Homero Macedo and Sonia Rodrigues arrived a couple of hours early for the first of the NBA Paris Games between the San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers to make the most of a birthday treat.
Rodrigues bought two tickets at 400 euros apiece as a present for her husband's 33rd last June.
"The seats are quite high up in the arena and not exactly the best," said the 34-year-old nurse. "But it's cheaper than going to America to watch a game," Macedo smiled as they prepared to attend their first NBA game.
"Neither the Pacers nor the Spurs are my team," said Macedo. "Kobe Bryant was my idol. I'm from kind of an older generation. The Spurs are a side with lots of young players."
One of them, Victor Wembanyama, has dominated the prelude to the clashes on Thursday and Saturday at the Accor Arena in Bercy, south-eastern Paris.
The 21-year-old grew up in Le Chesnay, some 17 kilometres west of Paris, and turned out for the club Nanterre 92 in north-western Paris between 2014 and 2021 before before moving to ASVEL Lyon-Villurbanne.
He went to the Spurs in 2023 as the top young recruit.
The Spurs have returned with the Pacers to play two regular season games as part of the NBA's international drive to boost the popularity of its teams.
Mexico has hosted pre-season and regular season NBA games for more than 30 years. NBA superstars have also played in Britain and Japan. France has been staging games since 2020.
Star return
On Monday, shortly after jetting in from the United States, Wembanyama limbered up with his teammates on his old stomping ground at the Palais des sports Maurice-Thorez in Nanterre.
He was the star turn the following day at the inauguration of two basketball courts in his home town.
"There is a bit too much about Wembanyama," said Macedo on Thursday evening. "He is just starting out and has lots to learn. Everybody is expecting him to do big games all the time. I'm here to see the Spurs' old stars like Chris Paul."
Fatima Boudlali confessed she was heading to the game simply for the ambiance.
"I saw an NBA game in Los Angeles just over a year ago. I like it when everyone supports a team, when there's a buzz. I love it."
Flanked by Adime Toukourou, a pal from her college days, the 23-year-old happily declared: "I really don't know anything about basketball, I just know that there are four quarters."
Boudlali's original plan had been to go with her boyfriend. "But we broke up," she explained. "But I still wanted to go to the game. I thought of asking Adime because he's never been to an NBA game and he's mad about basketball."
Passion
"Absolutely adore it," beamed the 24-year-old. "I played for several years but I got an injury. I used to watch it on TV but with the time difference between France and the United States, it was a bit complicated but I watch when I can."
His allegiances, he said, had switched from the Oklahoma City Thunder to Lebron James and his LA Lakers as well as the Phoenix Suns.
"I'm not particularly here to see Wembanyama," he added. "But of course I'm interested because he is a rising star and French."
Just before the game started, Wembanyama and the Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin thanked the 16,000 fans for coming to the game.
"It's an immense pleasure to be here in Paris," added Wembanyama to raucous cheers. "I hope you have a lot of fun at the game."
With the local lad in the line-up, every point of the Spurs was acclaimed boisterously. The decibels rose further when the returning son was the author.
Spurs win
In a nod to munificence, grudging cheers accompanied points for the Pacers who were level pegging with the Spurs until they took a double digit lead mid-way through the third quarter.
The Spurs went into the final 12 minutes leading 105-80.
Just before he departed the fray, Wembanyama threw the ball up against the board behind the hoop, caught the rebound and slammed it into the basket. Each replay of the exploit on the giant screens was gleefully greeted.
With an array of former NBA stars such as Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and Boris Diaw duly dusted off and sent out to soak up the applause and love, the game ended 140-110 to the Spurs.
Wembanyama, boasting personal statistics of 30 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocks was accordingly anointed the man of the match for a performance that brought praise from Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and his Pacers counterpart Rick Carlisle.
"The Spurs played a great game," said Carlisle. "Victor is a great player. France should be very proud. He's one of a kind. It's just breathtaking the things that he does."
