By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Lille, France—France survived Japan thanks to a four-point play by Matthew Strazel in the dying moments of the fourth quarter. Then Victor Wembanyama took matters into his own hands in overtime, securing France’s second victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Vincent Collet’s side struggled, but led by the NBA Rookie of the Year, they pulled through in the added five minutes. Wemby tried to explain what happened.
“It was about realizing the dynamics of the game. They were playing like underdogs, and I wanted to make a point, punch first in overtime, and I think it worked.”
He gave credit to the valiant Japanese team, which was on the verge of causing a major upset at the Olympics.
“They definitely mastered their style. Of course, I don’t think, except for the guys who’ve played against Japan before, we’ve experienced such a team. We have to give props and respect to them because they really know how to use their strengths. We could learn from them.”
Even though Wembanyama pushed France to victory, nothing would have been possible without Strazel’s off-balance three-pointer while being fouled.
“Well, you know, even though I know Matthew, it’s probably the best shot of his life. It’s always a chance to witness these kinds of scenarios.”
The San Antonio Spurs star believes there is a bright future ahead for the Monaco point guard, whose inclusion in the final roster surprised many after he played only 17 games in the EuroLeague last season.
“He represents the slow grind mentality. He’s really taken the slow path, the hard path at the professional level, earning every single one of his minutes. And it’s paying off. I’m sure that in a couple of years, if not a couple of months, he’ll have a major role on his EuroLeague team. He has other tools to have a major role here as well, so his career deserves a lot of respect now and in the future.”
Wembanyama also admitted it was a physical game, and he was seen grabbing his hip a couple of times.
“No, no, not the hip, just all over, but not the hip,” Victor Wembanyama concluded.