Victor Wembanyama debut: 20-point near double-double against Lithuania / News - Basketnews.com

Victor Wembanyama makes his official debut for the French national team against Lithuania in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers window matchup.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Having previously played only for youth French teams, Victor Wembanyama makes his national team debut today in a 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers match against Lithuania.

Player of the Game EFF 23 Victor Wembanyama Points 20 Accuracy 6-13 Rebounds 9 Assists 1

The projected no. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama arrived as the biggest star of the French roster. On the other side of the court was a team comprised of mostly Lithuanian EuroCup and Basketball Champions League players.

France's head coach Vincent Collet actually compared Wembanyama to Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis in an interview with BasketNews before the match.

"Victor is like Arvydas Sabonis. Not as strong as Sabonis, but with the same skills," he said. "For sure, Sabonis was a mountain, and Victor is really skinny. But they're both 2.21 m and the same size. And Victor is not only a tall guy. He's superb in skills."

The French wunderkind finished the game with 20 points on 6-for-13 shooting, making all 7 free throws, and grabbing 9 rebounds for 23 PIR.

All of Wembanyama's matches for the French national team can be viewed on Courtside 1891, the official platform for all FIBA basketball events. With an exclusive BN15-W5 code, BasketNews readers can receive a 15% discount on the Courtside 1891 subscription.

Victor Wembanyama highlights

Wembanyama's thoughts after the match:

Victor Wembanyama interview before the match:

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