"It's very possible that he'll be the face of basketball. Not just NBA basketball, but world basketball," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.

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 praised as "mature young man" for his ability to remain focused while juggling commitments for Spurs.

While in Paris, Wembanyama has chosen to focus on engaging with French media to help connect with the French audience. His three exclusive interviews were all with French companies, including Picsou Magazine — a children’s magazine he used to read when he was younger.

Star, Chris Paul makes a pitch to coaches about selecting Spurs teammate Victor Wembanyama for his first such honor.

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.

Heading into the 2024-25 NBA campaign, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama securing Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) honors almost felt predetermined. The 7-foot-3 French phenom was expected to be an immediate elite contributor on that end of the floor as a rookie and was.

Ever since Victor Wembanyama landed in San Antonio, many new NBA prospects have been drawn to the opportunity of playing alongside him.