PARIS — Victor Wembanyama walked off the court Thursday night with a two-inch-long slice over his left collarbone, and a tiny bloodstain on his white Team France jersey. He might have suffered that cut at pretty much any time in the previous 40 minutes of France's tense, thrilling semifinal victory over Germany. He'd just fought his way through a deeply physical game, and he was now quite literally carrying scars.
The fans at Bercy Arena — and around France, and around the United States — love Victor Wembanyama. But his Olympic opponents — Germany, in this case, for the second time these Games — don’t yet respect him. And the FIBA referees, who set an on-court tone that’s much closer to a street fight than highlight-film art, don’t coddle him.
The result is that France has reached the gold-medal game without a substantial assist from the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year and potential Best Player Ever.
Consider Germany’s very first possession of the game. Franz Wagner, who plays for Orlando and gives up a good five inches in height to Wembanyama, drove straight into the rangy Frenchman, backing him down and rolling in the game’s first points. Tone: Established.
The rest of the game was a mixture of inspirational and cringeworthy. France let Germany back into the game in the closing minutes, watching a 10-lead dwindle to as few as two. And with 10 seconds remaining, Wembanyama stood on the line with two free throws and a chance to ice the game. He went 1-of-2, missing the first, and Germany kept a faint pulse right until the final buzzer.
“A tournament like this, we don’t have as much time to practice,” Wembanyama said after the game, “but I know in big moments my shot is always there.” Maybe yes, maybe no, but his presence on the court undeniably changes the complexion of the game.
Wembanyama’s final numbers were volume-based — 11 points on 4 of 17 shooting, including 1 of 8 from three-point range, plus seven rebounds and four assists over 31:40 of playing time. His court vision is impeccable — he often found teammates cutting, or in transition, with a grace that a big man shouldn’t have. But he’s not yet adjusted to this style of international physicality.
The problem for Wembanyama right now is that he’s a gazelle on the open plain, and FIFA predators abound. Many of Germany’s defenders are burly, grizzled types who look like they’d be happier playing with a pint and a smoke. Wembanyama can’t go around them, and he damn sure can’t go through them. Fortunately for him and for French fans, France has plenty of bruisers of its own, guys who are going to crack skulls and reposition spines in the gold medal match.
“The national team, wearing this jersey brings us this different energy, you can see it,” Wembanyama said. “It’s something that we all feel. We love our jersey, we love our country, we’re willing to do this.”
Wembanyama is so early in his career that he’ll absolutely improve, if only because he’ll add size and muscle to his already elite-level touch. By then, these early wounds will have long healed. And he’ll be handing out scars, not receiving them.
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