France is on the brink of achieving something remarkable. Having entered their semifinal clash against Germany as the underdogs, France secured a 73-69 win and now faces Team USA for the gold medal on their home turf at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Overcoming Germany was a serious challenge, given the German team’s momentum from their victory at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The previous encounter between these two teams saw Germany defeat France 85-71 in the group stage. Internally, expectations for France were certainly high coming into this tournament.
The added pressure of competing on home soil, combined with France’s silver medal finish in Tokyo, suggested that the team was expected to perform at a high level. A major factor behind these high expectations is the presence of generational talent wearing the French jersey. Victor Wembanyama has captured basketball enthusiasts worldwide.
Following an outstanding rookie season in the NBA, there is already speculation about how soon Wembanyama might become the world’s top player. It’s rare for a 20-year-old to shoulder such national expectations, but that is exactly the situation with Wembanyama.