The meteoric rise of Victor Wembanyama is arguably the biggest talking point in the NBA right now. Sure, there are other issues at hand – addressing tanking and the conclusion of the NBA Playoffs among them – yet the young Frenchman is certainly the player grabbing most of the headlines.

Right now, the San Antonio Spurs are locked in the Western Conference Finals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the latter backed in the NBA odds to retain the championship won last June. Yet, even if “Wemby” does not reach the Finals, he will emerge from the 2025/26 NBA season as one of the faces of the league.

The San Antonio Spurs hierarchy also seems to know that it has a bona fide generational talent on its hands. Comparisons have been made with both LeBron James and Michael Jordan at similar junctures in their careers. We won’t get bogged down on that argument – he is just 22, remember, and a lot can happen to derail a sports career – but the fact that he is mentioned as ‘potentially’ being on the level of those two era-defining stars tells you a lot.

Spurs and Wembanyama return to Europe

It is thus no surprise to see that the Spurs have agreed to play in Paris, France, and Manchester, England, next January. They will play both games against the New Orleans Pelicans, who will make their first trip abroad for a regular-season game. This feels like smart business from the San Antonio decision-makers, bringing a team now viewed as one of the best in the NBA and its star player to his home city, as well as a trip to the UK, which is always fertile ground for US sports leagues to plant a flag; just ask the owners of the Jacksonville Jaguars about that.

Nevertheless, this will represent the 3rd and 4th times that the Spurs and Wembanyama have played abroad in two years, as they played a double-header in Paris in 2025. That is obviously no coincidence. Before Wembanyama arrived, the Spurs had played three games abroad in their history (regular season only), but they will take that up to seven by this time next year. If you listen to the words of the Spurs’ CEO RC Burford, he hints that Wemby is the reason for the trip.

NBA Europe should be taking off soon

It’s an interesting time, in general, for the NBA to hone in on Europe. We know that the plans for the new NBA Europe League are expected to be finalized soon. NBA Europe will be more than a branding exercise, overhauling and expanding the current league system across the Atlantic. It might take a while for that to truly bear fruit, and it’s not certain of success, but it is a sign of the NBA’s ambition.

For now, though, the league is well aware that the world’s basketball community has its eyes set on the league’s rising star. The Spurs see a marketing opportunity on the level of Jordan in the 1980s, but this time for a global marketplace. Something tells us that this won’t be the last time we see Victor Wembanyama plying his trade outside North America. He could be basketball’s biggest commodity for years to come.