After Germany won the FIBA World Cup last month, many NBA players are already looking forward to representing their countries in the Olympics next summer. As American players consider joining Team USA following the team’s fourth place finish in the World Cup, players from other nations also want to help their countries in the upcoming international competitions.
The latest to commit to playing next summer is Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who didn’t play in the World Cup as he prepares for his first NBA season.
“Performing well at the Olympics would be a great story,” Wembanyama said to French media, via ESPN. “I’ll be present at the Olympics, and there’s no other goal than gold.”
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France had one of the most disappointing finishes in the World Cup, lasting just two games before getting eliminated despite having NBA players like Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert and Nicolas Batum on the roster.
However, the team will not only get a reprieve next Summer, but France gets to benefit from hosting the Olympics in Paris. Therefore, Wembanyama will get to play for his country as a host for the only time in his career.
In the last Olympics, France lost to Japan in the semifinals but earned a bronze medal by defeating Serbia in the third-place game. Next Summer, though, Wembanyama is looking to lead the team to greater heights.
