Wembanyama bids adieu to France with a defeat as NBA Draft nears

PARIS (AP) —Adieu France, hello America.

They werehugs of goodbye — not of joy — for Victor Wembanyama as he bidfarewell to his teammates and the French league, before jetting offfor whatmanypredictwill be a glittering NBA career.

Wembanyama’sperformance — 22 points, seven rebounds and four blocks — couldn’tprevent his Boulogne-Levallois team losing 92-85 to Monaco in amust-win Game 3 in the best-of-five French league championshipseries on Thursday.

Toaccommodate escalating interest in seeing the19-year-oldFrenchprodigy, Game 3 — and 4 if they had won — were switched from a4,000-seat venue to Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, homeof the French Open tennis championship which seatsmore than 14,000.

Fans sang“Merci, Wemby” asthehugely popular Wembanyamawaved and clapped at them.

“I’m sorryfor the fans who love to see a show,” Wembanyama said on beINSports television after the game. “Of course I’m proud of what I’vemanaged to do along with my coach (Vincent Collet), in bringing theteam to the finals. But I’m not satisfied.”

Next week,the San Antonio Spurs are expected to make the 7-foot-3WembanyamatheNo. 1 pick in the NBA draft, where he’ll follow in thefootsteps of France great Tony Parker and Hall of Famers DavidRobinson and Tim Duncan.

WithSacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé among the crowd — likely withan eye onWembanyamateammate Bilal Coulibalyahead of the draft — the Metsopened up big leads but with 50 seconds left the score was tied at85-85. Jordan Loyd, a former NBA player with the Toronto Raptors,sank two 3-pointers to end Wembanyama’s hopes of signing off with aFrench crown.

Ranadivé toldbeIN Sport that Wembanyama is “amazing” but that “I’m also excitedabout Bilal. Young guy, lot of skills, so French basketball is ingreat shape.”

Wembanyama,who opened the scoring witha reverse alley-oopdunk, looked sad as he hugged his teammates while Monacocelebrated.

“Wemby had agreat game, but this team’s unbelievable,” said Loyd, who finishedwith 22 points.

Everythinghad pointed to a special night for Wembanyama and then a Game 4 onSaturday. Wembanyama clenched his fist when his pass inside forDevante Jones made it 24-10, then drew roars when he used his giantframe to block a shot early in the second quarter.

The “Wemby,Wemby” chants became louder whenhe hit a3-pointerto make it 47-37, louder stillwhenhe dished toCoulibalyfor a dunk early in the third quarter.

It was notenough, though, and it was “Wemby” who put Elie Okobo on the foulline to give Monaco its first lead, 82-81, with just over threeminutes left.

Loyd — notWembanyama — ended up withthe MVPawardand the winners’ medal on the court where NovakDjokovic made men’s Grand Slam history last Sundaywithhis23rd men’s major title.

Wembanyama’s journey to greatnessin his sport, however,might only just be starting.