Tuesday's group stage matchup between Japan and France men's basketball teams did not come without controversy thanks to a questionable call late that allowed the hometown side to narrowly avoid an upset. But there was no controversy about Victor Wembanyama's performance which was magnificent in the ways we've come to expect from the young phenom.
Wemby posted a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds and added six assists in the 94–90 overtime victory. And, on top of it all, he had maybe the best quote of the Paris Olympics so far.
After his last bucket of the night in overtime to lift France past Japan, Wembanyama let out a curse-laden scream to put a punctuation mark on his performance. Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News noted Wembanyama swore in English rather than his native French. He asked the 2024 Rookie of the Year about that quirk after the game, and Wembanyama gave a great quote about the universality of a feral roar in the midst of competition.
"That's a basketball player thing," Wembanyama said when asked if playing in the United States contributed to his language choice in the moment. "I think in Mongolia, Australia, or the North Pole, they say it."
After Victor Wembanyama’s last bucket in overtime for the French team, he screamed, “Lets f***ing go!” … in English. I asked him if the US has rubbed off on him.
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) July 30, 2024
“That’s a basketball player thing,” he said. “I think in Mongolia, Australia or the North Pole, they say it.”
Tough to disagree. And fun to imagine Santa's elves yelling in such a manner during toy workshop pickup games.
What can't this guy do? He's shooting threes, dunking from outside the restricted area, stuffing any shot in his general vicinity, and is good for a viral quip in his second language immediately after a game. He's only just getting started, too.
It's Wembanyama's world and we're all just living in it. Until France likely runs up against Team USA later in the Olympics. Then we'll find out what Wemby and his countrymen are made of.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Victor Wembanyama Gave Perfect Answer to Question About Swearing in English.
