Scoot Henderson wants to prove he can be the No. 1 pick in NBA Draft over Victor Wembanyama: ‘I want to build that fanbase in San Antonio’

Future star Scoot Henderson believes he should be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft to be held on June 22, as the player recently participated in the Draft Combine in Chicago. Even though the top prospect is behind French sensation Victor Wembanyama, he trusts his capacity. 

“For sure,” said Henderson. “I think I have a possibility of going No. 1 and I believe in myself as any competitor should.”

Scoot Henderson believes he can be No. 1 pick over Victor Wembanyama in the NBA draft.

“I think I have the ability to go No. 1,” Henderson said in a Wednesday interview at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/8vQuBnY1Wr

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) May 18, 2023

However, if everything remains as expected, Wembanyama seems set to follow a long list of unforgettable big men who were drafted by the Spurs (who won the lottery this Tuesday), as Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson took the Texan franchise to new heights back in the day.

This would mean that Henderson and projected No. 3 pick Brandon Miller would end up with the Charlotte Hornets or the Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.

“As a competitor, I want to go No. 1,” the G League star said. “I want to build that fanbase in San Antonio.”

Seeing his chances, the young player guaranteed he can play with either LaMelo Ball or Damian Lillard, adding he wouldn’t chase the spotlight and he loves to share the ball.

“I think I’d fit in with Melo and the way they play over there. I think I can play off the ball and on the ball and that’s what so special about my gift, I think. I don’t have to have the ball in my hand to impact on the floor. I’m not crazy ball-dominant, like I’ll have the ball in my hand when it’s time,” he said about the Hornets.

The 19-year-old was invited this year to be a part of the Rising Stars mini-tournament during the All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, and had the opportunity of sharing the same team with Ball. “Just seeing that up close, it was pretty cool,” he said.

However, Henderson also had a lot of praise for veteran star Lillard. “I am a Dame fan,” he admitted. “I think I’d work out over there as well. Like I said, I don’t have to be ball-dominant. When my time comes, I’ll kill. When it’s my time. I think I can work in any situation that God puts me in.”

Henderson recently teamed up with Stephen Curry who will mentor him with advice and resources

Could you imagine being so lucky as to be 19 years of age and have legend Stephen Curry coach your basketball skills and shooting guidance to prepare you for the league?

“His advice is just to enjoy the moment,” Henderson said about working with the Warriors superstar. “You can see that in Steph. You can see how he enjoys the moment, how he smiles through the games. His mentorship is really a relationship that we’re building. He’s opening doors for me. I’m hoping I’m opening doors for him as well.”

The two-time league MVP is not only impressed by the player’s talent, but also his compromise to help his community back in Marrieta, Georgia.

“They’ve developed a perspective on the blessings from the game of basketball and the doors that it’s opened and the platform that you’re given,” Curry said. “The resources you have access to can all lead to a sense of purpose outside of just putting the ball in the basket.”