Victor Wembanyama, whose image is known throughout France, makes Olympic debut

Yet Wembanyama and his teammates did not participate in Friday’s opening ceremony, a conspicuous absence that turned their 78-66 opening-day win over Brazil on Saturday into a grand revelation for the 7-foot-4 sensation. Faced with the pressure of hosting and living up to its silver-medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics, France traded the pomp and circumstance of the Seine Procession for what center Rudy Gobert called the “safety and tranquility” of Lille, the charming city of 230,000 that is hosting the group stages of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

The escape gave the French a chance to lick their wounds after a 2-4 showing in an exhibition series that included losses to Germany, Serbia, Canada and Australia. It also gave coach Vincent Collet a chance to advise Wembanyama on how to manage the outsized expectations that come with his first Olympics. France’s basketball program has produced a four-time NBA champion in Tony Parker and a four-time defensive player of the year in Gobert, but Wembanyama is the country’s first basketball phenom — a hardwood complement to soccer megastar Kylian Mbappé.

“People who know basketball know he’s only 20 years old,” Collet said. “People who love sports but don’t know basketball think Victor is already Michael Jordan. … A few days before the game I felt he was a little stressed. We talked. Everyone on the team tried to help him. He’s so mature. Day by day he got better at it.”

Lille has been fond of its dedication to Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and the heir to a French team seeking its first Olympic gold. Fans in the city center last week wore versions of his jerseys, including his No. 32 for France and No. 1 for the Spurs. Bshop, the city’s premier basketball apparel store, set up a large display in his honor, alongside murals of Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

At the suburban Stade Pierre-Mauroy, packed with 27,000 on Saturday, a group of die-hards banged drums, chanted encouragement and roared as Wembanyama took control of the match in the second quarter. Many fans held signs addressed to “Wemby”, including one young woman who scrawled a marriage proposal across the French tricolour.

Admiration aside, Wembanyama finds himself in a difficult position. Despite being one of the headliners of the men’s basketball tournament, he’s also the newcomer to a veteran-dominated roster that includes program mainstays Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier. The big question heading into the Games: Will Wembanyama fit into the veteran roster, or will the group around him change?

“I take everything I get and communicate a lot with my teammates,” Wembanyama said. “It’s about sacrifices. Inside, we have two of the best players in the EuroLeague and two frontrunners for (NBA) defensive player of the year. We’re all willing to give up our spot to the next guy. The guys here who have been playing together for a long time, they know each other. I like how they’ve tried to install me into the system.”

It was Wembanyama who set the pecking order as he shook France out of its first-quarter nerves with impressive baskets in the paint. He twisted, stretched and dunked — using his game-changing wingspan to full effect against a Brazilian front line that did its best to push him away from the paint. Wembanyama showed excellent technique by creating position to receive entry passes, and he made decisive, powerful moves to set up highlight dunks with both hands.

On the defensive end, Wembanyama and Gobert made their presence felt, blocking shots on the same possession and chasing the Brazilian guards out of the paint. Still, Collet took more of a step away from the 32-year-old Gobert than he has in previous international tournaments. By breaking up his twin towers combination, the French coach created more offensive space and better scoring opportunities for Wembanyama.

By halftime of his Olympic debut, the wunderkind had taken control of his national team. Wembanyama finished with a stunning series of 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks, and he sealed a comeback victory by finishing with a lob dunk in the final minute.

“He’s clearly our leader already,” Collet said. “For Victor, the most important thing was to go inside, where he’s definitely going to dominate every time. If he plays too much on the perimeter, he’s just like any other player: Some nights you make the shots, and some nights you don’t.”

Although France survived some shaky backcourt games, the victory was crucial to their medal chances. With a win over an overmatched Japan on Tuesday, France can all but guarantee a trip to Paris for the quarterfinals.

The French formula for a medal requires better production from the guards and more consistent intensity on defense. Even if those plans don’t pan out, Wembanyama should get the chance to fully test the limits of his game thanks to the French veterans, who understand that the future of the program has arrived ahead of schedule.

“(Wembanyama) knows who he is,” Batum said. “He knows what he has to do to be great. Take us home. That’s who you are now. He’s not afraid of the moment.”