By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
During his SKWEEK conversation with former San Antonio Spurs playmaker and current ASVEL’s president Tony Parker in which he also revealed his first meeting with Gregg Popovich, Victor Wembanyama commented on the French national team.
Tony Parker asked him about his availability for the summer of 2024. “I won’t speak about the French national team, of what happened at the World Cup. It’s in the history books. That can happen to any team and we won three medals. If you’re healthy, can we say today that you want to play at the Olympics?”, he requested. “Yeah, of course”, the 1st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft replied.
Victor Wembanyama went on to speak about missing the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where France was eliminated in the Group Stage. “My decision to not play at the World Cup was also for my health”, he first said. “I agree with you 100%. I know what it means to go season after season: 1st pick in the Draft, the pressure there is in San Antonio”, Tony Parker followed.
The former San Antonio point guard spoke about the pressure he has to go through. “I think people in France don’t realize that there’s that pressure. And that you have to be ready, you have time”, he stated. “My goal is to be there for the French national team for decades to come if possible”, Victor Wembanyama revealed.
Playing four encounters under his former Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 head coach Vincent Collet rocking the French national team jersey, the 19-year-old likely generational talent averaged 19.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
PHOTO CREDIT: 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers