Wembanyama’s France win shot at basketball gold
Blood stained the neckline of Victor Wembanyama’s jersey after France clinched a spot in the gold medal game at the Paris Olympics, courtesy of a fresh cut on the left side of his neck.
He did plenty of sweating during the game and was holding back tears when it was all over.
Blood, sweat and tears. How fitting.
“In our national anthem, we talk about blood,” Wembanyama said.
“We’re willing to spill blood on the court. So it’s no big deal. If it allows us to win gold, I’m offering. Take all of it.”
Wembanyama, NBA rookie of the year, No.1 draft pick and already an international phenomenon, is now certain to be an Olympic medallist in Paris.
The only question is whether it’ll be gold or silver, something to be determined Saturday night in the final game of the men’s basketball tournament at the Paris Games.
France is headed to its second consecutive Olympic gold-medal contest, after beating Germany 73-69 in the first of two semi-finals on Thursday.
It could be an title-game rematch; the French lost to the US in the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago, and the Americans were playing Serbia in the second semi-final on Thursday.
Wembanyama was just a kid then, a 17-year-old who was in the early days of becoming known as an NBA prospect.
He’s a bigger kid now, a 7-foot-4, 20-year-old who is already considered a national hero – to mention one in San Antonio, where he’s been tasked with leading the Spurs back to prominence – and could see his star rise even higher on Saturday night.
“Of course, it’s part of a dream come true,” Wembanyama said.
“We can be part of a goal that we set for ourselves months back. We can write history, even more. A once-in-a-lifetime dream.”
Wembanyama posted 11 points and seven rebounds against Germany, with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich looking on.
His free throw with 10.9 seconds remaining gave France a three-point lead at 71-68, with Germany not allowed another shot to tie or take the lead.
The French will be only the third team to play for Olympic men’s basketball gold on home soil.
The US did it at Los Angeles in 1984 and at Atlanta in 1996, winning both times.
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