The Albany Gazette - Wembanyama delights Paris crowd as he leads Spurs to easy win

The 21-year-old 7ft 3in (2.21m) centre took control of the game in a third-quarter performance when the Spurs roared into a 23-point lead.

Wembanyama was playing in the French league a year and a half ago before his selection as the number one pick in the 2023 draft set him on the path to global stardom.

Returning to France with the Spurs for the first time, Wembanyama's first block of the game brought roars from the 15,935 crowd at a sold-out the Bercy Arena, where he helped France win the men's basketball silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year.

There was an even bigger cheer when he scored his first points 4min 30sec into the game from a shot from the lane.

The first of two regular-season games in the French capital this week was watched by a host of former NBA stars including French four-time champion Tony Parker, his former San Antonio teammates Manu Ginobili and David Robinson, as well as Pau Gasol and the legendary Oscar Robertson.

Paris Saint-Germain footballers Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi and Super Bowl winner Odell Beckham Jr. were also on hand to enjoy the action.

They saw Wembanyama drive Spurs to a 103-80 lead in the third quarter with three rejections in a row, two assists and a thunderous dunk, bringing the crowd to the feet to chant "MVP, MVP, MVP".

His teammate Devin Vassell contributed 25 points for the Spurs who could afford to bench Wembanyama and his fellow starters with five minutes remaining. They moved to a 20-22 record for the season and stay in contention for the play-in tournament.

Bennedict Mathurin top-scored for the Pacers with 24 points.

The Spurs meet the Pacers again on the same court on Saturday.

(B.Smith--TAG)