Wemby The Cricket

February 2026

Title: The Cricket

By: Doctor Cricket Dunkenstein

A few years ago, after I returned to planet earth from a sabbatical on Pluto, I began to become bored with the game of basketball as it was being played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).  The Euro League games had more appeal to me. 

 The game had changed since the ‘good ole days’ when I was hoopin’ on the planet of Pluto.  I was changing too … … … .

Sure, I thought the NBA players were great, extremely skilled, the best of the best.  I liked to tune in and check these guys out.  However,  after a couple of quarters of an NBA game, it became boring to me. 

Sometimes, I’ld check on the score of an NBA game and tune back into a game if it was close in the end.  I enjoyed watching the three  Stooges: Larry, Curly, and Mo,  (Shaq,  Kenny, & Charles), present highlights scores and talk about the games.  I personally knew a little about these three ‘TV Actors’,  and had some limited basketball experiences with these guys.  The ‘Three Stooges’ were so ingratiating funny, honest and knowledgeable about the NBA professional game, I enjoyed their show of entertainment – especially when they drove poor Ernie crazy.  I  would make an effort  to tune in to view them on TNT in order to keep track of the games.  But watching all 48 minutes of a regular season NBA basketball game did not appeal to me, at least not like it did in my good old days playing on Pluto, … … . 

I mean, back in those days,  I loved watching all the players and teams,  … … Wilt, Kareem, Karl, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, MJ, Isiah , The Admiral, Timmy… all of them … from the 70’s to the end of the late 90’s … up until about 2010, I watched games regularly and always viewed the playoffs.  The always played defense in the NBA playoffs.   Then in about 2010, things slowly changed.  There were  hundreds of guys to watch but the games were only about the 3’s and the dunks, no defense was played in the regular season. 

In the earlier days of the NBA, I  liked watching the guys play basketball because they were innovative thinkers with skill.   The games they played fascinated me and fulfilled my fix for the sport of basketball. 

But by 2017,  the thrill was completely gone!    The boredom of regular season games set in … … … .  B.B. King singing, ‘The Thrill Is Gone” was more interesting than a complete NBA basketball game.  

Then, one day, I was watching Euro Sport on the satellite in my crib, and I saw this skinny baby face kid playing basketball.  There was something in his looks and in his ‘Moves‘  on the basketball court that I found unusual … … …,  he was very interesting to watch even if he was just a young kid..

He looked like a ‘cricket’ jumping around all over the basketball court … … .  I soon found out he was a ‘Frenchy’,  just a young baby croissant hoopin’ jumpi’ cricket.  He was fun to watch as he tried to swat everything in the air with his long skinny arms.  He had the energy and the jumping skills of a cricket when you tried to catch the bug with your hands.  Elusive.   Long legs and arms …  … floppy, yet coordinated.  I named him ‘The Cricket’ in 2017, it just fit his look.

A few years later, there was this same kid, ‘The Cricket’, playing for the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team.  He was only 19 years old the first time I watched him play in the NBA.   He looked  to me as if he was much younger.  He still looked as thin as a cricket,  he was blocking a few more shot than he was at the age of 17.  He played with enthusiasm.  He played with energy.  I was captivated by his performance as a basketball player.  I decided to ‘dig deep into him’, just like I did for FIBA magazine, and ‘The Zen Master’ in Chicago back in the day.  I would start to investigate this ‘Cricket’ in order to find out just how far he might go in his basketball journey.  Then I decided to put this ‘Zen Basketball investigation on the internet.  … …  … .

Back in the day, some people said watching the Spurs  was boring basketball, but not to me.   I loved watching the Spurs play basketball in the NBA back in those championship years.  Those ‘Pop’ coached Spurs were my kinda basketball team.  I watched most of those guys in college.  So, I found it interesting that the Spurs organization was gonna select this kid from France.  The young ‘French Cricket‘ and Spurs would be an excellent match.

The ‘Cricket’ was the first over-all in the 2023 NBA of the San Antonio Spurs.  That made a lot of connection sense to me. 

But , I thought to myself, oh boy,  a player that young has many possible outcomes in his career,  … … lots of potential issues could arise in his development.  He is frail in his body build structure.  Will he survive the NBA.

 The word about how good this young kid was already out on the streets of Paris by 2017.  Tony Parker, former Spurs NBA Hall of Fame player, had him under his wing in France until he went to play for the Spurs in Texas  He was blessed with good basketball mentorship.  He seemed to have a good parental upbringing, and a solid mind on his shoulders, for his age, he sounded mature.   The word was potential … …  and the baby face , skinny as a rail, floppy, cricket jumping swatting kid from Paris wasn’t even 18 years-old. 

There is always a  very high risk of financial  investment for any NBA organization when placing a high draft selection –  not to mention the increase risk with number one draft selection  – into any 18 year old young man.   

I thought this young cricket basketball player would be an added risk, due to the inherited God given stature and size, … … 

Ability was not a big obvious risk and question, however, fragility was a risk.   maintaining health in the NBA,  a demanding Man’s Basketball League, was simply a questionable issue for any young player.   But the Spurs  had hope, and foresight that things would work out because of the kids ability and, potential was already on display.   

I agreed with the Spurs assessment and draft selection.  But remained skeptical … as I had watched a lot of NCAA Stars with his stature struggle in the NBA.  Sam Bowie, drafted number two ahead of Michael Jordan came first to mind. 

Sam was a great 7’2″ tall skinny player at the University of Kentucky.  However foot fractures limited his career.  He never bloomed into the flower he was projected to be in the draft.  .

…   then,  I watched the cricket play in the NBA in 2023-24.  My optimism grew, somewhat … … he had talent.

…. … I watched more in 2024-25, some injuries were surfacing.  My optimism was tapering,   but  signals on potential skill and accomplished performance was growing exponentially.  Every time I watched ‘The Cricket’ play basketball in the NBA, I was impressed. 

He still had lots to learn,  but he had spunk, … … and , recently 2025-26 … progress.  He had the right stuff, it was evident by Christmas, he was a very special basketball player with a good mind, and my favorite skill, he played defense. 

Season

THE CRICKET BROUGHT BACK MY LOST  LOVE OF WATCH NBA BASKETBALL

My Faith & Belief In The NBA  Restored

…  ,,, restored …. Then, a thought

What if , … …  yes, what if I could bestow  all the knowledge of basketball from the planet of Pluto onto the cricket,  Victor Wembanyama?

Why not , … ?

I never met ‘Pop’, but I knew all about him.  Our roots come from the same sycamore trees. 

We were both Hoosiers, , Auburn and Merrillville Indiana roots.  I had played the Air Force Academy basketball team 8 times in my career. 

I  knew, if Pop wanted to draft the Cricket #1, he was on the right career track.

But then, …. unexpectedly, Coach  Pop had health issues …  what would happen to the Cricket? 

I didn’t know anything about Mitchell C. Johnson, Pop’s replacement Coach, … , 

One bad basketball coach could send this kid into the history of failed potential great players, he was yet very young, … … 

R. C.  Buford was fazing out … moving upward in the organization  … further from the court, closer to more paperwork. NBA owners do very strange things and they always have the last word …  …  they control the money.  

I knew a little about R. C. Buford from way back to our days at ‘He’s NOT Here’,  at the U.N.C. Dean Smith Basketball School.  

What was going to happen to ‘The Cricket’ ?  I was not certain … 

I thought, who the heck wants to hear anything about basketball from some old, (Pseudoym  Named Author:  Doctor Cricket Dunkenstein … … … .

… … especially not Victor Wembanyama …  or today’s NBA players, you don’t need any new ideas when you’re worth millions of dollars at the age of 22, right.

But I had a history with the ‘Zen  Master’  Phil, in Chicago,  … … one thought can be worth a lot of success in sports !  

SO I STARTED WRITING  – AGAIN.  …    . Writing about Wemby, ‘The Cricket’, and watching this ‘kid’ play basketball. 

So maybe a little  somthin’ somethin’ would help Victor,  he was young ,  a small piece of help, would help, right? 

The last time I had these imaginary thoughts about a basketball player was in 1982, about Michael Jordan.  There was a connection between Michael and Wemby.  I went to investigate, as I know a lot about Michael roots and childhood career.

Now in May 2026 Victor Wembanyama in playing in the ‘BIG APPLE”, the center of the basketball world, in the 2026 NBA playoffs.  … ….

I am not ready, I thought I would have one more year to complete this website … …. 

OH BOY… … what a delight to watch ,  …

I saw R.C. outside the locker room hugging ‘Wemby last night, after game seven of the WVF.  … What a night.  

“Sometimes Ya Get What You Need”!

Michael & The Cricket and WembanyamaOnline.com are taking shape.  It’s too much work.  I am overloaded …  

Book II (2:) His Name Is Nonga,

Victor Nonga Wembanyama-de Fautereau-Vassel

……………

Below is a resume of what Victor Wembanyama has achieved as of 2026.  The only question which remains is what will he achieve before he finishes his basketball player career.   It may difficult to image at this moment in time, because he is so very young,  but that day when a professional sports players career is over  happens to everyone. 

FATHER TIME