In a friendly match before the 2027 FIBA World Cup, Victor Wembanyama and France took on Nikola Jokic and Serbia. Both teams are expected to be heavyweights both in Qatar and at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In Belgrade, though, Jokic and company had an advantage.
Jokic finished with 20 points to go with nine rebounds and eight dimes. Wembanyama, on the other hand, scored only ten points, and France lost by three.
Despite FIBA rules allowing for more physicality than the NBA, no one really wanted to risk injury, especially in a friendly. Wembanyama did manage to block Jokic at the rim once, but for the most part, stayed outside the paint to preserve himself.
While Wemby didn’t bring the same intensity he usually does–thanks to the low stakes of the contest–he does seem ready to handle anything FIBA throws at him.
If that’s the case, then the NBA is in trouble.
Victor Wembanyama Explains FIBA Physicality
In FIBA, there is no defensive three seconds, any ball that hits the rim is live (even if it’s above the cylinder), and officials generally let more pushing and shoving slide.
Fans who complain that the modern game is “soft” tend to appreciate international play a bit more. However, in the matchup between France and Serbia, the stars weren’t pulling out all the stops.
“I don’t know how it looked, but I don’t think it was a physical game,” said Wemby of the matchup with Jokic. “There was a lot of respect from both sides. One situation was maybe a bit more aggressive, but besides that, there weren’t any chippy moments. Clean games from both sides.”
On Thursday, August 27, Wembanyama and the French team will take on Slovenia. Three days after that, they host Sweden. Both of those games are real qualifying matches, with World Cup seeding on the line.
Against Serbia, there was a gentlemen’s agreement to limit the physicality. In the next two games, that won’t be the case.
For Spurs fans who have watched Wemby hit the floor one too many times, seeing him ready and eager to stand up to opponents like the Europeans should be a thrilling sight. Wembanyama has made physical training his offseason priority this summer, so it’s good to see him already practicing things.
Of course, until the Olympics or World Cup, expect Wembanyama to play with a degree of caution. Still, seeing him embrace the physicality, suggesting that he misses it, should excite fans.
Leave a Reply