“IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT WINDOW”
Victor Wembanyama has returned to the French national team after his absence following the Paris 2024 Olympics. The San Antonio Spurs center believes these two weeks together are important for laying the foundations of a new cycle, as he spoke with L’Equipe.
“It’s a very important window to discover the staff and new teammates, to lay the foundations. The next summers could be done without it, but it’s better to start now.”
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“IT WASN’T DIFFICULT TO REINTEGRATE”
The French roster has changed, while Frédéric Fauthoux is also relatively new as head coach.
Wembanyama said returning to the national team was straightforward:
“Not at all. We’re all somewhat new, Freddy is relatively new as well. Evan has just come back. When you look at the group, I’ve played against or with almost everyone, except for one or two players.”
“I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE FRENCH FANS”
The Spurs star will play in front of French fans again after winning Olympic silver in Paris.
Wembanyama highlighted the growth of basketball in France and his excitement about returning to the national team in front of the home crowd:
“I’m very happy. I can’t wait for the game at Bercy and the one in Orléans, to see how the fans have evolved.”
“We know it’s a sport that is growing in France, and it’s been a long time since I’ve worn this jersey in front of the French public.”
“THE FRENCH JERSEY IS STRONGER THAN THE OTHERS”
For Wembanyama, playing for his country carries a different intensity compared with the NBA.
He explained why he considers the French jersey even more powerful than his Spurs jersey:
“It’s stronger because you wear it for much shorter periods. The intensity of an Olympic Games is a matter of weeks, so these are things that are played in the present moment.”
And most importantly:
“There are very few games in an international career. Every one of them really matters.”
A SUMMER OF LEARNING
After an intense season, Wembanyama tried to disconnect while continuing to learn from his experiences.
The Spurs center played down the idea of having had an exceptionally busy summer:
“I wouldn’t say I’ve had a busy summer, but a busy year. I tried to disconnect as much as I could this summer.”
He nevertheless emphasized the value of everything he experiences:
“Everything I learn in life helps me.”
He also highlighted the importance of his Spurs teammates visiting Paris:
“Having my Spurs teammates come to Paris was great in terms of building chemistry for the long term.”
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