Wem-V-P!" 

The excitement is palpable even across a computer screen, and so are the expectations for the 19-year-old French phenom, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and enters the league as the most intriguing prospect since LeBron James. San Antonio has immediately embraced him to this extent because they see him as a player who can revitalize this proud franchise. 

Such pressure would be overwhelming for most teenagers, but Wembanyama is ready to fully embrace "Wemby-mania," and has the skills to live up to the promise. 

"I want to do the best I can in every aspect of the job," Wembanyama said during his introductory press conference in San Antonio on Saturday. "And as far as I've seen the fans have been the best at their job, so I can only hope to be at their level. I gotta do my best.

"I wasn't expecting so much from just my arrival. It was a really, really fun moment. This is what it's about, this makes me happy."

Even Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joined in on the excitement by checking out one of the new murals. 

"I've felt so much love toward me by the Spurs fans ever since May 16th," Wembanyama said after the draft. "I think there's murals of me in the city center in San Antonio. It's just incredible. I could not ask for a better welcome than this. I really love the fan base, man."

And not just murals, but statues. 

"The Spurs sort of unite people in the city," Alvarado said. "The Spurs are like a unifying force for all of us. We put it up yesterday (Tuesday) and it's nice to see fans' reaction and take selfies."

Local legends Mariachi Campanas de America even released a song celebrating Wembanyama. 

In order to stay grounded in such an environment, Wembanyama is focused on being the best version of himself, he said Saturday. His answer on JJ Redick's podcast, "The Old Man and the Three," however, put it best. 

"I know what I want," Wembanyama said. "I'm driven from the inside of my heart. Nothing can put me out of my path. My totem is something bigger than basketball. It's just accomplishing yourself inside this universe. When I need motivation, when I need energy, when I'm tired and I need to fight on the court and it's hard, I always remember, I'm free in the universe. I do what I can. I know what I wanna do and nothing's gonna stop me from doing it.

"It doesn't just stop in basketball, it's about life."