The San Antonio Spurs have advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2017, where they are set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder. They secured their spot by decisively defeating Minnesota 139-109 in Game 6. While Victor Wembanyama’s offensive output was limited to 19 points in 27 minutes, he remained a formidable defensive presence in the paint with 3 blocks and actively joined the Spurs’ fast breaks, which were frequent.
“I’m not even thinking about it right now,” Wembanyama stated regarding the upcoming series against OKC. “I’m focusing on my recovery. I just want this press conference to be over. We’ll see in the coming days.”
Frédéric Fauthoux, the coach of the French national team, confirmed on RMC’s Moscato Show on Monday that if the Spurs reached the Western Conference Finals, Wembanyama would be unavailable for the first window of World Cup qualifiers in July against Belgium (July 3rd) and Finland (July 6th). This is now a certainty.
However, there is no cause for concern. The French team boasts significant talent at the center position, with players like Alexandre Sarr, Maxime Raynaud, Mathias Lessort, and potentially Rudy Gobert, who is now a free agent, and Moussa Diabaté. Wembanyama is expected to rejoin the team for the second window of qualifiers in late August, which will include a game at the Accor Arena in Paris.
