2023-06-15 23:15:23
Several minutes after the end of the match, the public was still chanting “Wemby” “Wemby”. Everyone had obviously dreamed of another ending. To see the adventure and this love story between a player and an audience continue a little longer. It couldn’t end like this, so abruptly, so abruptly, for Victor Wembanyama. But Monaco decided otherwise. At the end of a terrible duel, after having counted up to 16 lengths in advance (32-16, 8th) and led up to 3 minutes from the buzzer, the Metropolitans finally lost (85-92), Thursday evening , in a Roland-Garros stadium transformed into a basketball arena, against Monaco during the 3rd episode of the French championship final. A terrible scenario. A drama in 3 acts.
Four days ago the Serbian Novak Djokovic wrote the history of tennis and sport in general by winning his 23rd Grand Slam title. This Thursday evening another “extraterrestrial” was also determined to write his legend. Before flying to the NBA draft on June 22 and his American destiny, Wembanyama had one goal, one mission, to win game 3 of the final to maintain the hope of a feat and snatch a 4th round.
The day before the match, at a press conference, Vincent Collet had called for the stands of the Central court to be made up of “15,000 supporters and not 15,000 spectators”, a sine qua none condition for a feat, before adding that it would be “up to us to make things so that they catch fire. “The coach at the 8 LNB finals has been heard. By its players first then by the public who also wanted to be part of the party. To be the 6th man to push the Mets. And especially his favorite. Each block, each rebound or basket of the “V” was accompanied by “Wemby”, “Wemby”, shouts of joy and applause. On a three-pointer from number 1 of the Mets at the end of the 2nd quarter, the stadium rose in one man. A magical night. Almost a taste of NBA.
During this final series, Wembanyama grew in power over the matches. This Thursday, under the eyes of the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Tony Estanguet or Serge Ibaka, NBA champion with Toronto in 2019, he had a sober but effective match. A veteran game despite being 19 years old. Not forcing anything. His mere presence on the field changed the face of the match. His exit at the end of the first quarter allowed Monaco to make up for part of their delay. Back on the high-gloss parquet floor installed at the start of the week, it was omnipresent. Its albatross wingspan bothered and destabilized the Monegasques. The latter gave him preferential treatment with several players on the saddle at all times.
He finished the game with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal. He held his rank. Like always. “Victor has the potential to become one of the major players in the NBA, confided to the microphone of beIN Sports Serbian Ibaka. The only advice I can give him is to work hard. He is young, he has talent but he has to work. It’s the first time I’ve seen him. »
A first always marks. But for Wemby it will ultimately be a last. “I saw us lifting this cup in a few days, he breathes at the microphone of beIN, tears in his eyes. It’s definitely a disappointment. “His career in France ends this Thursday evening in June. Now the NBA, with the draft next Thursday where his name will undoubtedly be called first by the San Antonio Spurs.
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