Wembanyama will be aiming for gold with France at Paris Olympics

FILE – France’s manager Vincent Collet (L) and Victor Wembanyama talk before the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers match between France and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Pau, southwestern France, on November 14, 2022. (Photo by GAIZKA IROZ / AFP)

PARIS — Victor Wembanyama will be aiming for the gold medal with France at the Paris Olympics.

The San Antonio Spurs rookie reaffirmed his commitment to France’s national squad at the Summer Games next year in his home country. He spoke in the wake of France’s poor showing at the Fiba World Cup last month, where he did not play.

“Performing well at the Olympics would be a great story,” Wembanyama told French media. “I’ll be present at the Olympics, and there’s no other goal than gold.”

“The World Cup was very disappointing,” he was quoted as saying on Tuesday. “But I have no judgment to make as I wasn’t there.”

The No. 1 draft pick had decided not to play at the World Cup in order to prepare for his rookie season.

France came to the World Cup as the reigning Olympic silver medalist but failed to qualify for the second round.