The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs’ new master plan were immediately planted.

Victor Wembanyama reflected own the "amazing" week that he and the San Antonio Spurs had after they competed in a pair of NBA games in his home town of

French basketball fans can breathe easy - the Spurs organization, perhaps not so much. Victor Wembanyama is all in for EuroBasket 2025.

Victor Wembanyama regularly tries to make special memories for young fans after games. Just the other day, the Spurs star and Chris Paul went out of their way to give their jerseys to J.J. Redick’s kids after they lost their belongings in the devastating wildfires.

The 7-foot-4 Memphis Grizzlies rookie will be matched up against San Antonio's 7-3 phenom, Victor Wembanyama. "He's probably the only other dude in the NBA I can look eye-to-eye with," Edey said.

Everyone stops but Ja. He made up his mind that he was dunking on Big Vic right there, no matter what happens next. Meanwhile, Wemby isn’t even fully in position. He slows on his rotation because of the whistle and then gives a half-hearted contest once Morant is in the air and jumping into his chest.

Growing up in the quiet Paris suburb of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Victor Wembanyama, who played both soccer and basketball, used to dream about having access to a basketball court where he could practice and hoop to his heart’s delight. Now, that dream has come true—not just for him, but for the young kids and athletes growing up in his hometown.

Wembanyama unveiled a gift of sorts to his hometown and the next generation on Tuesday, a pair of outdoor courts — one for 5-on-5 play, the other for 3-on-3 play — that were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched out himself.

PARIS -- The first enormous roar from the crowd came before the game even started. All Victor Wembanyama needed to do to get the fans in Paris into a full-blown frenzy was, it turned out ...

The Pacers and Spurs will play their second game in Paris on Saturday, Jan. 25 at noon ET on ESPN in the U.S. and 6 p.m. CET on beIN SPORTS and Canal+ in France. The games mark the first time the NBA is playing two regular-season games in Paris in the same season.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama wears a t-shirt in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. as he warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)