Coach Vincent Collet has confirmed that Joakim Noah will not play in the FIBA World Championship for Les Bleus.

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France had been waiting to learn the outcome of contract negotiations between Noah and the Chicago Bulls but now Collet has closed the door on the center playing in Turkey.

“I was pessimistic and now I can tell you it’s a done deal,” he said. “We must turn the page. That is what I have done.”

Last year, France waited all summer in the hope that Noah could join their EuroBasket campaign, but ended up without him.

This year, Collet has the advantage of being able to plan without him. France have been drawn in Group D where they will face defending world champions Spain, FIBA Oceania winners New Zealand, FIBA Americas Championship semi-finalists Canada and wild-card teams Lithuania and Lebanon.

Read the original article at FIBA.com.