It's A Homecoming for Spurs Star Victor Wembanyama At the 2024 Olympic Games
![Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) box out for a rebound during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) box out for a rebound during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2771,h_1558,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_spurs/01j3pp82eg8nw44z2j38.jpg)
Victor Wembanyama will make his Olympic debut for France on Saturday. The team will tackle Brazil. This is something that Wembanyama has worked his whole life for.
He spent all of last season getting used to the rigor of a professional game. He will face players from around the world that might have more Olympic experience than he does, but they certainly lack the size and skill set.
The 7-foot-4 San Antonio Spurs star is only 20. However, he did take the NBA by storm as he averaged 21.4 points along with 10.6 rebounds and a league high 3.6 blocked shots. It was an amazing year for Wembanyama who was voted the unanimous Rookie of the Year.
READ MORE: Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Wins NBA Rookie of the Year Award
He will pair with four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the French frontcourt to form France's greatest threat. Gobert stands 7-foot-1 and their defense will be tough to penetrate. They will have the tallest front line in recent history.
Wembanyama has the size of a center, but has the ball-handling skills of a point guard. He handles the ball so delicately that he can dish off a pass to an open shooter, or merely take two steps from the 3-point line and slam the ball in the hoop.
He has been yearning for the opportunity to play before his countrymen. He was too young to play in Tokyo in 2021. He's been waiting for home court advantage for years. This will be his first Olympic games and they will literally be in his own backyard.
READ MORE: Behind Wembanyama's American Adjustment & Return to France
France, despite their great front line, has not performed well in the exhibitions that they have played in. They lost to Germany, Serbia, Canada and Australia after first securing wins over Turkey and Australia.
“The will to do. I’ve never seen so much of it before in other teams,” Wembanyama said. “Our confidence is still very high. We know the road is not going to be smooth. There will be difficulties.”
The young str knows that the stakes are high playing for his country, in his country. France lost to the United States in the gold medal game in 2021. They start their path to glory against Brazil on Saturday in Lille's Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
“I've been preparing myself for the Games since I saw the Olympics on TV for the first time,” he said to NBC Olympics. “Growing up, my goal has changed. The Olympics are a unique event in the world of sports, the most important competition.”