Paris (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama will take to the court in Paris on Thursday with the San Antonio Spurs in front of an adoring home crowd, having gone from the French league to global stardom. The 21-year-old 7ft 3in (2.21m) centre was playing for the Metropolitans 92 on the edge of the French capital a year and a half ago before being chosen as the number one NBA draft pick, putting him on the path to global stardom. In just his second year in the NBA, he returns home as a Spurs player and as one of the US league’s brightest stars for two regular-season games against the Indiana Pacers.
The towering Frenchman is also a big part of the US league’s efforts to project its reach beyond its borders — and basketball is growing fast in France. Since stepping foot back on French soil, “Wemby” has visited his former teammates, opened an outdoor basketball court in his hometown of Le Chesnay on the Paris outskirts, and been guest of honour at an LVMH fashion show. Wembanyama admitted on Wednesday it was a reassuring feeling being back in the Bercy Arena where he helped France to the Olympic silver medal in August, when they were beaten by the USA in the final.
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“I can feel a different energy,” he said at a press conference. “It’s great to be back here. It’s a venue that’s close to my heart. All in all, I haven’t been out much in Paris. I haven’t had a chance to see it for myself yet. But yes, it’s different from last time. We know it’s a different fanbase. Fans who wait all their lives, all year, for the chance to see an NBA game. So it’s different.”
The games in Paris — the second takes place on Saturday — have attracted spectators from 53 countries, reflecting the interest in Wembanyama, who is averaging 24.4 points and 10.8 rebounds a game this season. Chris Paul, the 12-time All-Star guard recruited this season to bolster a Spurs team packed with young, raw talent, said playing with Wembanyama had been a revelation.
“Vic is so unique. Everybody expects him to dunk because he’s so tall, but that is not him by any means,” the 39-year-old said. “He can dribble, he can pass, he can shoot, he does a little bit of everything. That’s why it has been so fun to play with him.” As a rookie, Wembanyama generated 1.3 billion views on NBA social media channels, becoming the fastest player ever to one billion views. He is currently the third most-viewed NBA player globally on social media with 735 million views, trailing only LeBron James and Steph Curry.
After the game in Paris on Thursday, he will learn whether he has landed a place in the starting five for this year’s All-Star game. If he doesn’t make the cut, he is almost guaranteed a spot on the bench.
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