Will Victor Wembanyama play alongside Sixers’ Joel Embiid?
If you are even a casual basketball fan, you have heard the name Victor Wembanyama. He is a 7’5″ French basketball player who will unquestionably be the first overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft. Wembanyama is the most hyped NBA prospect since LeBron James in 2003 and he fits the bill. At 7’5″, 225 pounds he looks like nothing the NBA has ever seen, but the way he plays the game probably most closely resembles Kevin Durant.
Will Wembanyama play alongside Embiid?
Last week ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Jonathan Givony released an in-depth article detailing the time they spent with Wembanyama in France a couple of months ago. That all-access is rare, especially with prospects of his stature. The biggest takeaway I had though was from listening to Windhorst on a recent podcast discussing the possibility of Joel Embiid and Wembanyama playing alongside each other in the future.
The 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Paris and the French team will be a real threat to Team USA. France beat the US in the 2020 Olympics prior to the knockout round and then Team USA got redemption by beating France in the Gold Medal game in Tokyo. In 2024, France will not only have a homecourt advantage, but they will also be adding Wembanyama to an extremely talented roster. But wait there’s more.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Embiid has not played for a National team.
This means he can choose which country he will represent in the 2024 Olympics. Even though Embiid is from Africa, he has obtained American and French citizenship as well. Windhorst said behind the scenes the French national team is making a strong push to convince Embiid to play for them in Paris.
Can you imagine a front line for France that includes Embiid, Wembanyama, and Rudy Gobert? That is terrifying, especially for a US team that for all the insane talent they boast, historically has not had the best centers. Think about it right now. The best centers in the NBA are Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), and Embiid (undecided).
As an American, I hope Embiid plays for Team USA. Seeing him dominate at the international level for the US is something I have been hoping to see. However, I must admit that watching Wembanyama and Embiid playing together for France would be appointment television for all basketball fans.
