It was a fairly unremarkable day in Central Park West and Columbus Circle. Vendors sold hot dogs, coffee and bottled water at exorbitant prices nearby. A light breeze rustled sycamore boughs hanging over a bicycle rental booth filled with neat rows of mint-green helmets. Then, at 4:41 p.m., a black Mercedes crept through the crowd of buses, police cars, and floral taxis.
Two teens watched as a skinny young man wearing dark sunglasses, black shorts and a white T-shirt, got out of the truck and was over seven feet tall.
“Oh, my God!” said one of the teens. “It’s Victor Wimbanyama!”
Wimbanyama was in town for the NBA draft at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Thursday, where he is certain to be selected No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs as one of the most anticipated prospects since LeBron James. He was on his way to Yankee Stadium to throw the ceremonial first pitch for Tuesday’s game with Seattle. But before that, he wanted to try something he’d never done before: riding the New York City subway.
“Watch your head!” A police officer bellowed as Wimbanyama walked through the station and descended under a cream-coated pipe in the ceiling.
“I’m used to it,” said Wimpanyama, who is at least 7-foot-4. In France, where he grew up and played professional basketball last season with the Metropolitans ’92, he’s ridden the Paris metro many times. By now, at the age of 19, he’s generally used to bobbing his head to keep him from hitting things.
He had flown into the New York area on Monday afternoon, when crowds swarmed him at Newark Liberty International Airport. Now he had just visited the offices of the NBA Players Association on Sixth Avenue, a block from Bryant Park. He needed to catch a D train bound for the Bronx on Columbus Circle. Teammate from France Bilal Coulibaly, who is also expected to be recruited early Thursday, had Wimpanyama’s agents and his communications director present.
Wimpanyama’s family met him at the subway station—his parents, brother, and sister—as did police officers, NBA security personnel, NBA content producers, and reporters and photographers from two French media outlets and the New York Times. It was a group about the size of a subway car on a Tuesday afternoon.
Harry Sissy, 17, who was on his way to a friend’s graduation, sighed deeply as the group piled onto the train, leaving little room for movement or breathing.
“Welcome to New York!” A woman’s voice echoed in the distance as the train began to roll. “How tall is he?” she added, as Wimbanyama stood in the middle of the car with his head bowed.
Sebastian Cardona, 22, immediately texted and FaceTimed some friends using his iPhone to let them know he was on the train with Wembanyama.
“Rookie of the Year!” Cardona shouted before trying to get Wimbanyama to turn for a photo. Cardona was also on his way to see the Yankees. He said he knew Wimpanyama would throw out the first pitch, but he never expected to see him on the Underground.
A few feet away, a woman shouted in French, telling Wimpanyama to turn around. He forced several times and smiled at her photos. Alage Sacco, 25, a Frenchman now living in New York, was standing next to the woman on the way home.
“I only saw it on TV,” Sacco said, smiling. A few minutes later, he moved through the crowded car to get closer to take a picture.
After the first stop, at 125th Street, Wembanyama found a seat. Two seats away, a woman’s headphones flashed colored lights. She closed her eyes and ignored the commotion around her.
Wimbanyama smiled as he sat down, then spent most of the trip like everyone else — checking his phone and chatting with his buddies. He gave a brief interview to the NBA entertainment group, telling them he wished he had the chance to visit more of the city. After Thursday night, Wimpanyama is expected to be transferred to San Antonio.
It took four stops on the D train to go from Columbus Circle to Yankee Stadium. Wimpanyama and his court leave the train together, and climb a yellow-tiled staircase to the Bronx. People driving Wimpanyama and riding bikes shouted to get his attention. One person in the car shouted, “Go with the spurs!” Wimbanyama smiled to acknowledge the joy.
Fans waiting in line to enter Yankee Stadium held their cellphones to record Wimpanyama as he passed by, chatting excitedly about the NBA draft.
On the field, Wimpanyama spent some time in the dugout with Yankees catcher Jose Trevino, perhaps getting some advice on his impending pitch. Wimpanyama fiddling with a golf ball-like baseball in his huge hands. He left the dugout to sign autographs and take pictures with the kids.
He still had over an hour before his presentation.
When the time finally came, he clapped as he made his way down the hill. The crowd, which was still full, cheered to welcome him. Wembanyama is over He threw the pitch too far outside for Yankees pitcher Clark Schmidt, positioned behind home plate, to catch it.
Wimbanyama shrugged, then laughed.