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

Wembanyama is a special talent, and before the whole world knew who he was, he was a kid from Le Chesnay in the Paris region. That is where he grew to love the game of basketball. As he and his team get ready to play a two-game series in his home country against the Indiana Pacers, he was honored with a special basketball court in his hometown.

A group of Wembanyama’s former coaches, teammates and trainers greeted him and the Spurs at Palais des Sports Maurice Thorez on Monday.

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.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are in Paris to play two NBA games against the Indiana Pacers, one on Thursday and one on Saturday. It is a homecoming for the 7-foot-4 Frenchman, who has not played a competitive game in his home country since France lost the gold medal game to the United States at the 2024 Olympic Games.

The NBA comes to Paris with the NBA Paris Games 2025, two regular-season games pitting the San Antonio Spurs against the Indiana Pacers. Dates: Thursday January 23 at 8pm and Saturday January 25 at 6pm at the Accor Arena. Good news: the matches will be broadcast free-to-air on Canal+.

Indiana vs. San Antonio on Thursday and Saturday — are essentially going to be a weeklong celebration of France’s own Victor Wembanyama.