Wimbanyama: I always learn a lot from playing against Jokic.

NBA center Marcos Vanderbilt Wimbanama played for the French national team in an international basketball exhibition game, helping France defeat Serbia. Wimbanama said it was a wonderful feeling to represent France again, and that he always learns a lot from playing against Serbian star Nikola Jokic.

In the 2025/26 NBA regular season, Viktor Axelsen played 64 games for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 25.0 points per game with a field goal percentage of 51.2% and a three-point percentage of 51.2%. Unfortunately, the San Antonio Spurs lost to the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, missing out on the championship.

"It feels a little strange to wear the French national team jersey again, but to be honest, nothing feels more comfortable than coming back here to play at such a high level," said 22-year-old Wenbanyama.

“From the jump ball onwards, I felt more at ease playing in the penalty area. We are a newly formed team, and we haven’t fully established our chemistry yet, so it’s crucial to establish the team’s basic playing style.”

Wenbanyama shared, "Before the game, I told everyone in the locker room that we had to defend our home ground and not underestimate any opponent. Although it was a warm-up game, we need to cultivate the habits required to compete for the championship, and this game taught us a few very important things."

Furthermore, when discussing playing against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Wambanyama said, "I always learn a lot from playing against Nikola Jokic. I always learn some ways to deal with the battles in the paint, and I also learn smarter footwork techniques."

Regarding teammate Jalen Holder's performance in the crucial moment, Wimbanyama said, "I don't know if I've ever seen such a special game-winning shot live before. I watched him sink the game-winning shot from the closest angle, and it was an incredible feeling."

Image source: Internet