A duel under the sun? On November 2, in Phoenix, Arizona, the home team – the Suns – hosted the San Antonio Spurs. On this occasion, French prodigy Victor Wembanyama faced off against an NBA star for the very first time: None other than the Suns' leader, Kevin Durant – a two-time NBA champion, 2014 MVP, and three-time Olympic gold medalist. While there are barely two meters between them in the photo above, they are on opposite ends of their careers: The Frenchman, at 19, is at the beginning of his journey; the American, at 35, is near the end of his own.
Let's start with some figures, as this duel is primarily a question of size, real or imagined. To play as a forward, Durant has long under-reported his measurements, claiming to be 2.06 meters tall when he's actually over 2.11 meters. Wembanyama, meanwhile, stands at 2.22 meters, or 2.23 meters, perhaps 2.24 meters, or maybe even 2.25 meters – who knows? Measurement standards differ between Europe and the United States. In Europe, Wembanyama tops out at 2.22 meters when barefoot. In the US – where players are measured with shoes on – he grows between one to three centimeters taller, depending on the thickness of his sneakers' soles.
Speaking of which, here we see Wembanyama wearing a pair of Nikes, specifically the "G.T. Run" model. A minor detail? Perhaps, but basketball fans – and sneakerheads – have been completely thrown off by this. Why, indeed, is the Frenchman wearing these old, nondescript, and unpopular shoes since the beginning of the season, all while showing off as the face of the brand new "G.T. Hustle" model? Do the latter not suit his taste? Or does Nike need a bit more time to manufacture a pair in size 54? This theory cannot be dismissed.
Nike also outfits Durant (expert eyes will, of course, have identified his signature "KD 15" model), who has the distinctive feature of playing with his legs fully clad in white leggings. What's the benefit? Several medical studies have been conducted on this subject, and the conclusions are quite clear: While these leggings can marginally improve blood circulation and reduce muscle vibration, they actually have more of a placebo effect for players in constant pursuit of the ultimate mental conditioning. Basketball is also played in the mind, after all.
In the end, what if the real hero of this image was neither Wembanyama nor Durant, but the man in the middle: A long-standing and legendary Suns fan, for many years Patrick Battillo has attended every one of his team's games covered in orange paint. Yet one important detail has recently changed. Fearing the development of a horrible skin condition, 'Mr. ORNG' (as in 'Mr. Orange') has replaced the face paint he usually used with a balaclava. The result was disappointing: 28 points for Durant, 38 for Wembanyama; the Suns lost and the Spurs won.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.