Before playing 2 NBA games in Paris, Victor Wembanyama fulfills his dream: Building 2 basketball courts in his humble village

Victor Wembanyama stood at the center of a new outdoor court in his hometown, with his arms outstretched to his 2.44-meter wingspan, posing for a series of photographers. His happiness was evident.

On Tuesday, Wembanyama unveiled a gift for his community and the next generation: a pair of outdoor courts—one for 5-on-5 games and another for 3-on-3—designed to his own specifications, which he sketched himself.

“For those who don't know, this started in a room as an idea,” said the General Manager of the San Antonio Spurs, Brian Wright, as about five dozen children sat in front of him on the court and another hundred people watched from adjacent seats. “I remember seeing Victor at a whiteboard drawing every detail of the court you see today, putting his heart and soul into designing it so that kids can play here. This shows how special you are and how important this is to you. Thank you, Victor.”

Wembanyama and the Spurs are in France this week to play two games in Paris against the Indiana Pacers, on Thursday and Saturday. Although many assume Wembanyama is from Paris, his hometown is Le Chesnay, located about 20 kilometers west of the capital.

It was important to him that the courts were ready for the Spurs' visit. Some thought it was unrealistic.

“Impossible,” said the Mayor of Le Chesnay, Richard Delepierre.

“It was my dream to have these kinds of courts when I lived here,” Wembanyama said after unveiling the new facilities. The challenges were many: old courts had to be excavated, designs approved, dealing with bad weather for construction, and overcoming logistical challenges of building near the Palace of Versailles. However, what Wemby wants, he achieves, especially in his hometown.

“Beyond his immense basketball talent, it seems that Victor possesses great artistic qualities and a remarkable persuasive ability,” Delepierre stated.

Construction really began a couple of months ago. But on Tuesday, on a cold afternoon, the project was completed. The new nets were intact, as if no ball had passed through them yet. The children pulled back a black curtain to reveal the center court design—an homage to the Spurs logo and the clock tower of Le Chesnay—and Wembanyama made the first ceremonial dunk after catching a pass.

Le Chesnay, a small town of about 30,000 inhabitants west of Paris, overlooks the Palace of Versailles. This historic place was also where basketball started to grow for Wembanyama. Most residents engage in some sport, and while handball, car racing, and horseback riding are popular, basketball now reigns, with children constantly playing and wearing Spurs jerseys.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Victor Wembanyama, antes de jugar 2 partidos NBA en París, cumple su sueño: Construir 2 canchas de basket en su humilde pueblo