By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The French Basketball Federation announced the roster of the national team for the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup. France captain Nicolas Batum and perennial star Nando De Colo are returning to the squad after skipping the 2022 EuroBasket while NBAers Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier are once again present.
The full 12-man squad is as follows: Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, Nando De Colo, Guerschon Yabusele, Elie Okobo, Frank Ntilikina, Yakuba Ouattara, Mathias Lessort, Terry Tarpey, Moustapha Fall, Sylvain Francisco. France will begin the World Cup against Canada, Latvia and Lebanon in Group H that will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Victor Wembanyama is the most notable name among the French team’s absentees. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft said that playing in the World Cup “… would not be realistic in terms of development and not prudent in terms of health” ahead of debuting in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs.
France will march to the World Cup after winning the silver medal in both the 2022 EuroBasket and the 2021 Olympic Games. In the previous edition of the World Championship in 2019, Les Bleus claimed the bronze medal after moving to the Top 4 by eliminating Team USA in the quarterfinals.