By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Before taking his talents to the NBA as the top pick in the 2023 draft, Victor Wembanyama played professionally in France and all around Europe, including 13 appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. On October 29, 2021, in Round 7 of the 2021-22 Regular Season, a visit to OAKA Altion, now called Telekom Center Athens, to face Panathinaikos was probably special for then 17-year-old Wemby, considering his response about his experience in hostile environments before the NBA.
“The place that stands out, in my opinion, is Panathinaikos. When you talk about hostile, I don’t think it gets more hostile. Other places are as loud, but Panathinaikos is by far the most impressive for me,” he answered in a postgame press conference following a loss, 119-98, for the San Antonio Spurs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Paycom Center.
“It’s much harder, because the players are much better,” the French center continued, comparing competing in Europe to the NBA.
Beyond the Greens, Wembanyama also made a shout-out to ESSM Le Portel.
“There are some teams in Europe that rely almost entirely on the crowd. From the top of my head, there is a team called Le Portel in France. They got some of the best fans in the league, and every season it feels like they barely manage to stay in the top league, because they have so much energy. They don’t have the best team, but their culture, momentum, it’s crazy. It’s a team that would not be what it is without its fans,” he said differences in fan support between Europe and the NBA.
Using pre-NBA experience and hoping to create a similar context of support for the Spurs, Wembanyama has led to creating additional crowd noise in home games from the top of the 2025-26 Regular Season.
With his side falling to 27-13 on Tuesday, the 22-year-old Wemby reached 17 points, seven rebounds, one block, and one assist. Polish teammate Jeremy Sochan did not score in a brief showing.
Belgian Ajay Mitchell put in 11 points for the defending champions. French Ousmane Dieng stayed on the bench, and German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular surgery recovery) were out of the lineup.