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

With the Spurs up 20 early in the fourth quarter, Wembanyama decided to have fun in his homecoming game. The 7-foot-3 specimen sidestepped Tyrese Haliburton at the free-throw line before tossing the ball off the backboard to himself and completing the finish over Myles Turner.

 

Wembanyama 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 behind the arc. ‘Wemby' did all of his damage in just 32 minutes and sat for most of the final frame as San Antonio cruised to a 140-110 victory.

Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones all complemented Wembanyama in the showcase victory. Vassell added 25 points, while Barnes poured in 20. Jones and Sochan both came close to posting double-doubles off the bench.

The Spurs' and Pacers' game was the fourth-ever NBA contest held in Paris. As a native of Le Chesnay, Wembanyama and teammate Sidy Cissoko were the only members of the two rosters playing a home game.

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Spurs star Victor Wembanyama's return to Paris

Victor Wembanyama (32) shoots against the United States
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Wembanyama touched down in his home country for the first time since coming up inches short of a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. While he typically travels back home each offseason, his most recent homecoming trip before the NBA Paris games was uniquely memorable.

The gold medal game duel between Team USA and France was one of the most memorable Olympic basketball games in recent history. Wembanyama nearly powered France to a massive upset, pouring in a game-high 26 points in the 11-point loss. Stephen Curry stole the show in the fourth quarter with a massive three-point barrage to pull 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 made him one of the most hyped draft prospects in NBA history.

Wembanyama and the Spurs will remain in France for one more game before the team has to return to the United States. They will rematch the Pacers on Jan. 25 at the Accor Arena at 12 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CEST.