Credit: USA Today Sports
Victor Wembanyama, the No.1 draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft, in a reversal of his decision, has announced that he will not play for France in the FIBA World Cup this summer. The 19-year-old center said that he will focus on preparing for his rookie season with the Spurs and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Wembanyama, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising prospects in basketball history, made his decision after consulting with his personal medical staff and the Spurs. He cited the need for realistic development and prudent health considerations, as he would be playing too many games in a short span of time.
The 7-foot-3 French international said, "It would not be realistic in terms of development and not prudent in terms of health. I hope people will understand. It's frustrating for me, too. The France team is still central for me. I want to win as many titles as possible with the team. But I think it's a necessary sacrifice."
The Spurs rookie played a total of 62 games this season with Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in reaching the French League Finals. Including his first season with the Spurs and plans for the Olympics, he calculated he was looking at playing about 170 games in a 24-month span. This hectic schedule put the FIBAs a little too far and the player has prioritized the Olympics and the NBA season.
Wembanyama is expected to play in Summer League with the Spurs in the coming weeks but it remains unclear if he’ll participate in the California Classic that Sacramento will play host to starting July 3 or the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas that starts July 7, or both.
Wembanyama's decision came as a blow for the French national team, who had high hopes of contending for the World Cup title with him on their roster. France are placed in Group H along with Lebanon, Latvia, and Canada. The World Cup will take place from August 25 to September 10 in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
