Paris 2024 Olympic Games: “A somewhat bastardized situation”, Vincent Collet looks back on the selection of the French basketball team

Vincent Collet, à la tête des Bleus depuis 2009. MAXPPP – Jean-Marc LOOS

Vincent Collet will officially unveil his list of 12 players selected for the Paris Olympic Games, this Monday at 2 p.m. The French coach returned to the difficulty of composing a list for such an event.

From the initial group of 19 players, Killian Hayes and Ousmane Dieng were excluded on June 26. Joined a few days later by the unfortunate Vincent Poirier, injured in an ankle.

Also read: Paris 2024 Olympic Games: the Blues and Wembanyama arrive in Montpellier to challenge the German world champions in preparation

Before the match in Germany on Saturday, Vincent Collet announced the departure of two other players. Hérault resident Jaylen Hoard and playmaker Nadir Hifi in turn said goodbye to their chances of participating in the Paris Olympics.

Finally, after two preparation matches, against Turkey and Germany, the coach made a decision: Théo Maledon and Elie Okobo are leaving the gathering and will not participate in the Olympic Games.

"What is particularly complicated is the timing"

"It’s a difficult choice, there is no real evidence, we have had years where it was simpler, because over time time the choices became clear", he pointed out on the eve of making his decision.

Also read: Paris 2024 Olympic Games: the Blues with Albicy, Cordinier and Strazel but without Okobo or Maledon in the 12, to participate in the Olympic tournament

A complicated choice to make, only a week after the start of preparation. "D in the years of the European Championship and World Cup, we are under the FIBA ​​rule, so you have time to do it, we don't wait until the last moment, but despite everything we still gives more time, continues Collet. There, the constraint of the CNOSF is somehow terrible, because we are trapped between the constraint and the NBA, which prohibits us from starting before 20 days… hellip; then a week later you have to make the selection, so that's what's particularly complicated, it's the timing."

The 12 players selected for the French team

Playmakers: Frank Ntilikina, Andrew Albicy, Matthew Strazel

Backs: Evan Fournier, Nando De Colo, Isaia Cordinier

Wingers: Bilal Coulibaly, Nicolas Batum

Strong wingers: Victor Wembanyama, Guerschon Yabusele

Pivots: Rudy Gobert, Mathias Lessort

A selection to be managed quickly so as not to mobilize too much mental load, in this preparation for the Olympic deadline."It’s a pollution, when you are in this phase, the players necessarily need to show themselves and le wanting to be selected, sometimes it creates a distortion between what some people can do, and what they are obliged to do to try to earn their place, explains the coach. So it's obviously a bit of a bastard situation, but one that we can't escape."

Among the positive effects of this expanded group, the intensity during training, for a group of players overmotivated by the idea of ​​proving their worth to appear in the 12.< /p>

"Working on each person's roles"

Besides, the French staff is satisfied with "the’intensity, the determination that everyone showed", and now expects his players "to maintain this level despite being reassured of their place in the team".< /em>