Victor Wembanyama has "a different kind of intelligence that is rarely found in sports", says film director Anthony Marciano
Anthony Marciano, director of The American Dream, a film about two NBA agents, praises Victor Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama may not have won the NBA Finals with San Antonio Spurs, as they lost in Game 5 to the New York Knicks, but that disappointment is just a bump on the road for the 22-year-old, a extremely popular player in the NBA world but especially in France, and has just been confirmed as the cover star of the NBA 2K27 video game.
But Wembanyama's success story, as well as the stories of other players like Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, or Evan Fournier, may not have existed without two people, Jérémy Medjana and Bouna Ndiaye, two agents who are now subject of a beautiful movie, The American Dream (Le Rêve américain).
In an interview with director Anthony Marciano before the film released in Spain on July 24 (it already released in France in February), the director told us that the movie is really about friendship, about values that Wembanyama also shares. For him, he is a different kind of star:
"He's an incredible inspiration for young people because he sets a good example", said Marciano. "He's a player who behaves very well, who is thoughtful, who is likeable, who is interested in many things, who reads books, who plays chess, who respects other players, and who has many virtues that show that success in life isn't about having the latest watch or driving the latest car."
Marciano likely refers to the moment when Wemby was teased by Nikola Jokic for taking a book and read during the breaks of the All-Star match in 2025. "I think he's a fantastic example for young people. You don't have to show off your Ferrari; playing chess and reading a book is also very important."
Marciano adds that Wemby, key in France's success in the 2024 Olympics, has helped the sport become more popular and he "makes people dream. Because beyond being an athlete with technical skills, he is a person who is level-headed, who has been interested in many things, who has human values, respect, and who has a different kind of intelligence that is rarely found in sports that are very focused on that aspect."
You can read our full interview with Anthony Marciano, director of The American Dream, here.
