France men's national basketball team PARIS 2024 Olympics

[JABroy]

Hi everyone,
maybe this is the right place because Wembanyama will participate with great ambitions (he is aiming for gold but the United States are clearly the favourites..).

What do you think would be the best French National Team for PARIS 2024?

My expanded roster…

POINT GUARD
S.Francisco ‘97 euroleague
E.Okobo ‘97 euroleague
T.Huertel ‘89 russian league *
K.Hayes ‘01 nba
F.Ntilikina ‘98 nba
T.Maledon ‘01 nba

*He’s actually banned by French Basketball Federation because he’s playing for a Russian team but Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are working behind the lines… He still is the best French point guard..


COMBO GUARD
N.De Colo ‘87 euroleague

GUARD/FORWARD
E.Fournier ‘92 nba
B.Coulibaly ‘04 nba
M.Cazalon ‘01 g-league
R.Rupert ‘04 g-league
S.Sissoko ‘04 g-league

FORWARD
G.Yabusele ‘95 euroleague
T.Luwawu-Cabarrot ‘95 euroleague
N.Batum ‘88 nba
O.Dieng ‘03 nba

FORWARD/CENTRE
V.Wembanyama ‘04 nba

CENTRE
R.Gobert ‘92 nba
V.Poirier ‘93 euroleague
M.Lessort ‘95 euroleague
M.Diabate ‘02 g-league
O.Sarr ‘99 nba


My personal dream..

STARTING LINEUP
Hayes**;Fournier;Yabusele;Wemby;Gobert

**My personal dream would be for him to make a leap in a NBA team between now and the end of the season. He has the age, physique and talent to make a leap!

BENCH
Huertel*;DeColo;Coulibaly;Batum;L.Cabarrot;
Poirier;

PLUS ONE OF THESE depending on the remaining needs of the roster
Maledon; Francisco; Okobo; Cazalon;Dieng;
Diabate; Sarr; Raynaud (Stanford):

TOO IMMATURE
A.Bal (Santa Clara); R.Rupert; S.Sissoko; Risacher; A.Sarr; Salaun

[Serbian_Layup]

Hi everyone,
maybe this is the right place because Wembanyama will participate with great ambitions (he is aiming for gold but the United States are clearly the favourites..).

What do you think would be the best French National Team for PARIS 2024?

My expanded roster…

POINT GUARD
S.Francisco ‘97 euroleague
E.Okobo ‘97 euroleague
T.Huertel ‘89 russian league *
K.Hayes ‘01 nba
F.Ntilikina ‘98 nba
T.Maledon ‘01 nba

*He’s actually banned by French Basketball Federation because he’s playing for a Russian team but Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are working behind the lines… He still is the best French point guard..


COMBO GUARD
N.De Colo ‘87 euroleague

GUARD/FORWARD
E.Fournier ‘92 nba
B.Coulibaly ‘04 nba
M.Cazalon ‘01 g-league
R.Rupert ‘04 g-league
S.Sissoko ‘04 g-league

FORWARD
G.Yabusele ‘95 euroleague
T.Luwawu-Cabarrot ‘95 euroleague
N.Batum ‘88 nba
O.Dieng ‘03 nba

FORWARD/CENTRE
V.Wembanyama ‘04 nba

CENTRE
R.Gobert ‘92 nba
V.Poirier ‘93 euroleague
M.Lessort ‘95 euroleague
M.Diabate ‘02 g-league
O.Sarr ‘99 nba


My personal dream..

STARTING LINEUP
Hayes**;Fournier;Yabusele;Wemby;Gobert

**My personal dream would be for him to make a leap in a NBA team between now and the end of the season. He has the age, physique and talent to make a leap!

BENCH
Huertel*;DeColo;Coulibaly;Batum;L.Cabarrot;
Poirier;

PLUS ONE OF THESE depending on the remaining needs of the roster
Maledon; Francisco; Okobo; Cazalon;Dieng;
Diabate; Sarr; Raynaud (Stanford):

TOO IMMATURE
A.Bal (Santa Clara); R.Rupert; S.Sissoko; Risacher; A.Sarr; Salaun

Let him first win a couple of NBA games before aiming for Olympic gold

My opinion is that France has the potential to play brutal defense. I wouldn't write off that kid Risacher, because it's been awhile since I saw such a good versatile defender who can cover all 1-4 positions defensively. Also seems to be a very good spot up shooter. Both Gobert and Wembanyiama is really challenging to beat in the paint. Opposing teams will have to move the ball and shoot well from the 3 point line. Attacking in the paint won't be a good idea.

On the other hand, offense is not all that good and PG position seems fairly problematic. It's a bit risky to go with Hayes or Maledon for the first time in their career in Olympic tournament. Their integration in national team should have happened earlier. I'm not optimistic that either one of them will make good impact. That would mean you have to rely heavily on really aged De Colo and Fournier who is clearly on decline. Perimeter positions lack on ball creators or elite prime players. Also, a thing to worry about is expectations you will be putting on Wembanyama. It's one thing to put numbers in one of the worst teams in NBA, playing without any pressure to actaully win games, and completely something else when you play Olympics in front of home crowd with huge expectations to win gold or at least make it to the final game. France needs fresh blood and there is plenty of young talent coming, but the timing doesn't seem great right now. That's why everyone is counting on Wembanyama to turn things around after it became clear last year that France needs new faces and more young talent. I'm confused why a team like France with such a deep national pool of young talent hasn't been able to integrate couple of new young players in past years. It would pay huge dividends in Olympics.

[persnickety]

Hi everyone,
maybe this is the right place because Wembanyama will participate with great ambitions (he is aiming for gold but the United States are clearly the favourites..).

What do you think would be the best French National Team for PARIS 2024?

My expanded roster…

POINT GUARD
S.Francisco ‘97 euroleague
E.Okobo ‘97 euroleague
T.Huertel ‘89 russian league *
K.Hayes ‘01 nba
F.Ntilikina ‘98 nba
T.Maledon ‘01 nba

*He’s actually banned by French Basketball Federation because he’s playing for a Russian team but Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are working behind the lines… He still is the best French point guard..


COMBO GUARD
N.De Colo ‘87 euroleague

GUARD/FORWARD
E.Fournier ‘92 nba
B.Coulibaly ‘04 nba
M.Cazalon ‘01 g-league
R.Rupert ‘04 g-league
S.Sissoko ‘04 g-league

FORWARD
G.Yabusele ‘95 euroleague
T.Luwawu-Cabarrot ‘95 euroleague
N.Batum ‘88 nba
O.Dieng ‘03 nba

FORWARD/CENTRE
V.Wembanyama ‘04 nba

CENTRE
R.Gobert ‘92 nba
V.Poirier ‘93 euroleague
M.Lessort ‘95 euroleague
M.Diabate ‘02 g-league
O.Sarr ‘99 nba


My personal dream..

STARTING LINEUP
Hayes**;Fournier;Yabusele;Wemby;Gobert

**My personal dream would be for him to make a leap in a NBA team between now and the end of the season. He has the age, physique and talent to make a leap!

BENCH
Huertel*;DeColo;Coulibaly;Batum;L.Cabarrot;
Poirier;

PLUS ONE OF THESE depending on the remaining needs of the roster
Maledon; Francisco; Okobo; Cazalon;Dieng;
Diabate; Sarr; Raynaud (Stanford):

TOO IMMATURE
A.Bal (Santa Clara); R.Rupert; S.Sissoko; Risacher; A.Sarr; Salaun

First of all, I think you are too optimistic about Huertel's situation. Even if Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are working behind the lines, I doubt that the French Basketball Federation will lift his ban before the Olympics. He is a great point guard, but he made a risky decision to play for a Russian team. I would rather see Ntilikina or Maledon take his spot on the bench.

Secondly, I think you are overlooking some young talents who could make a difference in the future. For example, I think B.Coulibaly is a very promising guard/forward who has a lot of potential in the NBA. He is only 20 years old, but he already has a lot of experience and skills. He can shoot, pass, defend, and rebound. He could be a valuable asset for the French team.

Thirdly, I think you are underestimating some veterans who have proven themselves in the past. For example, I think N.Batum is still a very reliable forward who can contribute in many ways. He is a leader, a defender, a shooter, and a playmaker. He has a lot of international experience and chemistry with the other players. He deserves to be in the starting lineup, in my opinion.

Overall, I think your roster is very solid and balanced, but I would make some adjustments to make it even better. Here is my revised roster: ^{_{geometry dash}}

POINT GUARD
K.Hayes ‘01 nba
F.Ntilikina ‘98 nba
T.Maledon ‘01 nba

COMBO GUARD
N.De Colo ‘87 euroleague

GUARD/FORWARD
E.Fournier ‘92 nba
B.Coulibaly ‘04 nba
M.Cazalon ‘01 g-league

FORWARD
N.Batum ‘88 nba
G.Yabusele ‘95 euroleague
T.Luwawu-Cabarrot ‘95 euroleague
O.Dieng ‘03 nba

FORWARD/CENTRE
V.Wembanyama ‘04 nba

CENTRE
R.Gobert ‘92 nba
V.Poirier ‘93 euroleague
M.Lessort ‘95 euroleague

My personal dream..

STARTING LINEUP
Hayes;Fournier;Batum;Wemby;Gobert

BENCH
Ntilikina;DeColo;Coulibaly;Yabusele;L.Cabarrot;
Poirier;

PLUS ONE OF THESE depending on the remaining needs of the roster
Maledon; Francisco; Okobo; Cazalon;Dieng;
Diabate; Sarr; Raynaud (Stanford):

TOO IMMATURE
A.Bal (Santa Clara); R.Rupert; S.Sissoko; Risacher; A.Sarr; Salaun; Huertel

What do you think of my roster? Do you agree or disagree with my changes? I would love to hear your feedback.

[JABroy]

First of all, I think you are too optimistic about Huertel's situation. Even if Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are working behind the lines, I doubt that the French Basketball Federation will lift his ban before the Olympics. He is a great point guard, but he made a risky decision to play for a Russian team. I would rather see Ntilikina or Maledon take his spot on the bench.

Secondly, I think you are overlooking some young talents who could make a difference in the future. For example, I think B.Coulibaly is a very promising guard/forward who has a lot of potential in the NBA. He is only 20 years old, but he already has a lot of experience and skills. He can shoot, pass, defend, and rebound. He could be a valuable asset for the French team.

Thirdly, I think you are underestimating some veterans who have proven themselves in the past. For example, I think N.Batum is still a very reliable forward who can contribute in many ways. He is a leader, a defender, a shooter, and a playmaker. He has a lot of international experience and chemistry with the other players. He deserves to be in the starting lineup, in my opinion.

Overall, I think your roster is very solid and balanced, but I would make some adjustments to make it even better. Here is my revised roster: ^{_{geometry dash}}

POINT GUARD
K.Hayes ‘01 nba
F.Ntilikina ‘98 nba
T.Maledon ‘01 nba

COMBO GUARD
N.De Colo ‘87 euroleague

GUARD/FORWARD
E.Fournier ‘92 nba
B.Coulibaly ‘04 nba
M.Cazalon ‘01 g-league

FORWARD
N.Batum ‘88 nba
G.Yabusele ‘95 euroleague
T.Luwawu-Cabarrot ‘95 euroleague
O.Dieng ‘03 nba

FORWARD/CENTRE
V.Wembanyama ‘04 nba

CENTRE
R.Gobert ‘92 nba
V.Poirier ‘93 euroleague
M.Lessort ‘95 euroleague

My personal dream..

STARTING LINEUP
Hayes;Fournier;Batum;Wemby;Gobert

BENCH
Ntilikina;DeColo;Coulibaly;Yabusele;L.Cabarrot;
Poirier;

PLUS ONE OF THESE depending on the remaining needs of the roster
Maledon; Francisco; Okobo; Cazalon;Dieng;
Diabate; Sarr; Raynaud (Stanford):

TOO IMMATURE
A.Bal (Santa Clara); R.Rupert; S.Sissoko; Risacher; A.Sarr; Salaun; Huertel

What do you think of my roster? Do you agree or disagree with my changes? I would love to hear your feedback.

I think your corrections are absolutely valid.

My inclusion of Huertel from the bench is more of a personal dream than a real expectation.

Hayes and Ntilikina were listed by Collet as potential point guards for the Olympic team, but their current problem is clearly that they don't have a team: it is important that they soon find an NBA team that will let them play or a EUROLEAGUE team.

They certainly cannot go to PARIS 2024 without playing but above all without growing because both have a long way to go to become leaders of an Olympic team with medal ambitions...

[Melany Durgan]

With a history of excellence, a strong roster, skilled coaching, and the advantage of playing at home, France has all the ingredients for a successful campaign.

Tomb of the Mask

[Straight forward]

France has tons of talent, but the synthesis is not there yet. SL said well that France missed some chances to establish couple of players into NT earlier so their roles would be easier to project now. Now they have just tons of potential, but it's hard to fully figure it out who are ready to help and who are good fit. Think Wemby will contribute, but won't dominate. Coulibaly, Risacher, Sarr are ultra elite prospects, but none of them are entirely ready. I would prioritize Risacher as he has most Euro ball experience and is already pretty good. Guys as Hayes, Maledon, O. Dieng, Sissoko have enough of experience to make NT, but their possible impact is also misleading.

Super deep, but not established team. Coach will have super hard time to figure this out and previously he failed with it. That's the moment when mediocre coach is not enough. Vincent Collet is OK when it's all done and the team is at it's peak having obvious hierarchy and structure, but it's a nightmare when you have tons of talent, and you're in transition of change, and you have to make a synthesis, but you are not capable to cope with this task. That's where Collet is ATM and France is in trouble in terms of coaching. He's the person who could properly deal with it.

So it's tricky. Some vets are washed, some vets are still good and you have a hard time to decide whenever you should still go with them or move them aside (and how far), some elite EL players as Yabusele may be better or worse than some ultra talented players as Wemby, Sarr, Risacher and you again don't know what to do with it. You lack guards and you don't know whenever Hayes or Maledon can give you more than the same Russian ass licker idiot Huertel (maybe Franscisco is what needed). So it's really difficult and France would need Trinchieri, Pascual, Jasikevicius kind of mind to deal with it.

D will will be brutally good. At O they will lack ultimate lead guard as Parker was or even Fournier at his prime. That's the best summary.

[samantha20]

My dream France's squad for Olympics would be Evan Fournier and Thomas Heurtel in guard, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Nicolas Batum in forwards, Rudy Gobert in centers. Retro Bowl

[JABroy]

Do you think Nolan Traore could have a chance considering the national team's lack of point guards?

[Straight forward]

Seems like France still lacking true star guards ATM and it will be a problem for them.

[Darrell Armstrong]

What they are still lacking is a coach with half a brain. All you need to be a contender with Wemby is someone to bring the ball up the court, make entry passes, and knock down some threes to avoid the defence collapsing on him. Collet doesn't get this. First he runs all the guards able to shoot (like Okobo) out of the team. Then he gives lots of minutes to his cronies Fournier and DeColo, both of whom are toast. He insists on giving point guard duties to guys who can't shoot (Ntkilina), think (Strazel), or are exceedingly mediocre (Albicy). And then he's bent on playing Gobert and Wembanyama together because, of course, how can you leave your best two players on the bench. The end result is Wemby is surrounded by players who can't shoot and aren't natural passers. It's a mockery.

[DenverJokic]

What they are still lacking is a coach with half a brain. All you need to be a contender with Wemby is someone to bring the ball up the court, make entry passes, and knock down some threes to avoid the defence collapsing on him. Collet doesn't get this. First he runs all the guards able to shoot (like Okobo) out of the team. Then he gives lots of minutes to his cronies Fournier and DeColo, both of whom are toast. He insists on giving point guard duties to guys who can't shoot (Ntkilina), think (Strazel), or are exceedingly mediocre (Albicy). And then he's bent on playing Gobert and Wembanyama together because, of course, how can you leave your best two players on the bench. The end result is Wemby is surrounded by players who can't shoot and aren't natural passers. It's a mockery.

Agreed, Collett has lost it. Has no idea what to do with his guards. Started last year at the World Cup and seems to have really escalated this year.

I think once the Olympic tournament starts he’s gonna roll with Fournier, de Colo and Batum starting. Batum and de Colo are probably the best passers on the roster.

France is producing a lot of good players right now, but they all play the same position, forwards and centers.

[Darrell Armstrong]

You can get some good minutes out of Batum and DeColo. But put Fournier out there and you have little defence and zero dribble penetration . There's no combination of players that can make the most out of the big men's skills. And that's all Collet's fault.