Victor Wembanyama and France are set to face a stern test in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics’ basketball tournament, as they’ll take on the undefeated Team Canada. The North American roster are heavy favorites to eliminate the hosts and many believe France’s hopes hinge on the 20-year-old star putting forth a stellar performance. However, Jeremy Sochan feels that’s an unfair expectation.
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When Spurs beat reporter Dusty Garza claimed that the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year would be under pressure to carry his nation past the strong Canadian roster, the Spurs star dismissed the notion that it’s the youngster’s responsibility. He posted on X,
“There’s no pressure… Let bro be him, the rest will be history!”
There’s no pressure… Let bro be him, the rest will be history! ⭐️❤️ https://t.co/AP9Xkbrbyi
— Jeremy Sochan (@JeremySochan) August 3, 2024
While Wembanyama is the most revered star on the French Olympic roster, he’s also the team’s second-youngest player behind Bilal Coulibaly. The 12-man unit boasts seasoned NBA veterans like four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Los Angeles Clippers star and team captain Nicholas Batum, former Knicks guard Evan Fournier and the 2017 first-round pick Frank Ntilikina.
As Sochan suggested, expecting a 20-year-old to carry the hopes of a team with four experienced stars is unfair. But to Wembanyama’s credit, and perhaps his bane, he’s taken over the mantle of being the team’s first option on offense.
Victor Wembanyama’s stellar Olympic debut
The Spurs star is putting on a show in his maiden Olympics campaign in his home country. In his Summer Games debut against Brazil, Wembanyama filled up the stat sheet in a 78-66 win for France. He registered 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals, three blocks, and two assists in an exceptional outing.
In France’s second group stage game, the 20-year-old superstar scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished six assists, stole the ball twice, and blocked two shots in a masterful display against a hapless Japanese team. Every contribution from Wembanyama proved critical as France narrowly beat Japan 94-90 and maintained their perfect start to the tournament.
Reigning FIBA World Cup champions Germany was next in line to be on the receiving end of a Wembanyama masterclass. However, the experienced roster limited the Frenchman to 14 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, one assist, and a block and handed the hosts a 14-point loss.
The defeat has made France’s path to the gold medal extremely challenging. They’ll have to beat the star-studded Canadian team to advance to the semifinal, where they’ll likely meet Germany. If they upstage the reigning world champions, they’ll potentially face Team USA in the gold medal match.
Team Canada is expected to end Wembanyama and France’s Olympics campaign. However, the Spurs star showcased multiple times during his rookie season that he can lead an underdog to victory. It’s a daunting challenge, but the 20-year-old will face it head-on.
