The NBA’s reigning rookie of the year dazzles in France’s win over Brazil to open group play.
France center Victor Wembanyama overwhelmed Brazil during a 78-66 victory in their Paris Olympics opener in Lille, France, on Saturday.
Yet Wembanyama and his teammates didn’t participate in Friday’s Opening Ceremonies, a notable absence that turned their 78-66 opening win over Brazil on Saturday into a grand reveal for the 7-foot-4 sensation.
Putting aside the adulation, Wembanyama finds himself in a tricky spot. Despite being one of the headliners of the men’s basketball tournament, he’s also the new guy on a veteran-dominated roster that includes program mainstays Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier. The big question entering Saturday: Would Wembanyama fit into the experienced roster, or would the group morph around him?
On the defensive end, Wembanyama and Gobert made their presence felt by blocking shots on the same possession and scaring Brazil’s guards out of the paint. Even so, Collet went away from the 32-year-old Gobert more than he has in past international tournaments. By breaking up his twin towers combination, France’s coach created more offensive space and better scoring opportunities for Wembanyama.By halftime of his Olympic debut, the 20-year-old prodigy had seized control of his national team.
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