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France has announced their 12-man roster for the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves is the biggest name for the French, with Victor Wembanyama set to miss his first major tournament.
Coach Vincent Collet announced the roster on the French TV3 channel and had a special show for the announcement, as per EuroBasket. France will have four current NBA players on their lineup, while the remaining eight ply their trade in Europe.
Here's the full 12-man lineup of France for the 2023 FIBA World Cup:
- Nicolas Batum, F - LA Clippers
- Nando de Colo, G - ASVEL
- Moustapha Fall, C - Olympiacos
- Evan Fournier, G/F - New York Knicks
- Sylvain Francisco, G - Peristeri B.C.
- Rudy Gobert, C - Minnesota Timberwolves
- Mathias Lessort, F - Panathinaikos
- Frank Ntilikina, G - Dallas Mavericks
- Elie Okobo, G - AS Monaco
- Yakuba Ouattara, G - AS Monaco
- Terry Tarpey, G - AS Monaco
- Guerschon Yabusele, F - Real Madrid
Apart from four current NBA players, France has three more players with NAB experience — Nando de Colo, Elie Okobo and Guerschon Yabusele. It should also be noted that only half of the current roster was in the team's silver medal-winning squad at the 2022 EuroBasket.
France is drawn in Group H of the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Canada, Latvia and Lebanon. They will play all their group games at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia.
If they advance to the final round, they will move to the Philippines for the remainder of their games. The final round will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Metro Manila.
Victor Wembanyama to miss 2023 FIBA World Cup
The biggest name not on France's roster at the 2023 FIBA World Cup is Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
The first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft announced earlier this week that he won't be participating in the tournament as he prepares for the upcoming NBA season.
"I've decided to dedicate this summer to preparing my body for the many events awaiting it in the coming years," Wembanyama told L'Equipe.
"This meant skipping the World Cup. It was a difficult decision and one that required the advice of many people. But I sincerely believe it's the best one for the French team and myself."
Wembanyama added that he would likely be available at the Paris Olympics next year.
The pressure to perform will be high for Wembanyama next season. He's the most hyped NBA prospect since LeBron James in 2003. He appears to be in a perfect situation under head coach Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.
