France’s Victor Wembanyama, NBA Rookie of the Year, played through discomfort during Team France’s overtime victory against Japan on Tuesday at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
According to reports from the Associated Press and ESPN, the San Antonio Spurs center was seen clutching his lower right leg after a quick trip off the court late in the first quarter. Additionally, he appeared to favor his left hip at several points during the game. Wembanyama admitted afterward that while his hip wasn’t an issue, he was experiencing pain in “other places.”
Despite these setbacks, Wembanyama delivered a historic performance.
Standing tall against his opponents, especially Team Japan guard Yuki Togashi, Wembanyama dominated the court. A key moment came when France’s Matthew Strazel hit a game-tying four-point play with 10.2 seconds left in regulation, pushing the game into overtime.
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The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick was the standout player of the game.
Another pivotal incident occurred when Japan’s power forward Rui Hachimura was ejected early in the fourth quarter after receiving his second unsportsmanlike foul.
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With this win, France is now 2-0 and in a strong position to advance out of Group B.
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