SAN ANTONIO (USA) - Just tell him when, and where, and he'll be there.
Victor Wembanyama has given a thumbs-up to playing for France at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, under new coach Frederic Fauthoux. The second-year NBA star has in fact said he's ready to play every year.
"I don't know the exact dates, but there's always time to make it work with the French team," he explained to lequipe.fr.
"You just have to sacrifice a bit of your physical preparation for the following season. So yeah, it's definitely my goal to play for the French team every summer."
When asked if he had spoken to Fauthoux yet, Wembanyama answered: "Yes, I've spoken with him briefly since he became coach. But we haven't formally discussed any specific deadlines."
The Wembanyama national team commitment will be music to Fauthoux's ears as he embarks on his new job with France. So far, Fauthoux has led Les Bleus to a couple of wins in the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers over Cyprus, games played last month.
The battles will be far more competitive next summer, when Fauthoux's new-look French team goes up against some of the best national sides in the world at the EuroBasket, which is being staged in Finland, Poland, Cyprus and Latvia.
France have been fortunate over the years to have their superstars nearly always put their hands up to play and Wembanyama is continuing with that tradition.
His presence, as his Rookie of the Year NBA campaign in San Antonio and All-Star Five performance at the Olympics showed, is vital for France as they attempt to maintain their status as one of international basketball's best teams. They are No. 4 in the latest FIBA World Ranking, Presented by Nike.
At the Olympics, Wembanyama led France in several statistical categories. He averaged 20.8 efficiency, 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 blocks and 2.0 steals per game - all team highs. His shooting percentages could improve along with his team-high average of 2.3 turnovers per game, but the positives from his performance far outweighed the negatives.
This season in the NBA, he is averaging 23.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game - all team highs.
FIBA