LAUSANNE (Switzerland) - Playing at a top youth level competition such as the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup provides youngsters with an early taste of what to expect at senior national team events, according to former French international star and FIBA Hall of Famer Antoine Rigaudeau.
The 2000 Olympic silver medalist Rigaudeau helped execute the draw for FIBA U19 World Cup 2025 and he believes the prospects who will be playing from June 28 - July 6 in Lausanne will receive some great basketball and life lessons.
"A youth World Cup allows players to experience different basketball styles from around the world. It's also a global stage - everyone who follows basketball closely is watching. So, it provides an opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a worldwide audience," said Rigaudeau, who guided France to third place at the FIBA EuroBasket 2005 - one of five EuroBaskets at which the former guard played.
Rigaudeau, who made a total of 128 appearances for the French national team, did not have a chance to play at a FIBA youth World Cup, but he did star at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 1990.
There's a structured organization and a level of discipline required, which we learn in youth championships
"Youth-level experiences help us understand what it means to be part of a European or international championship. The pace, for example - we play every day or every two days, depending on the competition. It’s different from club basketball. Also, living as a group, we need to be mindful of rest, even though we have excellent conditions in terms of accommodation. Since games come one after another, there's a structured organization and a level of discipline required, which we learn in youth championships," said Rigaudeau, who averaged 10.3 points in 1990 as France took seventh place.
"Beyond that, basketball remains the same in its essence - you need to win games. But at the senior level, the competition is tougher, and the physical intensity is much higher."
Rigaudeau was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015 and has fond memories of that U18 tournament a quarter century ago.
"I remember it was held in the Netherlands, and it wasn’t very easy for us in terms of results. We had a decent EuroBasket, but nothing exceptional. That said, the organization was great. For us, as international players, it was really the beginning. We were still young but already had the ambition to play at the highest level and eventually join the senior French national team. At that stage, we still had a certain naivety as young players. We enjoyed ourselves and had fun while also striving to be competitive and perform well on the court," he said.
Rigaudeau recently coached and won the Young Stars Game of the French National League. And he said one of the most important things for people - young or experienced, in everyday life of a professional basketball player—is to enjoy what you do.
"Of course, training hard is essential for improvement. When you're young, the goal is to reach the highest level, and without training, that’s impossible. Competitiveness is key - having that competitive mindset is crucial. These championships bring competition because there's a title at stake,” he said.
None of this is possible without the right basketball attitude
"For me, the most important thing is that none of this is possible without the right basketball attitude - both in terms of behavior and technique. Some things don't always show up on a stat sheet, but they matter: intensity, boxing out, diving for loose balls and having the desire to win. Playing for the team is crucial. You are there to serve the team for the best collective outcome."
Rigaudeau has been watching France develop more and more top young talent over the years, but he admits it's hard for him to project his country's chances at the summer's U19 World Cup.
"It's hard for me to answer that because I don't really know the strength of the other teams. So, it’s difficult to assess the competition," he said.
"However, it's clear that France has one of the best pools of young talent - probably one of the top two, alongside the United States, which still leads in terms of player development. There's also Germany and the national teams from the Balkans, which have always had strong youth systems."
He continued: "France certainly has players with great potential to perform at a high level. Whether they can win it all - I can't say for sure. But I believe the federation, the coaching staff, and the players will do everything they can, just like every other team, to reach the top of the podium."
And learn lessons that will help them later at the senior national team level.
FIBA