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LILLE, France — Victor Wembanyama was nervous.
The 20-year-old phenom, who spent his entire rookie NBA season showing why he deserved every ounce of his extraordinary hype and has the comfort of his homeland behind him for his first Olympics, spent the days leading up to Saturday’s debut against Brazil nervous.
Even though he didn’t show it once the match finally arrived.
Wembanyama’s scoresheet for his first game on this special stage revealed nothing of his angst, as he finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in France’s 78-66 victory at Stade Pierre Mauroy. Ditto for his highlights, including a left-handed dunk that had teammate Nicolas Batum saying “What the f—?” as he watched from the basket.
But as his coach Vincent Collet confided, Wembanyama is not immune to the pressure that has weighed on him for so many years. What is remarkable, and what was made visible to the whole world during his first official match on this special stage, is that he continues to give his all when it is necessary to perform.
“I think for the first time in his career he was a little bit stressed,” Collet said. “This week, I would say three days before the game, I felt he was a little bit stressed. So we talked together and with everyone around, (his) teammates, (the) rest of the staff, and we tried to help him. And I think he is so mature, day by day he got better and he just wanted to start.”
“He was a little nervous. In France, everyone is waiting for him like – I don’t know what word to use, but everyone is waiting for him. There are people who know basketball and understand that he’s only 20 years old. But people who like sports but don’t know basketball think that Victor is already Michael Jordan. But you have to take your time. You have to take your time.”
An American journalist, apparently joking, joked that Wembanyama was not far behind MJ.
“Ah, he’s not far…” said Collet, smiling.
Beyond any exaggeration, Wembanyama’s night was a mesmerizing spectacle of basketball. Despite his age, he is the alpha male and the face of the future of this French team that boasts veterans like Batum, Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, the 31-year-old veteran who last played for the Detroit Pistons. Those three have led their national program for so many years now. Wembanyama’s two-way brilliance, coupled with physical abilities that Brazilian great (and former NBA player) Bruno Caboclo called “inhuman,” already demands that the French find a way to maximize their young phenom as quickly as possible. Especially in light of Joel Embiid’s controversial decision to play for Team USA rather than join the French.
But as Collet made clear, it was a process that was a major talking point among his team-mates, his coach, the opposition players and Wembanyama himself afterwards. Here is a compendium of what they all saw on that historic night at Wemby.
Nicolas Batum
It’s easy to play basketball with him. It’s easy. It’s the size first, but he knows how to play. I’ve played with so many great players in my career, but playing with a young guy like him with such a high IQ, it’s easy to play with him, around him, know how to get him the ball. I mean, he’s so good. The defense is so drawn to him, so we just try to put him in the right spots so we can play around him.
The two big guys inside (along with Gobert, the four-time NBA defensive player of the year for the Minnesota Timberwolves) are an incredible thing to play defensively. I’ve never played with two guys like that before. So tonight I was like, ‘Let me (guard) the point guard. If you’re driving, good luck.’ (Laughs)
(Wembanyama) knows who he is. He knows what he has to do to be great. On one play, he said to me, ‘OK, I’m going to screen.’ I said, ‘No, no, no, no. Stay there, get the ball and play. Bring us home. That’s who you are right now.’ He’s not afraid right now. He showed that in the first half.
Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points in his first Olympic performance for France, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama
It’s about taking everything that’s given to me and communicating a lot with my teammates. You know, it’s about sacrifices, I would say. We’re all here for a reason. We’re all willing to give up our spot to the next guy. So that’s what it’s about.
The guys here that have been playing together for a long time, I mean, I think Nic (Batum) and the coach know each other, they first played together 20 years ago. So they know each other, and I like the way they tried to integrate me into the system.
To that end, Collet has made it clear that he wants Wembanyama to spend the majority of his time in the paint at the Games. While his outside skills are developing (Wembanyama averaged 5.5 three-point attempts last season and shot 32.5 percent from three-point range), the French team believes it’s best to use him deep.
Vincent Collet
For Victor, the key is to go inside, where he’s sure to dominate every time. If he plays too much on the periphery, he’s like any other player. Some nights you make your shots, and other nights you don’t. And when you’re stressed, you’re more likely to not make them.
Even as a leader, he can’t win by himself. He needs the help of his teammates, and that’s what they did. Batum, especially tonight, but others too, I think we can’t be good if we don’t find that chemistry, for sure. Victor is our target offensively, but we have to find a way to get everybody involved.
Evan Fournier
I mean, we’re still trying to figure it out (with Wembanyama). Playing with Rudy (Gobert) and him presents challenges offensively, in terms of positioning. Offensively, he can do so many things, (but) sometimes he struggles to stay in his spacing. He’s always cutting and moving because he sees opportunities. We’ve only played together three weeks with Vic, so we’re trying to get him the ball closer to the basket, obviously, with good matchups. That’s the key for us. We’re still trying to figure it out, and hopefully we can help him. … As far as getting him to play our style of basketball with him, I think we should help him.
Bruno Caboclo
I think he didn’t miss a goal in the second quarter and France was counting on him. So they took advantage of that. In the second half, he didn’t score much, so the guys had to make moves. We tried to make a run to reduce the score, but France played better. I think they tried to understand how to play with him and Gobert together. He’s also finding his rhythm to play in the national team with these new guys. So I think it’s going to take time to know what everyone can do together, and I think they have a bright future. It’s just a matter of time (for Wembanyama). He’s going to continue to improve. He’s very young and he has no limits.
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(Top photo: Christina Pahnke – sampics / Getty Images)