Victor Wembanyama In a stunning turn of events at EuroBasket 2025, Georgia made history by reaching the quarterfinals for the first time ever, shocking the basketball world with an 80-70 victory over one of the tournament favorites, France. Despite France’s stacked roster, including Guerschon Yabusele, Zaccharie Risacher, and Bilal Coulibaly, the absence of Victor Wembanyama left a noticeable gap in their lineup.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, forward for the Toronto Raptors, was instrumental in Georgia’s triumph, leading the charge with 14 points. But it was his confident message to his former San Antonio Spurs teammate, Wembanyama, that caught everyone’s attention.
A Bold Taunt to Victor Wembanyama
“We just beat France,” Mamukelashvili said, grinning. “Too bad Victor Wembanyama wasn’t here, because we would’ve beaten them with him too.” The statement was a cheeky jab at his former teammate, but it wasn’t just bravado—it was backed up by a performance that showed Georgia’s belief in their own capabilities.
Mamukelashvili and Wembanyama spent the last two seasons together with the San Antonio Spurs, where Mamukelashvili averaged 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 season. His inside knowledge of Wembanyama’s game certainly added weight to his confident assessment, as he’s well aware of the talent the French phenom brings to the table.
Georgia’s Calm Under Pressure
Mamukelashvili also explained the mental toughness that led to Georgia’s surprising win. Despite facing a France team considered the favorite to win the tournament, Georgia stayed composed and played with poise. “We came out so locked in. We were just no pressure,” he said. “People might get agitated against teams like this, but we played our basketball, believed in each other, and got the dub.”
EuroBasket 2025 Has Been Full of Surprises
The upset victory over France was part of a larger trend of shocking results at EuroBasket 2025, with Nikola Jokic’s Serbia eliminated early and Luka Doncic’s Slovenia exceeding expectations. For Mamukelashvili, these upsets are proof that any team, regardless of star power, can compete and pull off big victories.
With Georgia now in the quarterfinals, Mamukelashvili and his teammates are confident they can continue to defy the odds and show the world they belong among the elite teams at EuroBasket. The win over France—and Wembanyama—will surely go down as one of the tournament’s most memorable moments.
