The French Basketball Federation made it official this week: Victor Wembanyama is the new captain of the senior national team heading into the FIBA World Cup qualifying window. The 22-year-old called it an honor that came sooner than he expected, and it sets him up to lead France into Slovenia on August 27 and Sweden on August 30 for real qualifier points. But first came two tune-up friendlies against the scariest possible test case: Nikola Jokic and Serbia.
This isn't some ceremonial armband. Wembanyama last suited up for France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Les Bleus took silver, and the federation is clearly building around him for a run at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 LA Olympics. Handing him the captaincy this early is a statement about who the program belongs to now.
The first friendly went down in Belgrade, and it was Jokic's building in every sense. Wembanyama still put on a show individually, throwing down a windmill in transition and going reverse for an alley-oop, the kind of freak-athlete stuff that makes him must-watch even in a loss.
Victor Wembanyama windmill SLAM 👽 Catch the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers live on @courtside1891 starting August 27th @FIBAWC #FIBAWC #StepItUp https://t.co/a13p9r3KgW
He was just as disruptive on the other end. France actually led at halftime behind a Wembanyama block at the rim, a reminder of just how much defensive gravity he brings even against a three-time MVP's offense.
Wemby with the big-time block at the rim 🚫 France leads Serbia at halftime of the FIBA World Cup International Friendly in Belgrade. (via @FIBAWC) https://t.co/6em1FCb3J7
It didn't hold. Jokic took over from there, finishing with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists to push Serbia past France in the first of the two friendlies. It's the kind of near-triple-double stat line that's become routine for him, whether it's an 82-game NBA season or an August exhibition back home.
Nikola Jokić leads Serbia to the win against France in the first of two FIBA World Cup International Friendly matchups! 🇷🇸 20 PTS 🇷🇸 9 REB 🇷🇸 8 AST (via @FIBAWC) https://t.co/c2jOFLuDAw
The result didn't stop the praise from flowing Wembanyama's way. Jokic himself, fresh off outplaying him, said Wembanyama "has the opportunity to be the most unique basketball player we've ever seen" and "the best ever." That's not nothing coming from a player with three MVPs and a championship.
Dwyane Wade piled on too, saying he wants to watch Wembanyama chase rings and MVPs the way Wade got to watch his own era's greats. It's the same refrain that's followed Wembanyama since he entered the league: the ceiling talk never stops, win or lose.
France gets a rematch against Jokic and Serbia before the real qualifiers start, and then it's Slovenia on August 27 to open Wembanyama's captaincy for keeps. One friendly loss in Belgrade isn't the story here — it's whether the kid can turn all that praise into results once the games start counting.