the France team has every chance – Liberation

With the absence of many great players from other teams at the World Basketball, which opens this Friday, August 25 in Southeast Asia, the Blues hope to win a world title for the first time in their history.

The latest international men’s basketball games have hinted at a pleasing trend: the Blues are starting to take a liking to the podiums. In bronze at the 2019 World Cup, in silver at the 2020 Olympics then at Euro 2022. It could still be the case at the end of this World Cup, stuck between the Women’s Football World Cup and the Men’s Rugby World Cup. , and which starts discreetly this Friday, August 25, straddling Indonesia, the Philippines and the Japanese island of Okinawa. France takes on Canada at 3:30 p.m.

In reality, the tournament was a trap for Evan Fournier’s teammates. It’s true, the France team has a golden opportunity to finally grab the world title, which would be the first in its history. The context is favorable to them: unlike many contenders who have decimated numbers, Vincent Collet’s group is almost complete and very experienced.

A homogeneous group

A collective that has played together for several years, whose birth certificate dates back to the 2019 World Cup – defeat in the semi-finals against Argentina after eliminating the United States. They can count on their wise Nando De Colo (36) and Nicolas Batum (34, captain), who had given up the last Euro in view of this World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. Victor Wembanyama, who prioritized rest for his first NBA season, and replacement point guard Frank Ntilikina, injured during preparation.

For the rest, Vincent Collet will be able to rely on all of his vital forces, at the head of a homogeneous group, experienced in the games of the NBA (Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier) and the Euroleague ( Guerschon Yabusele, Youssoupha Fall, Nando De Colo even Elie Okobo), equipped behind and in the racket.

So much for the pedigree of France. But where to place the blue cursor among the other contenders, when rarely has the hierarchy on a World Cup been so difficult to read as at the approach of this edition? Among the competition, there is a constant that is never denied: the United States should not be far from the first step. Revanchists, hungry after their elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2019 vintage against France, the team presents itself without its standard bearers (Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker …), with a team C , but ultra-competitive given the endless reservoir of American basketball.

A perilous group stage

Young and daring, the selection led by All-Stars Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) and Jaren Jackson Jr (Memphis Grizzlies), however, carries its share of uncertainties. An obvious doubt surrounds his collective experience, which the French could benefit from, most of these players having never played together. Another unknown: his adaptation to FIBA ​​basketball (the rules vary a little from those that prevail in the NBA, in particular for contacts and the distance from the 3-point line) and his ability to respond to the challenge that will be offered to him in the racket.

The Spaniards, reigning European and world champions, approach the tournament deprived of a good part of their rear base, amputated from their experienced leaders, Ricky Rubio and Lorenzo Brown. Similar mission for Serbia, which must compose without its two master assets, the MVP of the NBA Finals 2023 Nikola Jokic and the position 1 Vasilije Micic.

With the Americans and the Spaniards, the Blues are among the favourites, alongside Australia and its intergenerational armada (Josh Giddey, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills), Slovenia of the phenomenon Luka Doncic and Germany, in full progression (Dennis Schroder, the Wagner brothers).

The France team can just as easily win this World Cup as get out of it very quickly. The fault of the draw, which offers the Blues a program of the most perilous. Providence placed them in one of the toughest pools of the first round and an introduction against Canada and its seven NBA-stamped players, including the venomous Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and RJ Barrett (New York Knicks). Even without their leader Jamal Murray, NBA champion 2023, the Canadians ensured in preparation, notably shipping Germany then Spain. A “big chunk” summarized Collet at a press conference.

The Latvians, second opponents of the French appear more accessible, they who discover the World Cup for the first time in their history, without their star Kristaps Porzingis. But Porzingis wasn’t there either when they compiled 15 wins from 16 encounters to qualify. As for the match against Lebanon, the Blues should get away with it without a hitch.

Except that in the event of qualification, they should cross Spain and Brazil in the second round. “We will need several exploits to go to the quarters,” said Collet. And if this is the case, his band should scrap either with the Australians and the Slovenians, both semi-finalists at the Tokyo Olympics, or the Germans semi-finalists at Euro 2022, before a potential semi-final against the States -United. A beautiful appetizer in perspective, while waiting for Paris.