However, Wembanyama and his teammates did not participate in Friday’s opening ceremony, a notable absence that turned Saturday’s 78-66 opening rout of Brazil into a big show. Faced with the pressure of being the host nation, why did France, who lived until her silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, change the pomp and circumstance of the Seine parade? The center is called Rudy Gobert The “safety and calm” of Lille, a beautiful city of 230,000 that hosts the team stage of the men’s and women’s basketball tournament.
The trip gave the French a chance to lick their wounds after going 2-4 in the exhibition, including losses to Germany, Serbia, Canada and Australia. He also let coach Vincent Collette advise Wembanyama on managing the high expectations that come with his first Olympics. France’s basketball program has produced a four-time NBA champion in Tony Parker and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year in Gobert, but Wembanyama is the country’s first basketball event — a stomping ground for soccer megastar Kylian Mbappé.
“People who know basketball know he’s 20 years old,” Collette said. “People who love sports but don’t know basketball think Victor is the old Michael Jordan. … A few days before the game, I felt a little tense. We talked together. All the team members tried to help him. He is very mature. Day by day he got better at that.”
1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and the heir apparent to a French team seeking its first Olympic gold, Lille is pleased with Wembanyama’s commitment. Last week, fans in the city center wore several versions of the jerseys, including the number 32 for France and the number 1 for Spurs. Bshop, the city’s premier basketball clothing store, built a large display in their honor next to the walls of Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Drummer-beaters cheered and murmured as Wenbanyama took control of the game in the second quarter inside a packed 27,000-strong suburban Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday. Many fans held a “Wemby” sign, including a young woman who proposed on the French tricolor flag.
Admiration aside, Wembanyama finds himself in a difficult spot. Although the men’s basketball tournament is one of its mainstays, the program’s mainstay is the newcomer on a veteran-dominated roster that includes Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier. The big question going into the games: Will Wembanyama fit into an experienced roster, or will the team be similar around him?
“I’m taking everything I’ve been given and connecting with my teammates a lot,” Wembaniyama said. “It’s about sacrifice. Inside, we have two of the best players and two front runners in the Euroleague. [NBA] Player of the year. We are all ready to give our place to the next person. The guys who have played together here for a long time know each other. I like the way they tried to install me in the system.”
It was Wembaniyama who set the pecking order as he shook France out of first-quarter nerves with stunning baskets in the paint. Twisted, stretched and dunked – using his game-changing wingspan to great effect against the Brazilian forward line, he did his best to stay away from the paint. Wembaniyama showed excellent technique to receive incoming packets, and made decisive and powerful moves with both hands to set up highlight dances.
Defensively, Wembaniyama and Gobert made their presence felt in the same possession, blocking shots and keeping Brazil’s guards out of the paint. Still, Collette has gone further than the 32-year-old Gobert in previous international tournaments. The French coach broke the ratio of the Twin Towers and created more attacking space and better chances for Wembanyama.
Midway through his Olympic debut, the prodigy dominated the national team. Wembaniyama finished with a hot streak of 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks, and capped the comeback victory with a lob dunk in the final minute.
“He’s obviously already our leader,” Collette said. “The main thing for Victor was to get inside, where he is sure to always dominate. If he plays a lot on the perimeter, he’s like any other player: some nights you make the shot, some nights you don’t.
Although France survived a flurry of backcourt play, the win was crucial to her medal hopes. France can almost guarantee a trip to Paris for the quarter-finals with a win over an overmatched Japan on Tuesday.
The French formula for a medal requires better production from the guards and more consistent strength in defence. Even if those plans don’t materialize, Wembanyama should get the chance to test the game’s full potential, thanks to the French veteran, who will recognize that the program’s future is ahead of schedule.
“[Wembanyama] He knows who it is,” Batum said. “He knows what he has to do to be great. Take us home. It’s yours now. He will not be afraid for the time being.”