Before the Spurs drafted Wembanyama No. 1 in 2023, they selected a Frenchman named Tony Parker with the No. 28 pick in 2001.

The main events start Thursday when Wembanyama and the Spurs take on the Indiana Pacers in the first of two games in Paris. The rematch is Saturday, both happening at Accor Arena, the same building where Wembanyama played in the knockout round of the Paris Olympics last summer when he and France wound up losing to the U.S. in the gold-medal game.

Wembanyama was born and raised in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, a western Paris suburb, and has made it a focus this week to introduce his teammates to Parisian culture and the life he led before he became the NBA Rookie of the Year and likely next face of the league.

Victor Wembanyama is back in Paris with the the Spurs for the NBA Paris Games 2025. NANTERRE, France (AP) — Officially, Indiana will be the home team on the scoreboard when it plays San Antonio in Paris on Thursday. The Pacers know better. They will not be feeling right at home.

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama showed love to the fans at home in France ahead of the NBA Paris Games against the Pacers.

The San Antonio Spurs have a bright future with Victor Wembanyama in the lineup, but the 2025 NBA Draft could supply the missing piece.

The week is essentially going to be a celebration of France’s own Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s reigning NBA Rookie of the Year.

The San Antonio Spurs have taken another step forward in their rebuild this season. Victor Wembanyama already looks like an All NBA level player in his second season and the Spurs are battling for a play-in spot in the Western Conference as the All-Star break nears.