Victor Wembanyama hailed the atmosphere brought by the crowd at San Antonio Spurs' 140-110 victory over Indiana Pacers, which was played in Paris on Thursday.

The 21-year-old was cheered by the crowd before the game even started after saying hello down a microphone to make it clear that there was no confusion over who the main attraction was.

"Tonight was definitely different," Wembanyama said. "It's a different kind of support that the crowd brings. We try to use the circumstances to our advantage every time, and tonight was an easy night to use that."

Wembanyama put on a show for his home crowd as well, with 30 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots as the Spurs registered their second-biggest win of the season.

"I would just say it's a pleasure to be part of a league with Victor Wembanyama," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the game.

Everything Wembanyama did received louder and louder cheers, aside from an audible groan when he missed the first shot of the game.

"It's not easy to stop him," Indiana guard Bennedict Mathurin said. "We do what we can. But he's really good."

Despite the pressure of performing for a crowd that had so obviously come out purely to see Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year and likely All-Star this season did not show it. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was full of admiration for him,

Victoire des Spurs!@FrostBank | #sponsored pic.twitter.com/R8tRwKqN9W

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 23, 2025

"The ovation for him obviously was very, very moving just in terms of a reflection of how this city and country and these people feel about him and he feels about them," he said. 

"There's certain games you know you don't need to get the guys up for, as you say. This was one of them."

For the Pacers, meanwhile, there were no hard feelings about the atmosphere being focused around the Frenchman.

"I thought it was a great environment," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.

"I don't know what Victor said before the game, but whatever he said worked. They played a great game, Victor's a great player. The country of France should be very, very proud. He's a one of a kind. He's a once every I-don't-know-how-many-generations a player like that comes along.

"Just breathtaking, the things that he does."

Wembanyama, clearly, was just happy to get the win.

"Tonight, I'm proud of my team," he said. "It was perfect. It was a perfect evening. We had the win, and we won the right way."