The relationship between Maxime Raynaud and Victor Wembanyama is one of the most interesting in French basketball today. The two players have followed parallel but different paths while maintaining a bond that has captured the attention of fans.
When Did Victor Wembanyama and Maxime Raynaud Meet?
Raynaud and Wembanyama first crossed paths in the youth ranks of Paris Basketball and later at Nanterre, where they both developed their skills.
Although the current San Antonio Spurs star (born in 2004) is a year younger than Raynaud (2003), their youth careers briefly overlapped before Wembanyama made the jump to the pros with ASVEL and then the NBA.
His former teammate, who is currently shining at the NBA Draft Combine, stayed in Europe and established himself in the LNB Pro A with Nanterre before making the jump to the NCAA with the Stanford Cardinals in 2021.
KEEP READING: 2-Round 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper in the Top 3?
Wembanyama and Raynaud are not exactly inseparable, but there is mutual respect and a warm relationship between the two. In several interviews, Raynaud has praised Wembanyama’s talent and noted his rapid rise in the NBA. Victor, for his part, has occasionally mentioned Maxime as one of the best current French prospects.
There is no evidence that they maintain a close friendship off the court, but they have shown solidarity on social media, supporting each other in their respective paths.
Of course, it is very likely that their paths will cross again in the future, either on the French national team (they defended together their national colors in the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship in Italy) or even in the NBA.
Revisiting When Maxine Raynaud Faced Victor Wembanyama in Chess
One of the examples of the relationship between Wembanyama and Raynaud is the now famous photo of the two playing chess. The photo was posted on Instagram by the now former Stanford Cardinal in August 2024.
View this post on Instagram
In December of the same year, the Spurs star was spotted playing chess with passersby in New York City’s Washington Square Park, much to the amazement of fans. Videos posted by many of them on social networks show that he played several games that day.
As for Raynaud, his love of chess may be related to his love of science. He chose to play at Stanford because of its academic program, which he saw as an opportunity to launch a career as an astrophysicist.
However, it remains to be seen where this ambition will lead, as for the time being he is pursuing his other vocation, that of playing in the NBA.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
