San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is back in a France uniform Thursday, August 20, with a particularly demanding first assignment: Nikola Jokic and Serbia.
Serbia and France tip off at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) from Belgrade Arena. In the United States, the game can be streamed through Courtside 1891 on DAZN.
The exhibition is worth more to Spurs fans than another offseason matchup between two NBA superstars. It will be Wembanyama’s first appearance for France since the 2024 Paris Olympics, and his first game since being named captain of the French national team.
How to Watch Wembanyama vs. Jokic in Serbia-France
Game: Serbia vs. France
Date: Thursday, August 20
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
Venue: Belgrade Arena, Belgrade, Serbia
U.S. stream: DAZN, via Courtside 1891
DAZN says both France-Serbia friendlies will be available through its Courtside 1891 basketball service.
One important distinction for viewers: a full DAZN subscription is not required to purchase Courtside 1891.
U.S. viewers can stream Serbia-France through Courtside 1891 on DAZN. Courtside 1891 can be purchased separately, so viewers do not need a full DAZN subscription. Pricing may vary by offer; receipts confirmed access for approximately $5 on August 20.
Viewers can access it through the DAZN app on supported smart TVs, phones, tablets, web browsers and game consoles.
France and Serbia are scheduled to play again Sunday, August 23, in Orléans, France.
Victor Wembanyama Begins New Role as France Captain
Thursday will also mark the beginning of a new phase of Wembanyama’s international career.
France announced Wednesday that Wembanyama had been selected as its new captain. Head coach Frédéric Fauthoux cited Wembanyama’s example, work ethic and long-term importance to the national team in explaining the decision.
“Captain is above all a role of setting an example, of being a leader,” Wembanyama said, according to Team France Basket.
At 22, Wembanyama is returning to the national team for the first time since France won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
That makes the two Serbia exhibitions more than standalone showcases. France will begin the next phase of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup immediately afterward, facing Slovenia on August 27 and Sweden on August 30.
France’s federation described the Serbia games as an opportunity to build chemistry before those qualifiers, particularly with Wembanyama rejoining a group that played without him earlier in the qualifying campaign.
For Spurs followers, that makes Thursday an early look at Wembanyama handling a different kind of responsibility: not merely being France’s most talented player, but being asked to set the tone for the program.
Jokic Won the Last International Meeting With Wembanyama
Wembanyama and Jokic have already gone head-to-head in this setting.
France hosted Serbia in an Olympic warm-up game on July 12, 2024, and Serbia won 79-67.
Jokic finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Wembanyama countered with 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 29 minutes.
That meeting came before Wembanyama’s first Olympic appearance and ended with both countries on the medal podium in Paris: France took silver and Serbia won bronze.
Two years later, their situations have changed considerably. Wembanyama returns as the centerpiece and captain of the French program, while Jokic remains the player Serbia can build its offense around.
Thursday’s result will not count in World Cup qualifying, but the matchup should give France an immediate test of how its new hierarchy works with Wembanyama back in the middle of it.
How to Watch Victor Wembanyama vs. Nikola Jokic in France-Serbia Friendly