Collet: ''France has never had so much talent''

PARIS (France) - France head coach Vincent Collet believes Les Bleus' talent pool has never been stronger with an exciting mix of player selected for the first window of the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

The 13-player lineup includes four members of the roster that made it to the Final of FIBA EuroBasket 2022, while they look to bounce back from a disappointing early exit at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 with a first look at some projected future stars.

Highly-rated teenager Zaccharie Risacher is one of four potential debutants in the squad with Collet making it a focal point to integrate the next generation - something the playcaller emphazized in an interview with the French Basketball Federation.

Les Bleus have not played since the FIBA Basketball World Cup in September 2023, are you looking forward to returning on the court with your group?

Of course, but that's always the case. Even in a normal season where I would have been working for a club, this wouldn't change much. I always eagerly await reuniting with the national team.

For the first time since the start of the international windows, you have the opportunity to rely on EuroLeague players. How do you see it?

It’s obviously a luxury that we wouldn’t deprive ourselves of – aong these players, there are players who are national team regulars. They are great players so it was an opportunity to be able to have them and it certainly strengthens our roster. The more options I have to choose from, the better. This requires taking more things into consideration, but it's certainly the preferred way. The fact that our players, year to year, are going on to play in the NBA or EuroLeague narrows our pool. Here, we're heading in the right direction – it's beneficial.

Despite everything, the windows continue to be used to evaluate new players, as evidenced by the presence of Nadir Hifi, Zaccharie Risacher and Matthew Strazel in the group...

Integrating one or two new young people, players with profiles who could be part of the next competition is what we have always tried to do, even if there is a big focus on results since there is qualification for the next EuroBasket at stake.

Nadir Hifi, after the last two seasons at Le Portel where he had already really shown interesting things, has continued to do so this season with Paris Basketball. It's the same with Matthew Strazel. Since the start of the year, he has demonstrated consistently good performances, especially in the French championship, and real progress. His few appearances in the EuroLeague are also interesting.

For Zaccharie Risacher it's still a little different because he is very young. But I remind you that last year we didn't wait with Victor Wembanyama even though he was the same age. It's a similar situation. These latest performances in the league and in the EuroCup are really convincing. It's never too early to integrate talented young people who should settle with the team. It's a process. And I remind you that last summer we intended to take Victor Wembanyama, or even Bilal Coulibaly, to the World Cup.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022 medalists Andrew Albicy, Vincent Poirier and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot are also making a return for Les Bleus. What message do you want to send?

There is no particular message. We are a nation where there is strong competition with many quality players. 12 players is a lot and at the same time, not that many. Not everyone can be there. Even if they are good, there are some who may be better at a given moment and things can turn around. I'm thinking of Vincent Poirier, his statistics almost doubled between last year and this year. He has been excellent since the start of the season whereas last year he had a more complicated season. There is competition, in particular domestically. French basketball has never had so much talent in the past.

The EuroBasket Qualifiers are rather short with only six games to be played, so getting off to a good start essential. What message will you send to the group when you gather in Brest?

It's not related to the World Cup. It's not the same team. It's a bit of the same message that we sent in 2017 when we began the first window with a very complicated opening game in Belgium. We need to find a lot of energy, enthusiasm, mobilization and commitment. Where we failed the most last summer was in terms of our commitment. We need to be impeccable on this. This will be the first message. Afterwards, of course, we have certain game-related demands, but we also know that the format does not lend itself to working miracles in this area. We have five training sessions before Croatia, so it's difficult to be completely ready. But it's the same thing for the opponents, which is why buying in will be essential because it helps to account for the lack of automation and connection between the players.

FIBA