Victor Wembanyama adjusting to FIBA play: “It’s the ball”

Preparations for the upcoming FIBA window continue as Victor Wembanyama reinforces France’s bid for a FIBA World Cup ticket. After a narrow friendly loss to Nikola Jokic and Serbia in Belgrade Arena on Thursday, Wembanyama offered an assessment of his current form with the senior national team of France. "I feel a bit rusty. We are still trying to get into rhythm and find patterns. We fought until the end, and I’m especially happy because of that," he stated during his postgame media session. Despite the intense baseline battle against 31-year-old Jokic, the 22-year-old center downplayed any narrative of excessive physical hostility. "I don’t know how it looked, but I don’t think it was a physical game tonight. 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," he mentioned. When asked to identify the primary adjustment required when transitioning between NBA and FIBA play, he pinpointed a fundamental equipment change: "Above all, it’s the ball we are playing with. There are plenty of differences compared to the NBA, but this is one of the biggest." This matchup was the first of two tune-ups for Frederic Fauthoux’s squad, which will face Serbia again in Orleans on Sunday before entering Group L of the European Qualifiers in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. Heading into the FIBA window, France holds a dominant 5–1 record from the previous stage, a feat accomplished while Wembanyama was sidelined. Now available, the Le Chesnay native will spearhead the roster for official showdowns against Slovenia in Paris next Thursday and Sweden in Stockholm next Sunday. Following these international duties, he will return to the United States to shift his focus back to the San Antonio Spurs for the NBA Preseason.