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Saturday, February 18, 2023

Team France - FIBA with an NBA Flair, Clips Versus Slovenia in the 2020 Olympics

Basketball was born in the USA but it's bred everywhere and the competition is getting better. 

Team France has plenty of NBA players with Victor Wembanyana on the horizon. 


France is currently ranked 5th in the FIBA World rankings. 

Players from France Currently In The NBA

Rudy GobertC7-1256Jun 26, 1992Minnesota Timberwolves4930.3813.2411.450.900.801.27
Killian HayesG6-5216Jul 27, 2001Detroit Pistons5426.689.542.745.761.300.33
Evan FournierSG6-7205Oct 29, 1992New York Knicks2317.996.831.961.520.610.13
Nicolas BatumF6-8230Dec 14, 1988Los Angeles Clippers5621.675.984.251.460.610.71
Theo MaledonPG6-5190Jun 12, 2001Charlotte Hornets3616.145.562.392.390.750.17
Ousmane DiengSG6-10216May 21, 2003Oklahoma City Thunder1914.974.162.581.370.260.32
Moussa DiabatePF6-11210Jan 21, 2002Los Angeles Clippers1710.043.122.650.180.290.35
Frank NtilikinaPG6-5200Jul 28, 1998Dallas Mavericks3511.622.491.261.140.200.11
Olivier SarrFC7-0240Feb 20, 1999Oklahoma City Thunder-------

Video - breakdown from 2020 Olympics (semifinal versus Slovenia)

High ball screen as Fournier/Gobert combine to score against drop coverage as Fournier maintains advantage. 

A dribble handoff and staggered screen free DeColo for an open corner three. 


Doncic be Doncic. Off a SLOB, Doncic runs the high pick-and-roll against drop coverage and Slovenia gets a dunk. 


Creating edges. Former Celtic Yabusele frees De Colo with a backscreen and he does the rest at the rim with a speed mismatch. 


Fall in love with easy. With more 'drop coverage' De Colo uses a Gobert screen for an easy foul line jumper. 


"Once burned, twice shy." Drop coverage didn't work, so France elects to switch the PnR against Luka. Back to the drawing board. 


France into Spain? France sets up a horns set with a handback into action that looks like Spain pick-and-roll (backscreen the roller). It frees Fournier for a floater and 'maybe' Yabusele could have cut harder for a lob. Just saying. 


See me, not? I can watch whole high school games without seeing one legit pick-and-roll. Here Fournier and Gobert run it again and create an edge. Slovenia is NOT going to help off perimeter shooters. Gobert gets fouled. He is a career 64% FT shooter, FWIW.
 

Down 4 with 44 seconds left, Slovenia uses a variation of what France ran but the initial screen sets a second (down) screen to free up a three-pointer. 



France hosts the 2024 Olympics, so France is an automatic qualifier. Here's a brief Reddit summary:

"2024 will be the Olympic debut of Victor Wembanyama, right after his 2023-24 rookie campaign. His addition alone to an already loaded veteran team will make them the most talented French squad in history. Gobert, Fournier, and Batum should still be the leaders of this team by 2024, but France also is banking on the development of young guys like Killian Hayes, Theo Maledon, Ousmane Dieng (projected 1st Rd pick in 2022), and Sekou Doumbouya to give them the best possible chance at winning a gold medal on home court."