Indiana Pacers “expected” to play against San Antonio Spurs in Paris game next season

According to a report from Andrew Lopez in ESPN, the Indiana Pacers could be playing a game in Paris, France next season.

The report, which provides details from a San Antonio Spurs game in Austin, Texas, explains that the Spurs and Pacers could face off across the pond in 2025. French rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama currently plays for San Antonio.

“The NBA hasn’t announced which teams will be playing in Paris next season, but it has long been expected that San Antonio and Indiana would be the teams selected,” Lopez’s report reads, in part. “The NBA has played three regular season games in Paris since 2020. The league hasn’t said when it will announce the slate of international games for next season.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is quoted in the story as saying “Well, we’re going there,” when asked about his team going to Paris in the future. Wembanyama, who was born in a suburb just to the West of Paris, is also quoted in the story.

“I’m looking forward to it very much,” the 20-year old said. His Spurs split two games with the Pacers this season.

The NBA has played seven games in Paris in the past. Earlier in 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets faced off in the Accor Arena in Paris, with the Cavaliers winning 111-102. Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored 45 points for Cleveland.

In past seasons, the Pacers have played preseason games in Berlin, Seville, Taipei, Beijing, Manila, and Mumbai. In 2017, Indiana faced the Denver Nuggets in the O2 Arena in London as a part of the NBA’s Global Games series.

The entirety of Lopez’s report can be found here. Last year, the NBA announced that Cleveland and Brooklyn would play in France in mid July. According to that release, there have been more NBA players from France than from any other country outside North America.

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