Spurs’ Victor Wembaniama brought down the house in Paris without a board

Most of the crowd that traveled to the Accor Arena for the first of two NBA Paris games went to see hometown star Victor Vembanyama. The San Antonio Spurs center put on a show for his fans with a dunk in the fourth quarter of a huge win over the Indiana Pacers.

With the Spurs leading by 20 early in the fourth quarter, Wembanyama decided to have some fun in his homecoming game. The 7-foot-10 specimen got around Tyrese Halliburton at the free throw line before throwing the ball off the board to himself and finishing the finish over Myles Turner.

Vembanjama led the Spurs with 30 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocks. He went an efficient 13-for-21 from the field, including 4-for-11 from beyond the arc. ‘Wemby’ did all of his damage in just 32 minutes and sat for much of the final frame as San Antonio cruised to a 140-110 victory.

Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones completed Vembanyama in a spectacular victory. Vasell added 25 points, while Barnes chipped in 20. Jones and Sochan were close to a double-double off the bench.

The game between the Spurs and the Pacers was the fourth NBA competition held in Paris. As a native of Le Chesnai, Wembanyama and teammate Sidi Cissoko were the only members of the two rosters to play the game at home.

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama returns to Paris

Wembanyama landed in his home country for the first time since missing out on a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Although he usually returns home every offseason, his last trip before the NBA Paris Games was a unique one to remember.

The gold medal matchup between Team USA and France was one of the most memorable Olympic basketball games in recent history. Vembanjama nearly caused France to pull off a huge upset, scoring a game-high 26 points in the 11-point loss. Stephen Curry stole the show in the fourth quarter with a huge three-point barrage to put the United States ahead for good.

Before entering the 2023 NBA draft, Wembanyama spent his previous four years playing professionally in France. He became an internet sensation for his rare combination of size, athleticism, ball-handling skills and mobility. His international success and social media fame have made him one of the most hyped draft picks in NBA history.

Vembanjama and the Spurs will stay in France for one more game before the team returns to the United States. They will play the second leg against the Pacers on January 25 at Accor Arena at 12:00 PM ET / 19:00 CEST.

Jaren Kavada is the NFL, college football and betting editor at ClutchPoint. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a degree in sports media.