In his hometown, Spurs' Wembanyama dedicates a pair of outdoor courts

LE CHESNAY, France (AP) — Victor Wembanyama stood on the center stripe of a new outdoor court in his hometown, his arms outstretched to their full 8-foot wingspan as he posed for a slew of photographers. He could not have seemed happier. Wembanyama unveiled a gift of sorts to his hometown and the next generation on Tuesday, a pair of outdoor courts — one for 5-on-5 play, the other for 3-on-3 play — that were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched out himself. "For those of you that don't know, this started in a room with an idea," San Antonio general manager Brian Wright said, as about five dozen kids sat on the court in front of him and another 100 or so people watched from adjacent courtside seating. "And I remember watching Victor going on a whiteboard and literally drawing every single detail of the court that you see today and putting his heart and soul into designing this court for the children to play on. It speaks to how special you are and how special this is to you, so thank you, Victor." Wembanyama and the Spurs are in France this week, playing a pair of games Thursday and Saturday in Paris against the Indiana Pacers. France is Wembanyama's homeland, as everyone knows. And it's often assumed that he's from Paris, but he's from Le Chesnay — about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the city. It was important to him to make this happen in time for the Spurs' visit there. Others did not think that was realistic. "Impossible," said Le Chesnay's mayor, Richard Delepierre. The challenges were many: There were old courts in that space to excavate, designs to be approved, it's not great weather for construction at this time of year, and if all that wasn't enough, building anything so close to the Palace of Versailles seems to be a bit of logistical headache, to say the least. But it's what Wemby wanted. And that makes things happen, especially in his hometown. "Beyond his immense basketball talents, it seems that Victor possesses great qualities of art and a certain capacity for persuasion," Delepierre said. Construction really got going just a couple months ago. But on Tuesday, on a chilly afternoon, it was finished. The new nets were in place, the fibers still tight together as if to show not a single shot had gone through them yet. The kids peeled back a black drape to show off the center court design — a nod to both the Spurs' logo and the Le Chesnay clock tower — and Wembanyama caught a lob for the ceremonial first dunk. "It was my dream also to have these kind of courts when I was living here," Wembanyama said. Le Chesnay is a small city of about 30,000, a little west of downtown Paris. From town hall there's a view of the Palace of Versailles, the home King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette shared in the late 18th century before he was beheaded during the French Revolution. Local legend suggests Napoleon roamed the area at times, even ordering that trees be planted to line the streets a certain way. It is also where Wembanyama's basketball life began to grow. Local officials say the majority of residents there — the Chesnaycourtois and Chesnaycourtoise — take part in some sort of sporting activity. Wembanyama created a bit of a stir in town when he brought friends in for an impromptu pickup soccer match last year, some of them roaming the same field that they did as little kids. Handball is extremely popular there, as are auto racing and equestrian. There even was a filly named Le Chesnay that raced at the famed Saratoga Race Course in 2009. But, officially or unofficially, it's a basketball town now. Kids are playing the game all the time in Le Chesnay, most of them — as one would guess — wearing Spurs jerseys or T-shirts. Wembanyama's 6-foot-3 mother, Elodie de Fautereau, was a standout player and became a coach. "The Spurs 'Play Paris' initiative isn't just about building a court, it's about creating a vibrant hub for the community that honors Victor's journey and his commitment to giving back," said RC Buford, CEO of Spurs Sports and Entertainment. "This renovated space will hopefully inspire the next generation and showcase the power of sports to bring people together." The Spurs haven't said what they spent on the project, but it was a "significant" part of the estimated $500,000 budget, Delepierre said. It's also important to note that the courts aren't some Wembanyama tribute; the city logo and the Spurs logo are present, but nothing that screams the 2023-24 NBA rookie of the year's name. He didn't want them to be about him. And they got done just in time. "Impossible," Delepierre said, taking back his previous declaration, "is not French." ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba