Playing on the world’s biggest stage with the added pressure of competing in his home country, Victor Wembanyama didn’t seem fazed. In France’s 78-66 opening match win against Brazil on Saturday in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, the 7-foot-4 phenom and his teammate Nicolas Batum each scored a game-high 19 points.
The French men’s basketball national team is competing in Group B, which includes Brazil, Germany, and Japan. Earlier in the day, Germany defeated Japan 97-77.
Brazil started the game aggressively, preventing Wembanyama from asserting himself early. He missed France’s first shot attempt, a 3-pointer, just 21 seconds into the game. However, he scored his first Olympic field goal after grabbing an offensive rebound at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter. Despite Brazil taking an eight-point lead into the second quarter, Wembanyama gradually found his rhythm.
A key moment for Wembanyama came late in the first half with Brazil holding a four-point lead. France managed to wrestle the lead away just before halftime and maintained control for the rest of the game. The French team’s defense shined in the second half, holding Brazil to just three made field goals in the third quarter.
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Wembanyama finished the game with an efficient 7-for-13 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds in 31 minutes. Batum, who recently signed a free-agent deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, went 6-for-13 and made three 3-pointers.
France’s next Group B match is set against Japan on Tuesday.
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