With the San Antonio Spurs in Chicago to face the Bulls on Thursday night and the Blackhawks at home for a practice day, things lined up just perfectly for a meeting between two famous No. 1 draft picks.
Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard, 18, and Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama, 19, met up in in the hockey team's locker room at the United Center to exchange jerseys and chat in front of Blackhawks cameras.
The seven-foot-four Wembanyama, of course, towered over the five-foot-10 Bedard.
Wembanyama, a native of France, was picked first overall by the Spurs last June, less than a week before the Vancouver-born Bedard went in the top spot of the NHL Draft to the Blackhawks. Both players were expected to go No. 1 in their respective drafts years before the actual picks.
In their chat, Wembanyama admitted he was not a huge hockey fan.
"I don't know much about hockey," he said to Bedard. "I read a little bit before coming here. Sounds dope. And you're at the start of your career. I had heard of you like way before."
After the two congratulated each other on topping their respective drafts, Bedard asked Wembanyama if he had ever watched a game.
"A full game? No, but I love when people just start fighting.," he said. "It just looks out of this world."
Wembanyama then asked Bedard if he had fought, to which the Regina Pats grad said no.
Bedard completed the chat by offering his No. 1 counterpart a hockey history lesson when he was asked if there is a fight every game.
"Probably not now," Bedard said. "If you look at the '80s and stuff, it's like 10 times a game, pretty crazy. Now, I don't know, maybe every other game."
Both players have lived up to the hype while playing for two of the worst teams in their respective leagues.
Bedard has 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in 31 games, while Wembanyama is averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds in 24 games.
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