The San Antonio Spurs et the Indiana Pacers will face each other this Thursday and Saturday in two regular season matches in Paris. Since 2011, the NBA has focused on the European market by organizing official meetings on the old continent, with the exception of the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons due to the pandemic. Until 2019, London was the preferred location, but for the last three editions, Paris has been chosen to host the NBA Global Games. This year will mark the first time that two matches will take place in the French capital.
The arrival of the NBA in France is clearly motivated by the presence of Victor Wembanyama, the young French prodigy, expected to be the next big international star of the league, particularly well-followed in his country. The arrival of this talent, with his team, generated considerable enthusiasm among fans and the media. Moreover, the San Francisco franchise is currently training in the Nanterre 92 facilitiesthe club where Wembanyama played from the ages of 10 to 17, and where he made his professional debut at 15.
Among those who welcomed Wembanyama on his return to Nanterre 92 was Frederic Donnadieu, the club’s training director and former coach of ‘Wemby’. He remembers: “I first trained Victor when he was 10 years old. He was a young guy with a great mentality, and now he’s a star, I think it’s just the beginning. He invited me to the NBA draft, as well as the Olympic semi-final and final“. Before training began, 50 children had the chance to attend the event, with Victor the main attraction, taking the time to sign jerseys and balls.
Vincent Dziagwa, another of his coaches during his training, shares his memories of Wembanyama: “When he was here, he was a child in a big body. He was always looking to have fun, we have wonderful memories of him. It was special when he left, because we knew he would end up in the NBA, and now he’s here with the Spurs, it’s really amazing for us. He already had great confidence in his eyes from a young age.”
For Wembanyama: “It’s very moving to see familiar faces again, whether from the club or the city. It’s like two worlds colliding. I try to make happy those who don’t have the opportunity to go to the United States. It’s very important to me“. This will be his first opportunity to play for his team in France after leaving for the NBA.
-The French pivot knows that he will be in the spotlight during these two meetings, and admits that he will have to get used to it: “We will see how it goes, but there are a lot of emotions. I know that the public will be present and noisy, I think that it is a strength that I will be able to exploit, it can only be an asset”. In addition, he wanted to emphasize that “playing with Spurs in France is an honor, but also a responsibility“.
Both matches have been sold out since the day after their announcement. This will be the first time a non-American NBA star plays in his own country, a moment that could mark a significant step forward for the establishment of the NBA in Europe in the future.
This article clearly illustrates the growing phenomenon of the internationalization of the NBA, with players like Wembanyama becoming symbols for European fans. Competition between franchises takes on a new dimension with such events, raising the question of the future of basketball beyond the United States. What do we think of the impacts of these international events on the development of sport among younger generations in Europe?
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