Victor Wembanyama, France’s new captain and the biggest star of the national team, spoke about the game against Serbia, upcoming game against Slovenia, as well as the national team’s long-term goals.
The San Antonio Spurs superstar reflected on the games against Serbia, explaining that taking difficult shots and making tough decisions was not a matter of acting like the captain, but rather taking responsibility as a player:
“Those weren’t initiatives I took as the captain, but as a player who carries responsibility. You simply have to try those things because we hadn’t played competitive games for a long time. It was the best way for us to see what works and what doesn’t, and in a way, shake off the rust.”
He also discussed returning to the official FIBA ball, emphasizing that it is an adjustment faced by all basketball players, regardless if they play in the NBA or Europe:
“The adjustment isn’t a challenge only for NBA players. The same goes for guys from the EuroLeague or the LNB Pro A. The FIBA ball simply isn’t popular among players at all, and that’s probably the best way to describe the whole situation.”
What a drama between France and Serbia 🇫🇷🇷🇸
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 23, 2026
Jaylen Hoard lays it in for THE WIN 😳#FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/VQjUxnQ1LT
Slovenia without Luka Doncic
The upcoming game against Slovenia will take place without Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic:
“People always talk about those things, but that’s not our mentality. I don’t ask myself whether it’s better or worse for us. We have to approach games and opponents based on the reality of the moment and the rosters they bring. The truth is, I’m a little disappointed that Luka won’t play, but there will be opportunities for those matchups later in our careers.”
Chasing FIBA World Cup trophy
The long-term ambitions of the leader of France’s new generation are to win gold medals with national team, with particular focus on the upcoming FIBA World Cup:
“The fans, the federation and the players – we all want titles, and that comes before everything else. French basketball has huge potential to continue growing, whether we’re talking about the senior team, the youth national teams or the development of young players.
The next FIBA World Cup is extremely important to us because it’s a competition that France has never won in its history. Even if we had won it before, I would want to win it again! On top of that, it also provides a direct ticket to the Olympic Games.”
Experimenting at power forward alongside Rudy Gobert
Finally, France’s biggest star discussed his role at power forward, which he has occupied in certain lineups while Rudy Gobert plays center:
“The main differences between the two positions are pretty obvious. The power forward role is somewhat more passive, although that depends on the type of player and the tactics. Of course, I enjoy playing with Rudy and having a player of his defensive caliber alongside me.
It puts me in situations that aren’t part of my everyday game, such as throwing lob passes. I don’t do that very often, but I absolutely love doing it. That’s something we need to continue testing because we’re definitely going to need it in the years ahead,” Wembanyama concluded.
