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"In our national anthem, we talk about blood,
too. We're willing to spill blood on the court," Wembanyama
said. "So it's no big deal. If it allows us to win gold, I'm all
for it.
"Take all of it," he added, jokingly. "I mean, maybe half of
it."
France lost 87-82 to the U.S. in the Tokyo Games final.
The crowd at Bercy Arena in Paris has been noisily backing the
home team and Wembanyama said he had never been so moved after a
semi-final win.
"It was an incredible moment with the fans," the 20-year-old
said. "They made it hard for me not to cry."
France now await the result of the clash between the
star-studded U.S. and Serbia, led by reigning three-times MVP
Nikola Jokic, which will be a rematch of the 2016 Rio gold medal
game.
The U.S. have own the last four golds in a row.
"If it's the USA, I think it's going be an interesting game,"
said French power forward Guerschon Yabusele.
"No disrespect to anybody else, but I feel we are kind of like
the only team that can compete against them, just in terms of
physicality."
Shooting guard Nando de Colo said France would be underdogs
whatever the result of the semi between the U.S. and Serbia
which is being played later on Thursday.
"We are still the outsiders, whatever happens," he said. "But we
will do our best to trouble the team we will be playing
against."
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber, Vincent Daheron and
Steve Keating; Editing by Ken Ferris) [© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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