By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After leading France to the gold medal game of the 2024 Olympic Games, head coach Vincent Collet revisited adjustments concerning Rudy Gobert and limiting the playing time of the 32-year-old center.
From averaging 21 minutes per game in pool play, Gobert played a total of nine minutes across the contests versus Canada and Germany in the knockout stage of the tournament. He has been dealing with an injury as well.
“With Guerschon [Yabusele] instead of Rudy [Gobert], we have more space to play in offense. With Rudy in the paint, the defenses could help more. It put more defensive pressure on Victor [Wembanyama]. Guerschon brings size in offense, so they had to focus on him. That is what gave us more spacing,” he mentioned after the win against Germany on Thursday, relays BeBasket.
“Victor is only discovering FIBA basketball at a very high level,” continued Collet, “He is adapting. In the last two games, he has been very valuable in defense, and on the rebounds. We do not always realize his impact. There were several small openings where he found himself doubled by the defense. And despite everything, he handled these situations very well. He is probably one of the only players who can do it, even if Rudy is perhaps the second.”
Heading to the gold medal game, France faces the United States in Paris on Saturday.
“Obviously, Rudy would prefer to play more. But clearly, for the moment, this adjustment allowed us to play better in these two games. But on the other hand, the cards can be very redistributed on Saturday. Different matchups, with teams with different profiles,” said Collet.
“The greatest moment”
The Final is a rematch of the Tokyo Games Final held in 2021, under the restrictions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. France and Collet eventually settled for silver.
“Having this second opportunity is something incredible and we are going to play hard. Honestly, it has nothing to do with Tokyo. Three years ago, it was just us and the players,” underlined the head coach of Les Bleus, “Playing with 15,000 spectators who pushed and who had the same desire as us for us to go to the Final, is something unique.”
“For me, it is the greatest moment of my career in the national team of France. Maybe even ahead of the EuroBasket Final in 2013,” he referred to guiding his country to gold in the 2013 EuroBasket, “For all of us, the players and the staff, it is a dream to play an Olympic Final in Paris.”
Photo Credit: FIBA