San Antonio Spurs’ rookie sensation, Victor Wembanyama, has his sights set on representing France’s national basketball team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. This addition to the squad comes after France’s disappointing performance at the recent FIBA World Cup, making Wembanyama’s presence significant for the team.
Hailing from Le Chesnay, a suburb just 15 miles outside of Paris, the 19-year-old has come a long way since being selected as the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Despite the distance from his hometown, Wembanyama is determined to make an impact on the Olympic stage.
Speaking to French outlet L’Equipe, Wembanyama expressed his aspirations, saying, “Performing well at the Olympics would be a great story. I’ll be present at the Olympics, and there’s no other goal than gold.”
Notably, he missed the World Cup to focus on preparing for his debut NBA season. France, the reigning Olympic silver medalist, faced a disappointing exit from the World Cup before reaching the second round. The performance left French national team veteran Nicolas Batum, who plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, feeling “ashamed” and “scared to go home.”
Wembanyama shared his sentiments regarding the team’s World Cup performance, stating, “The World Cup was very disappointing, but I have no judgment to make as I wasn’t there.”
Despite a lengthy LNBA Pro A season that concluded in June, Wembanyama asserted that he was not fatigued and was fully committed to making his NBA Summer League debut. He showcased his potential in his second Summer League appearance, tallying an impressive 27 points, along with 12 rebounds and three blocks. His performance included a 9-of-14 shooting record from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
As France anticipates Wembanyama’s contributions at the Olympics, Team USA may see leadership from one of the NBA’s most seasoned players. Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar, LeBron James, aged 38, has expressed a “strong” interest in representing Team USA in Paris and is actively recruiting other NBA stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum to join him.
NBA fans can look forward to the return of these stars to the court soon, with James, Durant, and Curry set to feature in the opening-night doubleheader on October 24. Wembanyama will make his much-anticipated debut with the San Antonio Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks, led by Luka Dončić, on October 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET, with the game airing on ESPN.
