Eurobasket 2013 winners France have named a 17-man squad for the FIBA World Cup of Basketball with NBA players Boris Diaw, Alexis Ajinca and Nicolas Batum included.
The MVP of Eurobasket and France’s most recognizable player, Tony Parker is not included, as the Spurs guard confirmed that he was taking the summer off.
Parker’s team-mate in San Antonio, Boris Diaw though is included in Collet’s World Cup squad and is enjoying a solid NBA Finals by replacing Brazil’s Tiago Splitter in the starting line-up and having the highest plus-minus (index rating) so far of any player in the four games played.
A key figure in France’s Eurobasket win, Alexis Ajinca has held his own for the New Orleans Pelicans this season, since his move to the NBA from French club Strasbourg, Ajinca has averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 56 games.
The 17-man list has 11 players from Eurobasket as Andrew Albicy, Rodrigue Beaubois, Fabien Causeur, Johan Passave-Ducteil, Johan Petro, Pape Sy and Ali Traore have been released from the roster.
France will be in Group A, where they play hosts Spain, Brazil, Serbia, Iran and Egypt.
France: Alexis Ajinca; Nicolas Batum; Nando De Colo; Boris Diaw; Antoine Diot; Mickael Gelabale; Thomas Heurtel; Charles Kahudi; Joffrey Lauvergne; Florent Pietrus; Evan Fournier; Kevin Seraphin; Edwin Jackson; Rudy Gobert; Kim Tillie; Nobel Boungou Colo and Adrien Moerman.
