"It's very possible that he'll be the face of basketball. Not just NBA basketball, but world basketball," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.

The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs' new master plan were immediately planted.

Amid an impressive sophomore NBA season with the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has made a significant commitment regarding his future. Last week, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves in the midst of an unusual schedule,