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

Victor Wembanyama said his charge at Ivica Zubac during a San Antonio Spurs loss to the Los Angeles Clippers was the result of building frustration from what he believes is unfair treatment by NBA referees.

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.