Top NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama wants to 'beat Team USA' in 2024 Olympics

French basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama is widely projected to be the No. 2 overall draft pick in June.

Last week, the Spurs won the right to the top spot in the draft. Therefore, Wembanyama is expected to start is NBA career in San Antonio, where he would be under the tutelage of legendary coach Gregg Popovich.

The 19-year-old is already contending with lofty expectations, and he has not even taken a single shot in the league. But, when it comes to his international basketball career, Wembanyama has a bold aspiration.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitans 92 reacts during warmup before the Betclic Elite match between Metropolitans 92 and Strasbourg on April 08, 2023 in Levallois-Perret, France. (Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Wembanyama already has his mind on next year’s Olympic Games, which are set to take place in Paris.

DAMIAN LILLARD BELIEVES VICTOR WEMBANYAMA HYPE IS DISRESPECTING LEBRON JAMES

According to ESPN’s Sam Borden, the basketball phenom is looking forward to the opportunity of defeating U.S. men’s basketball team on his way to winning a gold medal for France.

“You know the Olympics are in Paris in 2024,” Wembanyama told Pascal Giberné, a French broadcaster and writer, last fall. “And there could be no more perfect occasion for me to win my first title with the French national team.

“My goal,” he added, “is to beat Team USA in the final.”

Victor Wembanyama shoots free throw

Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitans 92 in action during the LNB Pro A Betclic Elite basketball match between Nanterre 92 and Metropolitans 92 at Palais des Sports Maurice Thorez on 09 May 2023, in Nanterre near Paris, France. (Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Wembanyama already has a pair of silver medals under his belt. 

He won silver at the FIBA Under-16 European Championship in 2019 and took home another silver medial in 2021 at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup.

Victor Wembanyama in exhibition

Victor Wembanyama #1 of Metropolitans 92 handles the ball during the game against the G League Ignite on October 4, 2022 at  The Dollar Loan Center Arena in Henderson, Nevada. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Next year would present the first opportunity for Wembanyama to represent his native country at the Olympics.

Team USA defeated the French men’s national team in the Final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The French men’s basketball team has never taken home the gold medal at the Olympics, but having Wembanyama on the roster should boost the team’s prospects in 2024.

Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *