#NHLVideos: Connor Bedard & Victor Wembanyama One on One | @NHL @NBA Collaboration

Connor Bedard & Victor Wembanyama One on One | @NHL @NBA Collaboration

I’m meeting Victor Wembanyama.  First overall pick in the NBA   Victor Wembanyama. A paradigm shifter. A  generational talent. Oh mama, Wembanyama!!   We’re in similar situations on how we’re   coming into the league. Connor Bedard. A franchise  

Foundational piece. There’s a lot of pressure  on him. Bedard, lacrosse style, scored.   I’ve watched him a bit and obviously he’s a pretty  special talent, so I’m looking forward to it.  

Yo. What’s going on? Nice to meet you,  I’m Victor. So cool to meet you.   Nice to meet you too, Connor. Can I visit, or?   Yeah, our room’s over here if you want to see. I’m legit interested

I don’t think I could find  skates my size today.   Yeah I don’t think so. Actually, I’ve done it before.   As a kid I’ve been ice skating  before, so I know how to do it,  

But I don’t think I can find skates my size. I’m genuinely excited. I have heard of you like   way before, but I just started learning  a little bit more, it’s dope. Congrats.   Yeah, you too. I’ve been following  a lot. Do I say take one? Take one.

How old were you when you  were my height? I’m 5′ 10″.   5′ 10″? That’s one meter,  78? Something? Probably 9.   Nice. That makes me feel good. The one hockey story I got is one  

Time in school, that was in third grade.  We were playing hockey on the hard wood   in the gym and I was at the goal and I like  I stopped a shot attempt. I was the goalie,  

And then I shoot as hard as I can and I made  a goal from the other side, I scored.   Bedard Nice. That’s sweet. Grade three to like  seven we’d always go play basketball and I wasn’t  

Very good, but it was always a lot of fun. But you were always good like at hockey?   I was, yeah, I was pretty solid I think. Connor Bedard. Someone who is seen as   generational, unique. Here’s what  greatness looks like. It’s the next  

Wave of stardom in the National Hockey League. For me it was going on the ice and just being   creative and just having fun. You’re a natural.   You wanted highlights? You’ve got highlights. I wasn’t always like top, top, top. I’d  

Say I was always the best for my age  starting like 12-years-old maybe.   Wembanyama could be the best player in the  NBA on both the offensive and defensive ends.   I surprise my opponents a lot of times.  Especially on defense, I get a lot of blocks.

Generational, transformative. He will  be the best player in this draft.   I don’t know about you, but for me in  France when we’re really young it’s   like sometimes it’s almost forbidden to dream  about the NBA since almost nobody makes it.  

Yeah I mean I’m in Canada so everybody  wants to play in the NHL and it’s like   when you’re young for me, for you  the NBA, it’s like kind of a fantasy   and it’s like when you’re getting  closer it still doesn’t feel real.  

I had an exhibition game against  the second projected prospect   Two hundred credentialed NBA  scouts, executives, etc.   The goal of that event was to prepare  me and introduce me for the draft,  

You know? And I went crazy the first game Wembanyama for three. Oui, Oui. Oh! Wembanyama   says no, no, no. Wembanyama up top,  throwing it down. Victor Wembanyama put   out his best tonight. Thirty seven points. This is when things started going crazy  

At 7′ 5″ , 19-years-old, he might be the greatest  draft prospect in the history of the NBA.   There’s this tournament, World Juniors it’s  called. It’s a big tournament before the draft.   Connor Bedard works right in, Bedard shoots,  scores. This kid is out of this world.  

And I had a pretty good tournament Here he comes, scores! Connor Bedard. He   moves by Eberle for goals and Lindros for  points all-time for Canada. Walks right in,   backhand, scores. Connor Bedard, overtime  winner, sends Canada to the semis.  

That’s dope. And y’all won? Yeah we won.   The best goal scorer Canada has  ever seen in this tournament.   I think that was one, that changed my life a  little bit in an off the ice sort of thing.  

Connor Bedard doing Connor Bedard  things. He’s a franchise changing player,   that’s exactly what he is. It will be the most  hyped draft lottery since Connor McDavid. The   ones that have great odds to win it are just  hoping beyond hope they can get this player.  

There’s a lottery night also? Yeah we had lottery in like I guess   May or something. Me too. May 16th. It was, I don’t know. Whatever happens,  happens. You just kind of watch.  

On behalf of the NHL I’d like to welcome the  sixteen teams participating in tonight’s event   and I wish you each good luck as we reveal  the results of tonight’s draft lottery.   I actually had a game that  same night with my old team.  

A lob for Wembanyama and he throws  it down on top of Jeremy Evans.   And after that, my family, my people,  and I organized a little kind of like   a party in Paris. This has a chance to be one of the  

Most consequential nights in the history of the  NBA. We’re ready to begin, good luck to everybody. The number 6 overall selection in the 2023  NHL draft belongs to the Arizona Coyotes. The fifth pick will be made by  the Detroit Pistons. The San Jose  

Sharks. The Portland Trail Blazers. It was. It was crazy. It was probably   the most intense moment of my life. Because  this was the first time where I felt like I   had no power over what was going to happen. The second pick will be made by the Charlotte  

Hornets and that means that the number  one pick in the 2023 NBA draft goes to   the San Antonio Spurs. The San Antonio Spurs,   the right to draft a paradigm shifter. A  generational talent in Victor Wembanyama.

I’m trying to win a ring ASAP, so be ready. The first overall selection in the 2023 NHL   draft belongs to the Chicago Blackhawks. Holy S***. Connor Bedard will be a   Blackhawk. F***ing right. Is my tie okay? Oh my gosh,  

That’s a lot of people The draft was pretty special.   Just had all my family there and my friends  and just got to celebrate. There’s so much   work behind the scenes that goes into it, so to  enjoy that night with them was pretty sweet.  

I just came from Chicago just for you.  Oh yeah? Nice. You having fun? Yeah. This is considered to be one of the best  drafts in many, many years. Connor Bedard,   a franchise foundational piece. We heard about him  for so long and there’s a lot of pressure on him.

You alright? Yeah. Stomach’s feeling  it a little bit, but I’m alright.   Draft was incredible too. I’m making sure I won’t trip later. No secret who this year’s number one overall pick  in the NBA draft will be. It’s Victor Wembanyama.

And with the first overall  selection in the 2023 NHL draft.   With the first pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The Chicago Blackhawks are proud to select. The San Antonio Spurs select. From the Regina Pats of the WHL, Connor Bedard.  

Victor Wembanyama from Nanterre, France. This is incredible. Just being here with my   family like I said. It’s a dream come  true and I couldn’t be happier.  

I’ve dream about it so much, I’ve gotta cry man. To me there was too much going on. When you get   drafted you spend like two hours in  media. So after I was exhausted.   Yeah same it was like, got drafted at  like six and saw my parents at like  

Nine, nine thirty. You’re pretty gassed, but it’s  good when you just get to hang out with them.   Howdy y’all, this is Wemby.  We’re in San Antonio now.   In America you’re probably  getting recognized everywhere.  

Especially in San Antonio. For me it’s  just part of the job. I wouldn’t want it   to be any different because it means that I’m  doing something good for my sport you know?   This is what it’s all about. This is why we’re  outside today. Just to meet the people who  

Appreciate me and show them love and show them  that I appreciate them back and honestly it’s   one of the best feelings in the world. You know, it gives some power to do good   stuff in many, many other areas of life,  you know? Charity, and you have influence  

Now on young people, you know? What’s up guys? What’s up boys?   Yeah, that’s a cool part when you see  a kid pretty fired up to meet you or   something like that. I always find that  pretty sweet. Pretty grateful for that.  

How old are you guys? Do you guys know who  this is? Victor Wembanyama. Yeah. Is that   your brother? That’s my brother.  I’m his little brother, yeah.   Home opener was unreal. The way they  do the anthem was cool. Everyones  

Screaming and yelling during it.  I think that was pretty sweet.   The home opener, like running out of  the tunnel, is a special moment.   Number one, Victor Wembanyama. How’d you pick your numbers?  

Number 1, Speaks for itself, you  know? It’s not just for the draft,   it’s for like everything, my mentality. Number ninety eight, forward, Connor Bedard.   I’m ninety eight, so pretty opposite but no one  had it in the NHL at the time and kind of thought  

It was cool to have my own number or whatever  and yeah it stuck with me, so I like it.   The goal is to like make that number  legendary and people when they see the number   ninety eight, they’ll think of you. Yeah hopefully.  

My biggest adjustment I’d say is managing like  all the schedule, the rhythm, and of course like   every NBA player the games, every single game. Just feel like it’s such a different lifestyle,   I mean for me it was junior, and so much more  independent and obviously guys have kids and  

Families, you know those responsibilities,  so that’s been the biggest difference for   me. And then obviously everyone on the ice  is so good, so just getting used to that.   And how does it feel when you play against  those guys that you’ve looked up to  

Do you know who Sidney Crosby is? No.   No? Okay, he’s my favorite player he s like  a big hockey player, like one of the best.   Welcome to the Crosby show.  Sidney Crosby is off the charts.  

My first game was Crosby. Has the moment sunk in that you re facing   your childhood idol on your NHL debut yet? How  much pressure does that create in a situation like   this? How would measure your own success tonight? I was pretty nervous  

Number one overall pick in 2005, Sidney Crosby,  heading up against number one overall pick this   year, Connor Bedard. I’m yet to win a draw. It’s  really tough when you go against eighty seven. He   s sick. Crosby center for Guentzel, back for  Sid the Kid, he scores. Bedard now leaves it  

For Vlasic, closing in on the left side, he  scores. And Connor Bedard s got his first   National Hockey league point. The Blackhawks  come in to Pittsburgh and score four straight.   An impressive win. What’re you going to remember  most about tonight? Uh winning, yeah for sure.  

It’s pretty crazy, I’m sure you same, some of the  guys you’re going up against, LeBron or whatever,   but who’s that kind of guy for you? For me, like there’s multiple guys that  

Still feels crazy to see them suit up for  the game, but the most was Kevin Durant.   This is what people came for. That was pretty crazy because he’s   like the one guy I’ve studied the  most, like the moves and stuff.  

Back to Victor, look out, lift off and detonation  for Wembanyama. Wembanyama steps into a three,   Victor Wembanyama, ending the half in style. Yeah, did you feel more motivation going into   that or just excitement? Yeah more motivation,  

I did. I was trying to see if like studying  a guy for so long would help at all.   And inside again, Victor just towering  over the defense. What can you do as a  

Defender? Victor throws it down, my goodness. That was my best game so far. That is my best game   so far. I had thirty eight and ten I think. That’s not bad  

I want to think that this is a  guy I’ve watched for ten years,   he’s like my idol but I don’t care that he’s  my idol, I’ve gotta go into them, you know?   Have you seen anything different, anything  you expected from the teams, the players,  

The organization or the league that surprised  you that you expected to be different?   I don’t know about different, but I think  the biggest thing is that you just get   treated so well. Oh yeah, right?  

It’s pretty wild, like the food and the  travel and everything. It’s so first class,   you know? You obviously expect that but seeing it  first hand is pretty special. What about you?   Yeah there was some stuff. Like I learned more  than ever before in my life in the last four  

Or five months. Preseason and offseason  the work is crazy hard and crazy intense,   long practices and stuff, you know? But  during the season we almost never practice   at one hundred percent. Like almost never, because  we play every two days and sometimes two days in  

A row. When you get into the season Especially  twenty, thirty, forty games into the season your   recovery has to be on point like crazy. You  have to do as much as you can basically.   Wemby What motivates me is the accomplishment  of my life, I was born with everything I have,  

That’s my gift. My talent, my body, my health  and to me it’s like every day I don’t want to   waste even one percent of what I got. Do the  most you can with what was gifted to you.  

That’s the future for the San Antonio Spurs. Oh  mama, Wembanyama. That’s what you come to see.   I wanna win and every day I wake up  and wanna get a little better and try  

To get better and try to be better for  my teammates to help them win games.   Coming around is Bedard, he scores. Bedard  takes the puck, scores. Bedard lacrosse style   scores. I don’t believe what I just saw. That  is one of the most incredible goals I’ve ever  

Seen. Bedard now, main street, he scores. Is it cool to just sit with someone who has   a lot of similarities? Of course.   This is where you can shoot some pucks. That’s cool.  

It’s rare kind of to meet someone in the same  situation, especially in another sport so I think   it s pretty special we get to do this. Pretty awesome.  

You don’t hit it, right? You like, yeah, kind of push it.   Show me. That’s crazy. Okay. I’m gonna do the  same. Woo. You saw that. I’m a quick learner.  

It’s always kind of nice to see your side and I  think it gives you, I don’t know, even another way   to look at it even. So yeah, it’s great. We’ve gotta do a jersey swap then.  

Do you mind signing this? There  you go. Thank you. Appreciate it.   Is that your first hockey jersey? It is. It’s my first real one. Dope.   To see somebody that has gone  through the same process you know?  

Somebody that is seen as generational,  unique. Not only does he have the chance   to be an MVP but also one of the  players of this generation.   And to have so many similarities and  in a different sport of course.  

Victor Wembanyama. Connor Bedard. Here’s what  greatness looks like. It’s the next wave of   stardom in the National Hockey League. Like, it’s precious to me.

Generational talents and first overall picks Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks and Victor Wembanyama of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs met up in Chicago in December to share their parallel yet unique stories of realizing their professional dreams.

0:00 Introduction
1:45 Backstory
3:43 G League / World Juniors
6:14 Lottery / Draft
10:45 Becoming part of the community
12:39 Start of professional career
18:56 What motivates them
20:20 Shooting pucks and jersey swap

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