The 20-year-old, 2.24-metre NBA rookie of the year is a blend of world-class talent, charisma and authenticity – and he has a rare cultural influence.
The easiest way to ascertain which French athletes have the most local cut-through is by observing the bromances of Emmanuel Macron. No need to pick out familiar faces on the giant billboards, statues and street art accessorising the centre of Paris; simply follow the president’s Twitter account for exhaustive relationship timelines.
This time last year, as Macron made overtures to keep Mbappe at PSG , he was also discreetly hosting Victor Wembanyama at the Elysee Palace just before the then 19-year-old’s first NBA draft. When San Antonio Spurs confirmed the young basketballer as the first Frenchman to be first pick, Macron tweeted. “You’re already making us dream,” he gushed. “No doubt about it: you’ll change the game!”
And as much as that translates into pressure on a French basketball team with middling recent results to better the silver medal they claimed in Tokyo, it is also a marker of a national obsession not unlike Australia had with the Matildas in 2023. That phenomenon which occurs when an athlete or team resonates equally with both devoted sports fans and peripheral followers.
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