Victor Wembanyama will take to the court in Paris on Thursday with the San Antonio Spurs in front of an adoring home crowd, having gone from the French league to global stardom.
The 21-year-old 7ft 3in (2.21m) centre was playing for the Metropolitans 92 on the edge of the French capital a year and a half ago before being chosen as the number one NBA draft pick, putting him on the path to global stardom.
In just his second year in the NBA, he returns home as a Spurs player and as one of the US league’s brightest stars for two regular-season games against the Indiana Pacers.
The towering Frenchman is also a big part of the US league’s efforts to project its reach beyond its borders — and basketball is growing fast in France.
Since stepping foot back on French soil, “Wemby” has visited his former teammates, opened an …