Frederic Weis was supposed to be Victor Wembanyama before Victor Wembanyama. The 7’2 Frenchman was drafted by the Knicks in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft, and was thought to be the next great European star to crossover to the States. But one year later, in the Olympics, Weis would be on the receiving end of one of the most memorable dunks ever, when Vince Carter literally dunked over him. The narrative around Weis began to shift – suddenly he was too soft for the NBA, and he would never actually play in an NBA game. But that narrative never reflected the full truth. Now, 23 years later – as the arrival of Wembanyama is celebrated – Sam Borden gives us the story of the rise and fall and rise again, of Frederic Weis… and how, after so many years, and a great deal of pain, basketball has proved to be Frederic Weis’s salvation.

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