This is what Victor Wembanyama said to Kevin Durant after France’s Olympic gold medal game loss
In a moment that saw the NBA’s biggest new star in close conversation with one of the league’s biggest existing stars, everyone wondered what was said.
When the men’s basketball team of France succumbed to a Steph Curry onslaught in the late stages of their gold medal matchup with Team USA, it was clear that Victor Wembanyama took the loss to heart. Indeed, the 2024 NBA Rookie of the year could be seen with tears in his eyes after the final buzzer. Yet, there was also a conversation that he shared with one of the NBA’s best players that left many wondering about just what was said and now we know.
Victor Wembanyama opens up about conversation with Kevin Durant
As mentioned above, the 98-87 loss that France suffered in the gold medal game of the 2024 Olympics in Paris was a bitter pill to swallow. When you consider the fact that the game was for all intents and purposes a tight one until Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry decided to put things to bed, you can imagine that it was a lot to take for the French. After all, they were playing at home. With that, it was no surprise to see many of the players including Victor Wembanyama, crying as they processed the moment.
There was, however, one thing that caught the eye of many fans and it was not the emotional response of the home team or their fans, but rather what appeared to be a heartfelt conversation between Wembanyama and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, while others were busy with congratulatory words. Indeed, the pair could be seen embracing before engaging in a seemingly intense conversation which left many wondering what it could all be about. Speaking during a recent appearance on M6 TV in France, Wembanyama shared what he told Durant after the loss. “This is my personal childhood favorite player... I made it clear to him that I wanted to learn from him and perhaps steal one or two of his secret techniques,” Wembanyama said.
Given what Wembanyama has brought to the NBA since he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs, you can probably guess that the respect he has for Durant appears to be mutual. Of course, it’s not to say we didn’t know that before. Fans may recall, that back in November 2023 following a Phoenix Suns loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Durant spoke openly about his love for Wembanyama’s game. “He’s a unique player who is going to be a force in this league for a long time,” Durant said at the time. “Once he continues to get experience under his belt, he’s just going to get even better.”
If we’re honest, that seems like a solid prediction. In his maiden campaign, Wembanyama who is just 20 years old was truly something to behold. On an average of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game across 71 contests, the Frenchman was a force of nature. Frankly, it would have been a surprise had he not picked up Rookie of the Year honors which were complimented by NBA All-Rookie First Team nod, while he also became the 2024 NBA Blocks Leader and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. This is all to say that if Wembanyama can indeed pick up some techniques from Durant - one of the NBA’s greatest-ever scorers - then expect him to go down as what we all suspect he is, a generational talent.