With the 2023 NBA draft finally upon us, the basketball world eagerly awaits the coronation of presumed No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama as the sport’s next rising superstar. Hours before the Spurs are expected to select him with the top pick, that fervor took a turn for the absurd in the case of ESPN broadcaster Marty Smith.
Smith, known for his enthusiastic personality and motorsports coverage, commemorated draft day by taking a trip to the famed Mr. Joe Barber in San Antonio, famous for cutting likenesses of Spurs players into fans’ hair. So once the apron was secured and Smith settled into the chair, there was only one style he was getting: the Wemby.
Mr. Joe Barber is renowned for carving @spurs players likenesses into fans’ haircuts for more than 15 years.
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) June 22, 2023
I went to see him. pic.twitter.com/1hiWpUTmzs
“Show them what you’ve done,” Smith said upon the completion of the cut. “I’ve not seen it yet. What is in the back of my head right now, Joe? A portrait of Victor Wembanyama in the back of my head.”
Smith also noted the ESPN logo that was etched into the haircut, remarking that its inclusion made him “the greatest company man in the history of ESPN.”
The NBA has never seen a prospect quite like Wembanyama, so it’s understandable why fans are so excited about his eventual arrival on the scene. If the towering Frenchman comes close to reaching the massive amounts of hype that are preceding his NBA debut, it’s safe to assume that we’ll see plenty more haircuts throughout Texas like the one Smith just nabbed.
