NBA star Victor Wembanyama will make his return to the French national basketball team for the first time since the 2024 Olympics, the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) announced on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Wembanyama, 22, has been named in the squad for the initial two matches of the main qualifying round for the 2027 World Cup, scheduled for the end of August against Slovenia and Sweden. He will also participate in two warm-up games against Serbia one week prior to the qualifiers.

The young star had to withdraw from Euro 2025 after not fully recovering from a venous thrombosis in his right shoulder, which prematurely ended his 2024/25 season.

French national team coach Frederic Fauthoux described Wembanyama's return as "extremely important for the future of the project we want to pursue," adding, "Victor is the undisputed leader of this generation. We need him here so that a relationship can develop with the rest of the squad, both on and off the court."

Wembanyama was the number one overall pick for the first time, taking over from Vincent Collet following the Paris Games. At the 2024 Olympics, Les Bleus lost the final to the United States 98–87, with Wembanyama finishing as the top scorer with 26 points and seven rebounds.

In the last NBA season, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, an NBA-best 3.1 blocked shots, and 1.0 steals per game for the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs reached the NBA Finals but lost to the New York Knicks. Wembanyama was unanimously voted the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead the Spurs to the second-best league record at 62-20. In his first NBA playoff run, he helped the Spurs defeat Portland, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City to reach the finals.

Sources

France 24 English