New NBA star Victor Wembanyama has announced that he will not participate in the World Cup with the Blues
It was an expected decision and unfortunately, Victor Wembanyama has decided, he will not participate in the Basketball World Cup next August. “It would not be realistic in terms of development and not prudent in terms of health, explains the interested party. 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,” he told L’Equipe on Monday. June 26.
With his long season with the Mets, his first season in the NBA and the prospect of the Olympic Games in Paris, the choice of “Wemby” was difficult, but necessary, and his decision is irrevocable. A few days ago, during the draft, the player explained to the microphone of beIN Sports, wanting to wear the colors of France very high and received many tributes from Emmanuel Macron or Kylian Mbappé. “The pride of being the first number 1 in the French draft is incredible. That’s also why I do it. I will continue to wear the colors of France high. This is only the beginning.”
Adam Silver: “A unique opportunity for French basketball”
Asked by The Team just before the draft, NBA boss Adam Silver mentioned Victor Wembanyama, calling him lucky, perhaps unique, for French basketball. “It’s a chance that French basketball will perhaps only have once in its history, to show that it’s not just the already enormous legacy of Tony Parker, that there is more. To also show that Victor comes from a very powerful training system. A lot of inside players haven’t fulfilled their potential in the league. His strengths go beyond his size alone. His maturity exceeds his age and he already seems ready, confident, with a healthy entourage to handle it all.”
find out more
Short biography. Élodie de Fautereau gave birth to Victor Wembanyama on January 4, 2004 at Chesnay in the Yvelines. Growing up, the young man followed in the footsteps of his family, very invested in sport. His mother is a former basketball player who played in the 3rd division while his father is a triple jumper. His big sister Eve plays in the women’s Ligue 2 in Monaco. Cadet Oscar would be between two sports, basketball and handball.
Between 2011 and 2014, Victor Wembanyama wore the Chesnay Versailles 78 Entente jersey before joining the Nanterre 92 club at the age of 10. He remained there until 2020. In 2021 when he signed with the ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, he is designated as the best hope of the French Championship. A reward he received again in 2022 before joining the Metropolitans 92. In 2022, the new French darling left for friendly matches in the United States during which he received a host of praise from players. confirmed Americans such as LeBron James.
With 2m21, Victor Wembanyama can look down on many people. Its large size allows it quite easily to reach the basket located 3m05 from the ground (even with its 105 kilos). He is not the greatest basketball player in France since Vincent Pourchot exceeds him by one cm.
Standing, arms outstretched, Victor Wembanyama represents 2m43 of wingspan, more than any other player in the NBA at the moment. Rudy Gobert, for example, has an estimated wingspan of 2m35 and Giannis Antetokounmpo 2.21m. If it seems disproportionate, Manute Bol, a former Sudanese NBA player, had a wingspan of 2m59 at the time.
Victor Wembanyama’s father is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The basketball player therefore has Franco-Congolese origins.
Except surprise, Victor Wembanyama will be the first choice of the Draft in 2023. His talent has so dazzled the whole world that the NBA, for example, decided at the beginning of the year to broadcast all the matches of Metropolitans 92. And his margin of progress is still huge. According to Forbes, the prospect of Levallois-Perret has a 14% chance of joining the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs or the Detroit Pistons.
The Frenchman wears size 55 shoes on his feet. The average is 42 for a Frenchman. In the NBA, the most impressive shoe size was that of Shaquille O’Neal. The former glory of the Lakers was 63!
Victor Wembanyama’s multiple more than convincing performances earned him his first selection for the France team on September 3, 2022. Before being with the A’s, “Wemby” won the silver medal at the Euro in 2019 in U16. He also inherited second place with his teammates during the Under-19 World Cup, at the expense of the United States.
The destiny of Victor Wembanyama is promised to the NBA where he will undoubtedly hit the jackpot. While waiting to receive millions, Wemby would receive according to the Parisianbetween 15,000 and 20,000 euros monthly.