Jokic Leads Serbia to Victory Over Wembanyama's France in Front of 20,000 in Belgrade

Nikola Jokic spearheaded Serbia to a narrow 90-87 victory over France in a Belgrade exhibition game, falling just shy of a triple-double with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Victor Wembanyama endured a challenging night, tallying 10 points and 6 turnovers, as the Serbs led for the majority of the contest in front of 20,000 home fans.

The hosts maintained their lead for almost the entire game, but France managed to force a tense finish after a lackluster third quarter.

Sylvain Francisco attempted a last-gasp three-pointer at the buzzer, but his shot was blocked by Aleksa Avramovic, sealing the Serbian triumph.

The undisputed star of the evening was Nikola Jokic, who flirted with a triple-double. The Denver Nuggets center recorded 20 points (4/10 from two-point range, 1/3 from three, 9/12 from the free-throw line), grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists in 29 minutes of play.

Aleksa Avramovic followed with 13 points and 5 assists, while Nikola Jovic of the Miami Heat also reached double figures with 10 points and 4 rebounds.

On the opposing side, Victor Wembanyama struggled, finishing with 10 points (2/2 from two, 1/6 from three, 3/4 from the foul line), 4 rebounds, and 6 turnovers in 24 minutes on the court.

Amin Noua led France with 14 points and 5 rebounds, topping his team in both categories.

Regarding the other NBA players on the French roster, Rudy Gobert contributed 6 points and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes, while Maxime Raynaud added 4 points and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes.

The two teams are set to play another game in Orleans on Sunday before the qualification window for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup commences.