Naismith Trophy in spectacular Paris

PARIS (France) - The timing of the stop in France for the Trophy Tour presented by J9 could not have been better.

The Naismith Trophy made the rounds in Paris, the global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture, and was photographed at one famous site after another before it was taken to 7 Esplanade, Henri de France, where national team coach Vincent Collet announced the Les Bleus roster for the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Tout Le Sport.

After the television show, Collet and former French Basketball Federation executive and former national team captain Boris Diaw answered questions from the media while sitting beside the Naismith Trophy that France are so eager to compete win for the first time.

The event capped a very busy day for the Trophy Tour. International basketball's biggest prize was taken to the many sites that make Paris such a wonderful destination for tourists.

The Metro 6 (above) is the line that gives commuters the best views of the city and its landmarks.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris (above) is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and is the most visited monument in France. The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The large glass and metal pyramid (above) serves as the main entrance of the Louvre Museum.

Completed in 1988 as part of the broader Grand Louvre project, it has become a landmark of the city of Paris.

The Roman Catholic Church, the The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre (above) is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus.

It was formally approved as a national historic monument by the National Commission of Patrimony and Architecture on December 8, 2022.

Moulin Rouge, Paris 

The trophy was photographed in front of the most famous cabaret in the world, Moulin Rouge. It's best known as the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance which evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabaret across Europe.

Arc de Triomphe, Paris

The trophy was taken to the Arc de Triomphe, which honors those that fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces.

Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Eiffel Tower

Named part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site ("Paris, Banks of the Seine") in 1991, the 330m high “Dame de Fer” (“Iron Lady”) is the most visited monument with entrance fee in the world. It has about six million visitors annually.

FIBA