Victor Wembanyama Set to Return to French National Team for Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old San Antonio Spurs star, is expected to rejoin the French national basketball team for the upcoming 2027 World Cup qualifying window starting next month. According to L'Equipe, Wembanyama has already begun training in France with his personal coach as part of a preparation program for his national team return. This decision is notable given his demanding season, during which he led the Spurs to the NBA Finals, earned Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the All-NBA First Team, and was the Western Conference Finals MVP.

France, currently holding a 1-5 record in the qualifiers, will open the next stage with a home game against Slovenia on August 27, followed by an away game in Sweden. Slovenia is expected to compete without star Luka Dončić. The news comes amid criticism in Israel after the last qualifying window, where the Israeli team finished the first stage with a 4-2 record but was missing key players including Deni Avdija, Danny Wolf, Ben Sharaf, and Omer Meyer. Israeli coach Ariel Beit Halachmy expressed hope that top players would participate in the next window, emphasizing the need for all players to take responsibility and join the team despite difficulties.