Victor Wembanyama, the rising NBA star, returned to his roots in Nanterre, France, as part of the NBA Paris Game 2025. This special event brings the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers to Paris for regular season games, celebrating basketball’s global reach. Wembanyama visited Nanterre, where his basketball journey began at the age of 13. He lived in a dormitory, attended high school nearby, and underwent rapid physical growth, which required special accommodations like an extra-large bed and six meals a day.
The Spurs and Pacers also embraced Paris, planning visits to landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and hosting basketball-related events. The trip was deeply meaningful for Wembanyama, who reflected on how his journey had come full circle. Fans wearing his jerseys highlighted the star's impact on French basketball. This game marks a historic moment, blending NBA culture with Parisian charm, and celebrating the sport's global appeal.
Vocabulary:
• Franchise (noun): A team or group that is part of a larger organization, such as a sports team.
• Dormitory (noun): A building with rooms for students to live in.
• Metric (adjective): Related to the metric system, a decimal-based measurement system.
• Refrigerator (noun): A machine used to keep food cold.
• Colliding (verb): Coming together forcefully, often by accident.
• Jersey (noun): A sports shirt worn by a team player.
• Packed (adjective): Very full or busy.
• Dedication (noun): A ceremony to honor or formally introduce something or someone.
• Exclusive (adjective): Limited to one person or group.
• Worldwide (adjective): Happening in all parts of the world.
• Surreal (adjective): Very strange or dreamlike, like a dream.
• Suburb (noun): A smaller town or area near a city.
• NBA (noun): National Basketball Association, a professional basketball league.
• Landmark (noun): An important or famous building, structure, or place.
• Journey (noun): A trip from one place to another.
Source: NBA on ESPN