Thomas Bourseau – Editor
A sports enthusiast, Thomas grew up between football and basketball, his two lifelong passions. With a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from the European Institute of Journalism in Paris, he closely follows the adventures of Arsenal and the Los Angeles Lakers.
With his San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has reached such a level of notoriety on American soil that he stirs passions beyond TV sets and specialized shows. The general public and Hollywood elites are crazy about Wembanyama to the point that a French NBA actor claims that the extent of Wemby’s stardom in the United States is immeasurable.
Victor Wembanyama, 22, is among the cream of the NBA. Rookie of the year in 2024 for his first season with the San Antonio Spurs where he was drafted first overall, a historic first for a Frenchman, the 7’0″ center nicknamed the alien is in the running to be crowned MVP of the regular season. This has never happened before in history.
“I know that John Legend came and waited after the game to take a photo with his son and Victor.”
As the franchise player for the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has gained a unique status on the other side of the Atlantic through his performances, acknowledged by people and media. With 19 NBA seasons behind him, Nicolas Batum (37 years) is particularly aware of the phenomenon surrounding Wembanyama. Especially in Los Angeles where he plays for the Clippers. Batum stated, “He’s a superstar here. You turn on the TV every morning, there’s a segment about him. It’s literally every day. He plays, there’s something, he doesn’t play, there’s still something about his injury. He’s closely followed. I played against him twice in Los Angeles in the past three weeks, both games were sold out. Many VIP stars, singers have come whenever we played against the Spurs.”
Batum then mentioned a music star example: John Legend. “I know that John Legend came and waited after the game to take a photo with his son and Victor.”
“Celebrities come just because we’re playing him.”
Whether it’s John Legend or other American stars, they flock to basketball arenas when Victor Wembanyama arrives in town with his San Antonio Spurs teammates, as Batum confirmed on RMC this Sunday during the Stephen Brunch. Batum said, “He’s a star here, a real star. I don’t think people in France truly understand. I saw him twice in three weeks in a city like Los Angeles where celebrities come just because we’re playing him.” In the United States, there is a Wemby Mania that far surpasses the recognition he receives in France, his homeland.
