Joakim'll be there
Vincent Collet has named 18 players to his Team France preliminary roster, including six from the NBA, three from Spain’s ACB and nine from French Pro A ball; in fact, five players played 2009-10 with Pro A championship finalists Le Mans and Cholet.
Representing the NBA is quite an impressive core – even without Tony Parker and Rony Turiaf – that includes Team France regulars Joakim Noah and Boris Diaw in addition to NBA up-and-comers Rodrigue Beaubois, Nicolas Batum, Alexis Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi.
All three of the past Pro A MVP winners are on the squad as well in Nando De Colo (2008), Alain Koffi (2009) and Ali Traore (2010); Traore is one of two Euroleaguers on the list, along with Orleans’ Ludovic Vaty. Prospective NBA draft pick Kévin Séraphin was also among the chosen, as were Valencia teammates Florent Pietrus and Nando De Colo.
Before the FIBA World Championship tips off on August 28, Team France will be in training camp from July 25th to August 6th. A friendly against Team Tunisia is scheduled for August 7, against Canada on August 12-13, and against Team USA at Madison Square Garden on August 15.
The entire expanded roster includes Alexis Ajinca, Boris Diaw (Charlotte Bobcats); Nicolas Batum (Portland Trailblazers); Rodrigue Beaubois (Dallas Mavericks); Yannick Bokolo (BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque); Fabien Causeur, Mickaël Gelabale, Kévin Seraphin (Cholet Basket); Florent Pietrus, Nando De Colo (Valencia); Antoine Diot, Charles Lombahe-Kahudi (Le Mans); Edwin Jackson (Rouen); Alain Koff (DKV Joventut); Ian Mahinmi (San Antonio Spurs); Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls); Ali Traore (Asvel Lyon Villeurbanne); and Ludovic Vaty (Entente Orléanaise).
Leave a Reply