NBA star Victor Wembanyama is set to make his long-awaited return to the French national basketball team after being named in the squad for the opening matches of the main qualifying round for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) announced that the 22-year-old has been included in the squad for France’s qualifiers against Slovenia and Sweden at the end of August. Before those fixtures, Wembanyama is also scheduled to feature in two warm-up games against Serbia, giving him an opportunity to return to international action for the first time since the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The towering forward had been sidelined from Euro 2025 after failing to fully recover from a venous thrombosis in his right shoulder, an injury that prematurely ended his 2024-25 NBA season. His return is seen as a major boost for the French side as it begins its journey toward the 2027 World Cup.
France head coach Frederic Fauthoux, who replaced Vincent Collet after the Paris Olympics, described Wembanyama’s comeback as a significant moment for the national team.
“Victor is the undisputed leader of this generation. We need him here so that a relationship can develop with the rest of the squad, both on and off the court,” Fauthoux said, adding that Wembanyama’s presence is “extremely important for the future of the project we want to pursue.”
The upcoming qualifiers will also mark the first time Fauthoux has coached the 2023 NBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick at international level.
Wembanyama last represented France during the 2024 Olympics, where Les Bleus reached the gold medal match before falling 98-87 to the United States. Despite the defeat, the French star delivered an outstanding performance in the final, leading all scorers with 26 points while also collecting seven rebounds.
His form at international level has been matched by an impressive NBA campaign. Playing for San Antonio, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, an NBA-leading 3.1 blocked shots and 1.0 steal per game. He was unanimously named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Spurs post a 62-20 regular-season record. In his first NBA playoff appearance, San Antonio advanced past Portland, Minnesota and Oklahoma City before finishing runners-up to the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
With Wembanyama back in the fold, France will look to make a strong start to its World Cup qualifying campaign later this month.
