The NBA circus has reached Paris and the heat is as intense as ever. France’s own homeboy, Victor Wembanyama is in action with his San Antonio Spurs. Their rivals? The 2023 NBA Cup runners-up–the Indiana Pacers. But wait, where is the cool and composed Wemby?

Tyrese Haliburton and his squad have dominated the Spurs from the start at Accor Arena. But the real spark came in the third quarter when Victor Wembanyama’s foul appeal fell on deaf ears. Known for his calm demeanor, the Alien’s rare display of frustration caught everyone off guard.

But, he did. And this shocked the announcers as they commented: “I’ve never seen Victor show that much emotions.” The 21-year-old Les Chesnay native is usually the calm kind, doing his task of causing havoc on the court. However, he risked getting his second technical foul of the season, thus acquiring a $2000 fine for the same.

Here’s what went down. With 9:32 left in the third, the Pacers led 69-59. Myles Turner went for a highlight dunk, but Wembanyama, towering at 7’3″, had other plans. He snatched the ball and sprinted for a fast break. But could he finish? Not this time.

Andrew Nembhard and Benedict Mathurin closed in, trapping him in a tight squeeze. The ball slipped away, and Indiana wasted no time, cashing in for an easy two. Scoreboard? 71-59. The home crowd? Silent. You can imagine the frustration Victor Wembanyama must have felt, so much so that he lashed out at the referees. “And look at Wembanyama,” the announcer continued. “Furious. He showed a lot of emotions after not getting that call. Resulting in a turnover as he was attacking the basket.” 

Neither the Spurs center’s turnover and chase nor his blocks could stop the Pacers from taking that bucket. Thus the frustration was evident.

Victor Wembanyama & Co. and the Pacers now stand on mutual grounds

The NBA landed in Paris, and Victor Wembanyama was back on familiar ground. After shining in the 2024 Olympics, he returned—not for France, but for the Spurs. Still, home felt special. The crowd, the energy, the roots—it was the “coolest thing,” he said. But two straight games against the Indiana Pacers? That was a whole different challenge.

The first game on January 23 was an all-Victor Wembanyama show. There’s no doubt that when he dominates, he dominates. And that’s what he did in Accor Arena on Thursday. Putting up 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, the French alien’s San Antonio Spurs snatched a blowout 140-110 win against the Pacers who struggled pretty much the entirety of the game. However, the tables were about to turn soon, and then came Saturday’s game night.

Wemby and Co. nearly did not stand a chance in the game on January 25. Pascal Siakam’s 23 points, and Tyrese Haliburton’s 28-point game followed by the efforts and defensive play from Nembhard, Mathurin, and Myles Turner just helped the team clinch a blowout 136-98 against the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, Victor’s 20 points and 12 rebounds weren’t enough for the day.

Thus standing on mutual grounds, both the Pacers and Spurs will return home with points. However, Wembanyama’s outburst and an unexpected one might we repeat, felt uncharacteristic. But given how the game was slipping away from them, it might make sense why the superstar sophomore lost his cool. What do you think?