Team Profiles: USA 1984, USA 1996, France 2024? – Men’s Olympic Basketball Paris 2024

MIES, Switzerland – Three years ago, France reached the final in Saitama, Japan, where they recorded a memorable victory over the United States in the group stage, and in 2024, with a sold-out crowd at their backs, an entire nation will be hoping they can improve on that performance and win their first Olympic gold medal.

That was the plan, the dream, but France must now navigate one of the toughest groups at the Olympics, facing Germany, Japan and Brazil for a place in the quarterfinals.

The top two teams from each group will advance, plus the top two third-placed teams from all groups.

Roster

Coach Vincent Collet’s trademark for the France national team has been using two big men for years, and he paired two man-mountains in Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert with no sign of losing any intensity, even after Guerschon Yabusele and Mathias Lessor took over the second unit.

In Wenby, Coach Collett has a once in a lifetime player. His skill set allows him to thrive as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations, creating a nightmare matchup for anyone. He has the freedom to create something out of nothing on the offensive end.

Defensively, it will be difficult to score past both Wembanyama and Gobert.

With Victor still only 20 years old, France will need more veteran leadership and will turn to Nando de Colo (37), Nicolas Batum (35) and Andreu Albissy (34). Rudy Gobert (32) and Evan Fournier (31) are also 30 years old on this roster, but it’s easy to see them competing in the Olympics again in four years.

Gobert will provide exactly what you’d expect from him — finishing, rim protection, rebounding — but it remains to be seen whether Fournier can repeat as FIBA’s Evan Trophy winner.

FIBA’s Evan averaged 18.7 points per game in the last Olympics, but has played in just 32 NBA games this season, reaching double figures in points just 12 times and scoring 20 or more points just once all season.

Even if Fournier doesn’t make a big impact on the court, his experience will be invaluable to France’s perfectly balanced lineup and countless pool of promising players.

Let’s not forget, they will be without the top two picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zachary Lisacher and Alex Sarr, while Bilal Coulibaly (19) and Matthew Strassell (21) will team with Wenbanyama and Frank Ntilikina is still young at 25 years old.

To say the future is bright would be the understatement of the century, especially as the current situation looks great, talent-wise too.

question

Can they join the U.S.? Throughout the history of the men’s Olympic basketball tournament, it has been difficult for the host country to even reach the final, let alone win the championship.

Only twice in 1984 and 1996 has a home team been able to celebrate winning gold at the Olympics. The victories in Los Angeles and Atlanta were won by the U.S. teams, and those are the only two times the host country has played in the Olympic finals.

The only other medal won by a host country was a bronze medal won by the Soviet Union in 1980.

Hope

Sold out crowds, national pride, three young players led by Victor Wembanyama and a core of players who have been together for years: it’s a good month to be a French basketball fan.

Fear

As long as no one mentions France’s terrible performance in the 2023 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup, where they finished 18th, they have no fear.

But if someone do Mention last summer and fears of a repeat of such a forgettable campaign begin to emerge.

In previous friendlies, the team has lacked scoring, control, aggressiveness and composure in the guards.

Last 10 FIBA ​​events

Also check the following:

Roster Tracker: Paris 2024 Men’s Olympic Basketball

Tracker: Preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament

International Basketball Federation