Victor Wembanyama Brings San Antonio Spurs to Nanterre for Training and ‘Hoop Gambit’ Tournament

Victor Wembanyama and several of his San Antonio Spurs teammates utilized the facilities of French club Nanterre 92 for a training session ahead of the upcoming NBA season, according to regional media reports. The star center, who launched his professional career at the French club eight years ago, was joined in the Paris region by teammates including De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and Tobias Harris, as detailed by Le Parisien.

A Five-Star Training Session at Palais des Sports Maurice-Thorez

The unexpected gathering came to light when the San Antonio franchise published visual media on its official Instagram account, featuring a photograph and video of eight Spurs players posing together in front of a colorful mural inside the Palais des sports Maurice-Thorez.

Accompanying the social media post was the caption, “À Paris, on bosse ensemble cette semaine,” translated broadly by Ouest-France as “out in Paris putting in work together this week.” The informal camp highlights Wembanyama’s active role in bridging connections between his current NBA organization and his European roots.

Strengthening Ties Between San Antonio and French Basketball

Wembanyama, who has also become a shareholder in Nanterre 92, has consistently used his platform to support his formative club. Earlier in the summer, the 22-year-old pivot inaugurated a newly renovated basketball court for local youth in a Nanterre neighborhood. Speaking alongside Nanterre 92 President Frédéric Donnadieu and Mayor Raphaël Adam during the ribbon-cutting, the player emphasized his comfort in returning to his old stomping grounds.

“En revenant ici, il n’y a rien de plus simple parce que ce sont des gens que je connais, à qui je fais confiance,” Wembanyama stated, as reported by Le Parisien. “Je n’ai été entouré presque que de bonnes personnes, en grandissant à Nanterre et en France en général. Quand je reviens ici, ça fait énormément de bien au cœur.”

This is not the first time the Spurs have made use of the French club’s facilities. Wembanyama and his teammates previously trained on the parquet of Maurice-Thorez in early 2025 ahead of the league’s regular-season games in the French capital. The ongoing partnership points toward potential future appearances in Europe.

Looking Ahead to the Paris Games and International Duty

The informal training week in Nanterre precedes a busy stretch for the young French star. Wembanyama is scheduled to join the French national team for an upcoming window of qualifiers ahead of the 2027 FIBA World Cup, with matches slated against Slovenia and Sweden.

Additionally, Wembanyama is organizing the second edition of “Hoop Gambit,” a weekend tournament combining basketball and chess—two disciplines favored by the athlete. The event takes place across his birthplace of Le Chesnay in the Yvelines department and in Nanterre.

For the San Antonio Spurs, preparations in France serve as an early foundation for a demanding campaign following their previous deep playoff runs. The franchise is also slated to return to Paris for a regular-season matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans scheduled for January 14, 2027, at Accor Arena (Bercy), maintaining a direct pipeline between Texas basketball and French sports culture.