Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama anchors important French Olympic mission

Victor Wembanyama at the forefront of Team France

In addition to Victor Wembanyama and the Minnesota Timberwolves defensive ace, France will sport a roster that includes veteran Nicolas Batum of the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons swingman Evan Fournier. The Spurs 7-foot-4 marvel has made no bones about his excitement in representing his homeland.

“It’s huge. I’ve been eager to go back to France for some time now,” Wembanyama said right when his Rookie of the Year season ended. “It’s just going to be incredible.”

“A part from the basketball performance, I’m not even expecting anything. Because it’s one of my dreams to play in the Olympics, I’m just going to enjoy the moment and when I’m on the court give two hundred percent as I do every time I wear this jersey,” Wembanyama, whose native Paris will host this summer’s Olympics, continued.

“It’s going to be just incredible and I’m going to be here like a kid to enjoy the moment.”

The preliminary French roster includes several other players who suited up in the NBA this season: Washington Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng, and recent Piston Killian Hayes.

Wemby keeps the San Antonio Spurs in mind this summer

Spurs fans will appreciate that their generational talent has the Silver and Black very much on the brain as he gets set to fulfill a lifelong dream.

“There’s a time to relax, of course. It might be very short in the year, like two weeks, but it’s got to be the most relaxing two weeks,” Wembanyama said during last weekend’s Rookie of the Year award ceremony. “We have to be the best at working out but also the best at resting. It’s a very important part.”

The top pick of last year’s draft then detailed the importance of utilizing the time he’ll get this month and next with his Silver and Black teammates.

“Once it’s [resting] done, we get into this routine that we can’t really do during the season by practicing as hard as we can in that short period of time I have until I join the preparation team with the national team.”

The 20-year-old center revealed he has been back home since his NBA season ended a month ago.

“This summer is special because it’s pretty busy. I’m still going to have time and I’ve had time to relax already in France a little bit with my family and now I’m going to have time to practice. I’m going to have just a little bit of time after the Olympics hopefully to work out before the season.”

In looking to avenge the 2020 Gold Medal contest loss to the United States – perhaps in the championship game – Wembanyama isn’t losing focus of his main team in the U.S.