65-642: Accor Arena (originally known as the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy ), also known as Bercy Arena , is an indoor sports arena and concert hall in the neighbourhood of Bercy , on the Boulevard de Bercy, in the 12th arrondissement of Paris , France. The closest Métro station is Bercy , which also serves the Finance Ministry . Designed by the architectural firm Andrault-Parat, Jean Prouvé and Aydin Guvan ,
130-510: A five-by-five with 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in a 123–118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He became the youngest player in NBA history to record a five-by-five and did so in 30 minutes, the fewest minutes played in NBA history to achieve such a feat. On 3 March, he put up 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, six blocks, and one steal in a 117–105 win over
195-563: A viral video where he showcased his skills in a two-on-two pick-up game against Rudy Gobert and Vincent Poirier . On 12 December, he suffered a stress fracture in his fibula during an Espoirs game against BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque , with an estimated recovery time of eight weeks. Wembanyama was sidelined from the Valencia qualifying tournament for the ANGT. After missing two and a half months with injury, he began receiving more playing time with
260-575: A 102–84 loss to Chorale Roanne . On 21 April, he declared for the 2023 NBA draft . At the end of the regular season, Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the LNB Pro A MVP Award . He was selected to the All-Pro A First Team and named Best Defender , Best Scorer , Best Young Player and Best Blocker. In the playoffs, Wembanyama led Metropolitans 92 to the Finals, where they were eliminated by AS Monaco in
325-549: A 111–110 loss to the Utah Jazz . He also became the first player in NBA history to have multiple games with 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ three-pointers, and 5+ blocks. On 13 November, Wembanyama scored a career-high 50 points, including a career-high eight three-pointers in a 139–130 win over the Washington Wizards . Aged 20 years and 314 days, he also became the fourth-youngest player to score 50 points in an NBA game, as well as
390-530: A 117–106 loss to the Denver Nuggets . He joined Raef LaFrentz as the only players in NBA history to put up 200+ blocks and make 100+ three-pointers in a season. He also became the first rookie since Tim Duncan to put up at least 200 blocks in a season. On 29 March, he put up a then career-high 40 points along with 20 rebounds and seven assists in a 130–126 overtime win over the New York Knicks . He finished
455-576: A 130–108 win over the Detroit Pistons . On 12 February, he had his second career triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks in a 122–99 win over the Toronto Raptors . He became the first player to achieve a triple-double via points, rebounds, and blocks since Clint Capela in 2021. He also became the first player in NBA history to put up a 20-point, 10-block triple-double in fewer than 30 minutes played. On 23 February, Wembanyama put up
520-551: A 3–0 sweep . He finished the season averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, leading the Pro A in each category. On 22 June 2023, Wembanyama was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft . He became the first French player to be drafted first overall, and only the second European player to achieve this distinction (following Andrea Bargnani in 2006 ). He became
585-579: A client in 2022. Wembanyama was a year ahead for his age in school and attended lycée in agreement with Nanterre 92. He earned his baccalauréat with honours, specialising in earth and life sciences and social and economic sciences. Besides his native French , he speaks English fluently, having learned it himself beginning in middle school by watching videos from American accounts on Instagram and English-language television shows. His hobbies include indulging in science fiction such as Star Wars , art, and literature. His favourite musical artist
650-458: A combination of Ralph Sampson , Porziņģis and Dirk Nowitzki . Wembanyama models parts of his game after Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo . Wembanyama is represented by agent Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport. His family has a longtime relationship with Ndiaye, whose son was coached by Wembanyama's mother from an early age. Ndiaye advised Wembanyama by the time he was 15 years old and signed him as
715-472: A fractured finger. He returned on 2 December, but was sidelined again on 20 December, after suffering a bone bruise in his right shoulder against Zenit Saint Petersburg , with an estimated recovery time of four to six weeks. Wembanyama was selected to the LNB All-Star Game , held on 29 December, but was unable to play due to the injury. He made his return on 11 February. On 3 April, Wembanyama recorded
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#1733085428571780-524: A game at 19 years and 338 days old, surpassing the previous record set by Dwight Howard . On 13 December, he put up 30 points, 12 rebounds, and six blocks in a 122–119 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers . On 17 December, he put up 17 points and 13 rebounds in a 146–110 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans . He also surpassed Dwight Howard's record for the most consecutive games with a double-double by
845-626: A game. On 18 November, he put up 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and eight blocks in a 120–108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies . He joined Tim Duncan and David Robinson as the only players in Spurs history to put up at least eight blocks in a game as a rookie. On 8 December, Wembanyama put up 21 points and 20 rebounds in a 121–112 loss to the Chicago Bulls . He became the youngest player in NBA history to put up at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in
910-519: A multitude of spectators. The word derives from Latin harena , a particularly fine-grained sand that covered the floor of ancient arenas such as the Colosseum in Rome , Italy, to absorb blood. The term arena is sometimes used as a synonym for a very large venue such as Pasadena's Rose Bowl , but such a facility is typically called a stadium . The use of one term over the other has mostly to do with
975-534: A physical style of play against him. For this reason, he can struggle to box out while rebounding and to defend post-ups . Although some analysts have noted the unprecedented nature of his game, others have compared Wembanyama to Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz compared his defensive impact to Rudy Gobert and his shooting potential to Kristaps Porziņģis , albeit with better ball-handling and passing skills. John Hollinger of The Athletic described his game as
1040-580: A season-high 25 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in an 85–65 win over Le Portel . He scored 18 points, his career high in the EuroLeague, in an 81–80 loss to Olimpia Milano on 7 April. On 3 June, Wembanyama was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a psoas muscle injury he sustained during a Pro A semifinal game against JDA Dijon . In his absence, ASVEL won its third consecutive Pro A championship. Wembanyama repeated as Pro A Best Young Player, averaging 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in
1105-508: A teenager in NBA history with his eighth double-double. On 28 December, he put up 30 points, six rebounds, six assists, and seven blocks in a 118–105 win over the Portland Trail Blazers . He also became the first teenager in NBA history to put up at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a game. On 10 January 2024, Wembanyama put up his first career triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in
1170-523: A then career-high 38 points alongside 10 rebounds, and two blocks in a 132–121 win over the Phoenix Suns . He joined LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only teenagers in NBA history to put up at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks in a game. On 5 November, he put up 20 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in a 123–116 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors . He became the first Spurs rookie since Tim Duncan to put up 20 points and five blocks in
1235-421: Is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre , musical performances , and/or sporting events . It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators, and may be covered by a roof. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the lowest point, allowing maximum visibility. Arenas are usually designed to accommodate
1300-401: Is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor. At (his size), his ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers out of the post, step-back threes, catch-and-shoot threes and block shots. He's for sure a generational talent." Wembanyama is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA prospects in a generation; many publications called him the most anticipated newcomer to
1365-573: Is the rapper Alpha Wann . While in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League , Wembanyama and his personal security team were involved in an 'incident' with pop singer Britney Spears . Spears had approached Wembanyama in Vegas and tapped him on the back, leading to Wembanyama's security striking Spears in the face; no charges were filed after the incident. The jersey that Wembanyama wore in his debut game
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#17330854285711430-531: The 2019 League of Legends World Championship Finals. On January 24, 2020, it hosted an NBA regular season game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets , who would be represented by Frenchman Nicolas Batum . The Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 126–108 at the arena on January 19, 2023, during the 2022–23 NBA season . The 2023–24 NBA season saw the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat
1495-559: The 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Latvia . Wembanyama averaged 14 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game, and was named to the all-tournament team after leading France to the silver medal. He recorded 22 points, eight rebounds and eight blocks in an 83–81 loss to the United States in the final. Wembanyama set the FIBA record for blocks per game in a single tournament. Wembanyama
1560-596: The Brooklyn Nets 111–102 at the arena on January 11, 2024. The 2024–25 NBA season will see two games between the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs on January 23 and 25, with the games coming after the Spurs signed French star Victor Wembanyama . The arena hosted France's first UFC event on 3 September 2022, for UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa . UFC returned to the arena on 2 September 2023 for UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Spivak . The promotion returned to
1625-799: The EuroCup . At 15 years, nine months and 25 days old, he was the second-youngest player after Stefan Petković to play in the EuroCup. In February 2020, Wembanyama played for Nanterre's under-18 team at the Kaunas qualifying tournament for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). On 8 February, he posted 22 points , 15 rebounds and an ANGT-record nine blocks in a win over the under-18 team of Zaragoza . Wembanyama averaged 15.8 points, 12 rebounds, 2.8 steals , and six blocks per game in Kaunas, leading
1690-498: The Indiana Pacers . He became the first rookie in NBA history to have back-to-back games of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks. He also joined Tim Duncan and David Robinson (all ironically on the Spurs) as the only rookies in NBA history to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a game. On 15 March, he put up 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks in
1755-454: The LNB Pro A in 2019. Two years later, he moved to ASVEL and won the Pro A title in his only season with the team. In the 2022–23 season , Wembanyama signed with Metropolitans 92 and became the youngest player to win the Pro A MVP award, while earning Pro A Best Defender honours and leading the league in scoring, rebounds and blocks . He was unanimously named an LNB All-Star twice, winning
1820-588: The LNB Pro A . He was drawn to the team due to head coach Vincent Collet 's reputation for developing and providing opportunities for young players. In October 2022, Wembanyama gained recognition from American media after two exhibition games against the NBA G League Ignite , featuring projected second overall pick Scoot Henderson , in Las Vegas . The games, which marked Wembanyama's U.S. debut, were nationally televised and attended by over 200 scouts and NBA executives. In
1885-490: The Portland Trail Blazers . The next day, the Spurs announced that he would sit out for the remainder of the 2023 Summer League. On 25 October, Wembanyama made his NBA regular-season debut putting up 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in a 126–119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks . His three three-pointers made set a Spurs' single-game team record for a rookie in his debut. On 2 November, Wembanyama put up
1950-548: The basketball bronze and gold medal games for both genders. Due to Olympic rules regarding naming rights of venues, the venue temporarily reverted its name to Bercy Arena. The arena is one of the main concert venues in Paris . British rock band Queen performed at Bercy in 1984. Norwegian band A-ha played 2 concerts at Bercy in 1988. Among those who have performed there the most are French rock singer Johnny Hallyday with 93 solo concerts from 1987 to 2016 and eight concerts with
2015-458: The 2023 draft, due to the possibility of acquiring a "once-in-a-generation player" in the draft. Measured at 7 feet 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (2.22 m) bare foot, with an estimated 8-foot (2.4 m) wingspan , Wembanyama entered the NBA as one of the league's tallest players, although his height has raised questions about his durability. He often plays on the perimeter and has exceptional mobility and skills for his size, with
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2080-553: The Alien ", is a French professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Considered one of the best basketball prospects of his generation due to his rare combination of height, length, speed, ball-handling skills and agility, he was selected first overall by the Spurs in the 2023 NBA draft . Wembanyama began his professional career at age 15 with Nanterre 92 of
2145-564: The All-Star Game MVP once, and was a three-time Pro A Best Young Player . Wembanyama also plays for the French national team , with whom he won a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics . At the youth level, he led his team to two silver medals, including at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup , where he set the FIBA record for blocks per game in a single tournament. Following a historic rookie season in
2210-568: The European gymnastics championship in 2000, the 1991 and 1996 FIBA EuroLeague Final Fours , and the FIBA EuroBasket championship in 1999 , among others. It also hosted the 2009–10 EuroLeague Final Four . It was co-host of the 2017 IIHF World Championship and the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2021 . The arena hosted the 2017 European League of Legends Championship Series Summer Finals and
2275-628: The France team at the LNB All-Star Game on 29 December. At the All-Star Game, he recorded 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, leading his team to 136–128 win over the World team, and became the game's youngest MVP. On 9 January 2023, Wembanyama made a game-winning putback dunk with 3.5 seconds left in regulation and recorded 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in an 84–83 win over ASVEL. On 27 January, he recorded 31 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in
2340-629: The NBA, Wembanyama was unanimously named the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year , finished second in the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year voting to compatriot Rudy Gobert , and became the first rookie ever to be named to the All-Defensive First Team . Victor Nonga Wembanyama-de Fautereau-Vassel was born on 4 January 2004, in Le Chesnay , in the Paris region. His father, Félix, is of Congolese origin and
2405-548: The United States pulled away late in the fourth quarter which left France with a silver medal. After the final, Wembanyama was named the tournament's Rising Star, as well as a member of the All-Star Five, following his averages of 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2 blocks and 1.7 steals per game. "Everybody has been a unicorn over the last few years, but he's more like an alien. No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he
2470-531: The ability to handle and shoot the ball like a guard . Wembanyama is a capable three-point shooter and his jump shot is difficult to block because of his length. He is a productive scorer in the paint , with soft touch, a variety of post moves , and excels in the pick and roll . Defensively, he is an outstanding shot-blocker due to his length and anticipation, and his fluidity allows him to guard smaller players. His thin frame and lack of strength have been labelled as weaknesses and encourage opponents to use
2535-525: The annual LNB All-Star Game basketball event and the Grand Slam Paris judo tournament. It is also used for many other sports events, such as table tennis , handball , basketball , boxing , gymnastics , track cycling and show jumping . Since 1985, the Accor Arena hosts the annual Festival des Arts Martiaux . The event was founded by Karaté Bushido and showcases martial arts masters from around
2600-525: The arena in 2024 for UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis . In May 2023, the arena hosted the BLAST.tv Major for the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive , in what would be the final major played on Global Offensive before Counter-Strike 2 was released in September 2023. The arena was a venue for the 2024 Summer Olympics , hosting the artistic and trampoline gymnastics events, followed by
2665-717: The award by a unanimous vote. He also joined Manute Bol as the only rookies in NBA history to lead the league in blocks per game and total blocks in a season. Wembanyama also finished second place in voting for the 2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award , behind Rudy Gobert . Wembanyama was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, becoming the first rookie and youngest player in NBA history to achieve this feat. On 31 October 2024, Wembanyama had his second career five-by-five, putting up 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and five blocks. He became
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2730-602: The coaches were not willing to challenge him. In the 2019–20 season, Wembanyama gained his first professional experience with the Nanterre 92 senior team under head coach Pascal Donnadieu , receiving limited playing time in two games. He primarily competed in LNB Espoirs, the French under-21 league, and also played for the under-18 team. Wembanyama made his professional debut on 29 October 2019, playing 31 seconds against Brescia in
2795-457: The facility is called Cameron Indoor Stadium . Domed stadiums, which, like arenas, are enclosed but have the larger playing surfaces and seating capacities found in stadiums, are generally not referred to as arenas in North America. There is also the sport of indoor American football (one variant of which is explicitly known as arena football), a variant of the outdoor game that is designed for
2860-458: The first game, on 4 October, he recorded 37 points, five blocks and four rebounds in a 122–115 loss. Wembanyama led his team to a 112–106 win over the Ignite in their second game, scoring 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. On 27 October, the NBA announced that it would stream all Metropolitans 92 regular-season and playoff games on its app. In the 2022–23 Pro A season , Wembanyama emerged as one of
2925-519: The first player in league history with 20 three-pointers and 13 blocks in a three-game span. Wembanyama represented France at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship in Udine , Italy. In an 80–78 quarterfinal win over Croatia , he recorded 12 points, 21 rebounds and eight blocks. He averaged nine points, 9.6 rebounds and a tournament-leading 5.3 blocks per game, leading France to a silver medal and earning all-tournament team honours. He then competed at
2990-1044: The group Les vieilles canailles , totaling 101 performances; French singer-songwriter Michel Sardou with 91 concerts from 1989 to 2012; French entertainer Dorothée with 56 concerts from 1990 to 1996 and another in 2010; Canadian singer Celine Dion with 35 concerts from 1995 to 2017; Canadian-born French singer Mylène Farmer with 33 concerts from 1989 to 2013; and American singer-songwriter Madonna with 25 concerts from 1990 to 2023. French electronic music duo Daft Punk performed and recorded their performance for Alive 2007 at Bercy. German band Rammstein recorded their performance for Rammstein: Paris at Bercy. American rock band My Chemical Romance performed at Bercy in June 2022 as part of their Reunion Tour . Congolese artists who have performed at Bercy include Koffi Olomidé , Papa Wemba , Werrason , JB Mpiana , and Fally Ipupa . [REDACTED] Media related to Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy at Wikimedia Commons Arena An arena
3055-427: The league since LeBron James in 2003 . He emerged as one of Europe's top prospects at age 14 and was viewed by analysts as a potential first overall pick in his draft class by age 16. During his final season before becoming eligible for the 2023 NBA draft , he was the consensus number-one pick in draft projections. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league would pay "particular attention" to tanking for
3120-483: The league. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague and finished second to Rokas Jokubaitis in voting for the EuroLeague Rising Star award. After the season, he opted out of his contract with ASVEL, despite promises from club president Tony Parker to build the team around him for the next season. On 4 July 2022, Wembanyama signed a two-year contract with Metropolitans 92 of
3185-420: The most dominant players in the league. On 4 November 2022, he posted a career-high 33 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 78–69 win over Limoges CSP . On 2 December, Wembanyama recorded his fourth straight 30-point game, with 32 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three assists in a 96–85 victory over Fos Provence , leading his team to its ninth consecutive win. He was named captain of
3250-571: The pyramidal arena's sloping walls are covered with a lawn. It can seat 7,000 to 20,300 people, depending on the event. The arena was renamed Bercy Arena after renovations on 1 January 2015, AccorHotels Arena in October 2015, and its current name in June 2020. Since 1985, the arena has hosted the annual Festival des Arts Martiaux . The Accor Arena was until 2024 the main venue for the Paris Masters ATP Tour tennis tournament, and hosts
3315-400: The season as the first player in NBA history to put up at least 1,500 points, 250 blocks, and 100 made three-pointers in a season. At 3.6 blocks per game, he also became the youngest player to lead the NBA in blocks for a season at 20 years, 101 days (on 14 April, 2024 ). On 6 May 2024, Wembanyama was named the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year , becoming the sixth rookie to ever win
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#17330854285713380-486: The season, he opted to leave Nanterre. On 29 June 2021, Wembanyama signed a three-year contract with ASVEL of the Pro A and the EuroLeague . He was unable to play for one month at the start of the season because of an illness. On 1 October, Wembanyama made his EuroLeague debut, recording one block in three minutes in an 88–76 win over Žalgiris . On 10 November, ASVEL announced that he would miss two to three weeks with
3445-492: The senior team. On 25 May 2021, Wembanyama recorded season-highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 99–87 win over Orléans Loiret . He started in 10 of 18 Pro A appearances, averaging 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and was named Pro A Best Young Player . In Espoirs, Wembanyama averaged 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks, starting in all five of his games. He played four games for Centre Fédéral, averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and three blocks per game. Following
3510-469: The third #1 overall pick by San Antonio in its history, after David Robinson and Tim Duncan . Wembanyama made his NBA Summer League debut on 7 July against the Charlotte Hornets in front of a sold-out crowd. He recorded nine points and eight rebounds but made only two of 13 shots in a 76–68 win. In his second Summer League game on 9 July, he put up 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 85–80 loss to
3575-472: The third player in NBA history to record multiple five-by-five games, joining Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko . On 4 November, Wembanyama put up a statline of 24 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals and nine blocks, in a 113–104 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers . On 9 November, Wembanyama put up 24 points, 16 rebounds, seven blocks, and shot six-of-nine from three-point range in
3640-634: The tournament in blocks and earning all-tournament team honours. He finished the Espoirs season averaging 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, mostly coming off the bench. In the 2020–21 season, Wembanyama split time between Nanterre's senior and under-21 teams and signed an agreement to also play for Centre Fédéral in the Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1). On 23 September 2020, he made his LNB Pro A debut, grabbing one rebound in four minutes against JL Bourg . In October, Wembanyama featured in
3705-531: The type of event. Football (be it association , rugby , gridiron , Australian rules , or Gaelic ) is typically played in a stadium, while basketball , volleyball , handball , and ice hockey are typically played in an arena, although many of the larger arenas hold more spectators than do the stadiums of smaller colleges or high schools. There are exceptions. The home of the Duke University men's and women's basketball teams would qualify as an arena, but
3770-726: The usual smaller playing surface of most arenas; variants of other traditionally outdoor sports, including box lacrosse as well as futsal and indoor soccer , also exist. The term "arena" is also used loosely to refer to any event or type of event which either literally or metaphorically takes place in such a location, often with the specific intent of comparing an idea to a sporting event. Such examples of these would be terms such as "the arena of war", "the arena of love" or "the political arena". Victor Wembanyama Victor Wembanyama ( / ˌ w ɛ m b ə n ˈ j ɑː m ə / WEM -bən- YAH -mə ; French: [viktɔʁ wɛmbanjama] ; born 4 January 2004), nicknamed " Wemby " or "
3835-509: The world. From 1993 to 2011, the arena hosted the Masters of Paris-Bercy , a all-star kart racing competition frequently contested by Formula One drivers and world champions in other auto racing disciplines. The inaugural 1993 edition marked the last duel on the track between Formula One World Drivers' Champions Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna . POPB (Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy) hosted
3900-429: The youth level. His maternal grandfather, Michel de Fautereau, played professional basketball, and his grandmother, Marie-Christine, also played the sport. Wembanyama played football as a goalkeeper and practised judo before focusing on basketball. He learned to play basketball from his mother, who was coaching youth teams. At age seven, Wembanyama began playing for Entente Le Chesnay Versailles, before joining
3965-614: The youth system of Nanterre 92 at age 10. He drew the attention of Nanterre in 2013 after Michaël Allard, a youth coach for the club, noticed him on the bench at an under-11 game due to his exceptional height, at 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in), initially mistaking him for a coach. In February 2018, Wembanyama was loaned to FC Barcelona for the Minicopa del Rey, an under-14 tournament in Spain, leading his team to third place. He declined an offer to continue his career with Barcelona, citing that
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#17330854285714030-586: Was a track and field athlete who competed in the high jump , long jump and triple jump . Born in Belgium, Félix acquired French nationality by naturalisation on 10 February 2003. Victor's mother, Élodie de Fautereau, is a French basketball coach and former player. Wembanyama's father and mother are 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 in) and 1.91 metres (6 ft 3 in) tall, respectively. His older sister, Ève, plays basketball professionally, and his younger brother, Oscar, has played basketball and handball at
4095-507: Was on the preliminary 17-player roster of the French national team for EuroBasket 2022 , but was ruled out a month ahead, due to an injury he suffered at the end of the 2021–22 season. He was selected again for the World Cup qualifiers in November. In his debut with the senior team, on 11 November 2022, he scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 90–65 win over Lithuania . Wembanyama
4160-424: Was selected for France to play at the 2024 Summer Olympics , which were held in his native Paris. He had 19 points and 9 rebounds in his Olympic debut in a win against Brazil . Wembanyama helped France reach its second consecutive final, following a quarterfinal win over Canada and semifinal win over Germany , in which they faced the United States . In the final, Wembanyama scored a team-high 26 points, however,
4225-408: Was sold at Sotheby's for a record price for newcomers of $ 762,000. Wembanyama has secured several high-profile sponsorship deals including partnerships with Nike, 2K, Fanatics, Barcode, and Louis Vuitton. In July 2023, he became a brand ambassador for the sports drink brand Barcode . While Wembanyama doesn't have his own signature sneaker yet, he helped design his own player exclusive version of
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