Overview
- The French Basketball Federation has officially named Victor Wembanyama to the squad for the Group L qualifiers, a decision confirmed by multiple outlets and reported by AFP on Saturday.
- France will host Slovenia on August 27 and play Sweden on August 30 and has scheduled two warm-up games against Serbia a week earlier to integrate Wembanyama with the team.
- Wembanyama has resumed structured physical training in France with personal trainer Guillaume Alquier in what L'Équipe described as an experimental offseason program focused on developing his body and testing limits.
- His return follows a 2024/25 venous thrombosis that forced him out of Euro 2025, so medical monitoring and workload management will shape how he is used in the qualifiers.
- The timing matters for the San Antonio Spurs because Wembanyama recently signed a five-year, $252 million extension at a 25% max tier, a deal that reduced his pay but gives the club salary flexibility to build around him and affects how often he can play in future FIBA windows.