Victor Wembanyama shows no mercy to kids at Nike event in Paris

Victor Wembanyama shows no mercy to kids at Nike event in Paris
Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

The rookie split his time between Paris and San Antonio over the past week. 

Last weekend, Victor Wembanyama was back home in France visiting family and engaging in various activities. On Saturday, May 18th, the Frenchman showed his enthusiasm for a new sport: mixed martial arts. Wemby was seen supporting fellow Frenchman Cedric Doumbe during his fight against Jaleel Willis.

It’s safe to say the rookie enjoyed the event, judging by his reaction. Doumbe might want Wemby to attend more fights since his presence coincided with Doumbe’s victorious performance on Saturday.

However, the main reason Victor went home to Paris was for a special event in Nanterre on Sunday, May 19th. Nike held an event to unveil the new France national team shirt for the upcoming Olympics. The uniforms were sleek, reminiscent of the classic soccer kits France wore in the late 1990s.

The event was flooded with young fans who got to experience and hang out with Wemby firsthand. Naturally, this led to some one-on-three basketball where the 2024 Rookie of the Year showed no mercy, dunking and blocking nearly every shot.

Being in France, Nike also set up a soccer exhibit for the kids. Wemby showed off his skills as a goalkeeper, making it almost impossible for the kids to score against his eight-foot wingspan.

The best part of these videos surfacing on Twitter was the gems found by Victor’s biggest fans, revealing his humble beginnings as a soccer goalie.

The highlight was a video of Victor in action, so special that the NBA player himself couldn’t resist commenting on the tweet.

Overall, the Nike event in Paris was a major success. I enjoyed the many anecdotes and tweets that emerged from it.

In other news, Wembanyama became the youngest player ever to make the NBA’s First Team All-Defense this week.

This achievement adds to his impressive rookie resume. Despite some disappointment, he didn’t make the All-NBA teams due to fierce competition, but he’s expected to have a better chance next season.

Lastly, Wemby was seen back in San Antonio. First, he attended a dinner at the restaurant Rebelle with coach Popovich, where it’s likely they shared some great wines while discussing the upcoming season.

He also made a special visit to a trading card store. According to an employee, he showed up just before closing, looking for Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering memorabilia. By all accounts, the Frenchman was amicable and awesome to spend time with.

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