After Victor Wembanyama missed EuroBasket 2022 due to an injury, there was hope that he’d be playing at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but the 19-year-old is set to miss his second major tournament in a row.
In an interview on Sunday with L’Equipe, Wembanyama stated it was a “difficult” but “irrevocable” decision for him to skip the World Cup.
“It would not be realistic in terms of development and not prudent in terms of health,” Wembanyama told L’Equipe. “I hope people will understand. It’s frustrating for me too. The France team is still as central. I want to win as many titles as possible with her. But I think it’s a necessary sacrifice.”
Wembanyama just played every game in the French League this past season and plans to play every game in this upcoming NBA season, so it might not have been a wise decision health-wise, to play at the World Cup. He did make it clear though that the San Antonio Spurs would have let him play if he wanted to, which dismissed the idea that they might have told him to not play.
“The Spurs would have supported me whatever my choice had been,” Wembanyama said.
It would have been quite controversial if it had come out that the Spurs played a role here. It is just Wembanyama being cautious with his health and he is perhaps looking toward the big event next year, the Olympics in Paris.
Victor Wembanyama Is Eyeing The Gold Medal At The Paris Olympics
The Olympics are always so special but it’s more so the case when it’s in your own country. Wembanyama stated that the 2024 Paris Olympics would be the perfect occasion for him to win his first title with the national team. He also added that his goal would be to beat Team USA in the final.
The French have reached the gold medal game three times in their history (1948, 2000, and 2020), and on all three occasions, it was the U.S. that beat them. Wembanyama might just be the one to help them finally get over the line after years of heartbreak.
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