Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old San Antonio Spurs center, has been named captain of the French national basketball team for four matches in August, his first international appearances since France won silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Coach Frédéric Fauthoux described Wembanyama as the "undisputed leader" of his generation, handing him the armband ahead of veterans Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier as Les Bleus prepare to face Serbia, Slovenia, and Sweden in 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying. France enters the second qualifying phase top of Group L with a 5-1 record, and the appointment signals the country's intent to build its international programme around its young star.