SAN ANTONIO — It has been a very busy 72 hours for Victor Wembanyama after he was drafted for the Spurs in Brooklyn on Thursday.
From there, he flew to San Antonio Friday morning and was greeted by a crowd of fans and blistering Texas heat upon his arrival.
Saturday, the day began for him at a morning rally at the iconic Arneson River Theatre on the San Antonio River Walk, followed by a press conference at the AT&T Center.
At the rally, he reflected on his whirlwind last few days and the moment that stuck out the most for him.
"The best moment of the night was being called by Adam Silver and finally putting on that Spurs hat!" he said in a sit-down interview at theatre.
Ahead of his interview, the event featured some puro San Antonio performances from the Spurs Hype Squad, mariachi musicians, and ballet folklorico dancers.
Check out some sights and sounds from the Arneson River Theatre event below:
Later, he gave his first official press conference at the AT&T Center. The event was also his first time in the arena in which he will eventually play. His very first question from the press was about the incredible welcome from Spurs fans here in San Antonio. Wembanyama noted the dedication of the fans so far.
"I want to do the best I can in every aspect of this job. And as far as I have seen, the fans have been the best at their job," Wembanyama said. "I can only hope to be at their level."
He also said he was surprised to see so many Spurs fans braving the heat when his plane touched down during hottest part of the day Friday.
"I was not expecting so much from just my arrival," he said. "It was really a fun moment and this is what it is about, this makes me happy."
Victor famously was coached in basketball by his mom as young child and one reporter asked how her involvement in his career influenced him.
"She always knew her role and basketball for my family was always secondary. The first thing for her was making me grow as a person and being a good human being before being a good basketball player," Wembanyama said.
He also spoke about his dinner Friday with a lineup of Spurs legends, Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. He said their wisdom has already had a great effect on him.
"In probably a couple of hours about the NBA than my whole life before, you know?" he said. "It's so comforting that these people who are so important to the city of San Antonio and the franchise are such kind people and generous because they genuinely wanted to share with me their experience."
"I feel like they have already started taking such great care of me and it's just so comforting."
From all of us here at KENS 5, welcome to Victor and his family to San Antonio and the Spurs!