Giant French phenom Victor Wembanyama (18) is set to feature for his side Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in a pair of matches against the NBA G League Ignite, coming up against rival top prospect Sterling “Scoot” Henderson (18). 

The two preseason exhibition games (on Tuesday and Thursday this week) will be held at the Dollar Loan Center, Ignite’s new home in Henderson, Nevada.

Wembanyama and Henderson, stars for their respective teams, have been compared continuously throughout their budding careers and are widely considered to be two of the top candidates to be the number one draft pick in 2023.

The matches are thus set to double as a 1-on-1 for two of the hottest young players in world basketball and a chance to look into the future of who might be lighting up the NBA in years to come.

For all their links over the years, it will be the first time the two will have met on the court and the first time Wembanyama will be getting a taste of what might be to come from a future NBA career. 

“We’re playing against an NBA team, with NBA rules, on an NBA court,” Wembanyama said Monday. “This is really going to be a first for me. I’m curious to know how it’s going to go. I know it’s going to go well, but I’m still curious.”

Wembanyama displayed his supreme confidence in making some slightly incendiary remarks in regard to the comparisons between the two over the years.

“Out of all the prospects I’ve heard about in our class, I think he’s my favourite one,” Wembanyama said. “I think he’s the most reliable that I’ve seen. He’s really a great player. 

“If I was never born, I think he would deserve the first spot.”

Shots fired, it seems, by the mammoth Frenchman who is variously reported to stand at seven-foot-two or even seven-foot-four inches tall (223cm).

Henderson, meanwhile, was more reserved in his commentary saying, “People always try to compare and contrast whoever. I don’t look at it like that.

“I look at it as two good ballplayers.”

Wembanyama is listed as a centre but plays all over the court with guard skills in a huge frame whereas Henderson plays as a point guard.

Henderson - a five-star recruit from Georgia - signed with G League Ignite last year and played in 10 games. 

Unlike most of the other G League (the NBA’s official minor league basketball organisation) teams, Ignite is not affiliated with a specific NBA franchise. 

It is, rather, a developmental team made up of both prospects and veteran players, designed to develop young talents for future NBA careers. Now based in Henderson, Nevada, the team also plays exhibition games outside the G League's traditional scheduling.

Ignite has featured three eventual top-10 picks in its first two seasons of existence - Jalen Green (20) and Jonathan Kuminga (19) last year and Dyson Daniels (19) this year.

Henderson turned down college to join the G League last year, turning in an impressive season and thus marking his name among the most highly-respected players in his age group.

He is a huge draw for the Ignite this year, who also have Shareef O’Neal (22), the son of Shaquille O’Neal, on their roster.

Henderson's coach at Ignite, Jason Hart (44), is excited about the matchup this week and specifically the chance to see Wembanyama so early on in his career. 

“He’s one of those type of players, honestly, where you say like there’ll never be like another Shaq or there’ll never be another that,” Hart said. 

“He’s that. You’ll never see another one of those. The scouting report on him is tough. … I’m honoured that I’m getting to play him at 18 because at 24, he’s going to be something different.”

Wembanyama joined his current side Metropolitans in part to be coached by Vincent Collet (59), who also coaches the French national team.

Collet did not hold back in his praise of the player, either. “I think he’s the best prospect we’ve ever had in our league,” he said. 

“He’s amazing, not only by his size but incredible skills. Despite that, he still needs to learn the game. He’s very young.

"We will try to give him this experience. That’s the deal we have together, him and me. We want to give him the experience before he gets to the league. It’s most important to get him ready for what will follow next year.”

All eyes will be on the highly-anticipated exhibition matches in Vegas, which will not only be an opportunity to see two of the best ballers in their age group globally but also a chance to peek into the future of the NBA.

Whoever comes out on top will go a long way to strengthening their case to be the number draft pick in 2023.