NBA Paris Game 2025: “The sky is the limit” by Victor Wembanyama, according to TV consultant and former coach Jacques Monclar

Based in Agde, former French player and coach Jacques Monclar, now a TV consultant on BeIN Sports, talks about the French phenomenon who is coming to Paris for two matches with his team, the San Antonio Spurs.

What does Victor Wembanyama's return to France for these two matches mean to you ?

Since 2019, there has been this match in Paris every year. This year, there are two. They are the Spurs, obviously, and Victor. The Spurs with everything they represent: Tony Parker for years, the image of Greg Popovich, Manu Ginobili and company, Tim Duncan… It is a franchise that speaks in France. The French may have discovered San Antonio's position in the United States through basketball. And then Victor, the last time he played, it was in the Olympic final. He is back for two matches against a very strong team. In any case, one of the two best teams since the beginning of 2025. The Indiana Pacers, yes, it is an event.

How do you judge his season ?

He has 110 games behind him now. I think he will be at the All Star Game in San Francisco in three weeks. There are two games to win that are official games of the NBA regular season. At a time when the Spurs are losing quite a few. Personally, I saw this team around 35 wins this season. They are on a higher base. It will take 40, in my opinion, to get into the play-in. It will be tight. We still have a big team in front of us too. He will have some grist to grind at his position too, with Turner, with Siakam, with Topin, Bryant. It's going to be rough.

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To come back to Victor, have you known a French player who had as much impact upon his arrival on the American scene, more than Tony Parker, for example ?

Tony was not expected in the first round of the draft when he was chosen by San Antonio. He was not a starter at the start. Popovich plays the Tony card. But it is a divine surprise. Victor arrived with the same label as Lebron James. He is a generational player. He had to confirm. He made everyone agree. This year, he has reached a milestone. We now see young players, a year younger than him, who arrive and say “This is my first time against Victor. I wanted to go and rub shoulders with him, evaluate myself, understand.” He is only 21 years old. This year, he will win between 34 and 42 games. That would be great. It is long, it is a process. There are a lot of strong players in the NBA.

To answer the first question, of course, he has a huge impact at 110 games. He has already had “triple-doubles”. This year, he's winning games. He's an exceptional bone to chew on for statisticians in the next 10-15 years.

The fact of having arrived in San Antonio contributes to this development ?

Yes, especially since he is a special physical case. He has an extraordinary physique in terms of his mobility, his availability, his management, everything you want. It is incredible for a boy of his size. And then his head is well made too. It doesn't hurt.

Does that help his popularity ?

A career in life is never linear. We know that. In all sports, there is life on the side. There is all that. He is a treat. It is difficult. I am often asked the question: “What do you expect from him ?” But I say nothing. I am in a position to watch. In American, the expression for that is the sky is the limit.

He is also the future leader of a generation that promises to be exceptional…

Victor is exceptional. We will see his generation. We can add Mathieu Straszel, who is not in the NBA, but who is a real French team player and at a very high level. We can add kids who will come into the debate. What is the French men's team like at the last two Olympic Games ? Two silver medals. We have had an exceptional generation for some time.

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