Less than two months after the silver medal brought back from the Euro, the French team is reunited again.
Without NBA players or Euroleague players, the Blues play two matches counting for qualification for the 2023 World Cup, Friday November 11 in Lithuania and Monday November 14 in Pau against Bosnia.
With two victories, France will be qualified and it intends to achieve this on its planetary phenomenon.
At 18, Victor Wembanyama honors his first selection for the France team this week.
The one that the specialists announce in the first place of the future NBA draft approaches this fundamental stage of his career with an astonishing hindsight and maturity.
Spared during training on Tuesday morning due to a slight ankle injury suffered on Friday evening against Limoges,
How do you live with everything that has been happening around you for the past few weeks?
Victor Wembanyama.
So... (he thinks)... How can I tell you?
Very good, really very, very good.
I have never been so focused on my project.
Frankly, I live all this in the best way.
I'm ultimately someone who works best when I have a lot of work to do.
I am well organized: I have good days, long nights and everything is going very well, I assure you.
It seems almost surprising...
Because for me, it's nothing new.
I've been preparing for all of this since I was born.
The more time passes, the more I feel that my goals are palpable and there is more and more excitement and concentration.
I am fully focused on my projects.
Read alsoWhen Michael Douglas travels to Levallois to see Victor Wembanyama
What are they ?
Becoming the greatest player of all time doesn't seem impossible...
There are different things in my project in the short, medium and long term.
Most of these things I keep to myself, but the one I can entrust to you is to be the number 1 pick in the next NBA draft.
"It's in my mind to always try to innovate"
How do you manage to come up with completely crazy gestures almost every game?
Do you want to talk about the three-point basket against Limoges on Friday?
It is a controlled gesture that I have been working on for several months.
It's in my mind to always try to innovate, to score a lot of points, to get a lot of rebounds.
Countering is good but I have to constantly adapt otherwise the opponents will end up reading my game. You have to shock, always shock.
Victor Wembanyama's handle 🤯 pic.twitter.com/UCCGSeyzpO
— NBA (@NBA) November 4, 2022
Returning to the Paris region to your origins (he was born in Chesnay and trained in Nanterre) and close to your loved ones, does it help your rapid progress?
Sure.
I'm completely focused on everything I have to do and if I manage to do it, it's thanks to those around me, my parents who help me a lot.
I know I'm going through maybe the most important year of my life and being close to my family is an important part.
It's paying off pretty well so far
(he smiles)
.
What does Vincent Collet, your coach at Boulogne-Levallois and your coach in Blue, bring you?
He is one of the main reasons why I joined Boulogne-Levallois.
I spoke with him a lot before and since I arrived, I think he is my best asset.
I knew what to expect but he still managed to surprise me with his knowledge, his involvement.
Read also"The charisma of LeBron, the address of Curry and the agility of Durant": how Victor Wembanyama conquered America
How do you experience this first meeting with the France team?
It's not quite the first time I've worn the France team jersey.
I have already had this pleasure and this honor with the youth teams.
Today like yesterday, it's the same thing: I always find an additional motivation to wear this jersey.
Fighting for your country is always different and it gives you great inner energy.
“I will try to bring my energy and pleasure”
Do you already have the “blue fiber”?
Of course, thanks in particular to my passages in the young teams.
The France team is something important to me, it's a major project: it will always remain in the back of my mind.
I have lots of memories of the France team that I watched at the Olympic Games in London and Rio.
I remember Nico Batum's block in the semi-final in Tokyo
(against Slovenia, a decisive gesture to qualify for the final)
.
When I played at Nanterre or Asvel against players I watched on TV, the emotion was important to me.
Since noon Victor Wembanyama's jersey is available on the FFBB Store, the official store @ffbasketball 🤩#TeamFranceBasket x @vicw_32 |
#PassionatelyBlue
– French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) November 8, 2022
How do you envisage your first selection on Friday in Lithuania?
I will try to include myself in the project, to adapt to the environment by watching how it goes to bring two victories to the France team.
What exactly do you think you can bring to the France team?
(He thinks…) On the ground, freshness, presence.
At all levels but especially in the France team, the main thing starts with defense.
In this sector, I will try to bring my energy and pleasure.
Did you speak with Vincent Collet about this first selection?
A little bit but not that much either.
With Boulogne-Levallois
(whose Collet is also the coach)
, we work a lot and we don't have much time.
With a coach like him on top of that, you can't hope not to work a lot.
You did your first training in Blue in Nanterre in the hall where you played until 2021: how did you feel?
It's an interesting question.
It made me happy and good.
Performing a few shots in this room in which I feel so good was very pleasant.
I know the baskets, the parquet and objectively, the sports hall here in Nanterre is one of the most beautiful halls in France.
It did something for me to come back there.