Quote:Disappointed Parker Still Happy He Played
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has never shied away from voicing his concern about Spurs players exerting themselves too much in the summer with their national teams.
The topic arises every year with San Antonio, in fact, since the NBA club has its share of international superstars like Manu Ginobili of Argentina and Tony Parker of France.
Parker had been expected to take this summer off but gave a boost to Les Bleus, joining them late in preparations for their EuroBasket 2009 qualifying games.
Before playing for his country, though, he revealed that he had to make a difficult phone call to Popovich.
Parker, speaking in the San Antonio Express-News, said he was so nervous that: "I almost had a heart attack."
Popovich told Parker that it was okay to play, and the playmaker ended up leading the team and entire competition in scoring with an average of 26.8 points per game.
France failed to earn direct qualification for next year's EuroBasket and instead will have to compete for the one spot that is still up for grabs in the Additional Qualifying Round.
Nevertheless, Parker said: "For me, it was a good way to get back in shape. Play some real games, instead of running in the hills."
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Here is a nice article bout the future of France NT
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Quote:Parker Not Concerned By Ankle Woes
France point guard Tony Parker has had his share of ankle injuries as a player in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs and that very problem recently forced him to the sidelines already this season.
But he's be fortunate, he says, to have avoided a big injury.
"It is my seventh sprain on the left ankle but I was talking about this with my dad the other day and I feel lucky because I have not sustained anything major in my career," he said to <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tp9.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">[url="http://www.tp9.net"]http://www.tp9.net[/url]</a><!-- w -->.
"It is true that my ankle is a bit more fragile but two weeks ago, I injured it by myself like a big boy (center).
"It is too bad because at the time, I was the leading scorer in the league and I was playing the basketball of my life and it would have been nice to move along that path."
Indeed, Parker had just hit a career-high 55 points in a double overtime win over Minnesota . Fourty-eight hours later he rolled the ankle on a drive to the basket.
Parker, who will lead France next summer when they attempt to win the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009, could return to the Spurs line-up as early as next week.
"My ankle is a lot better and I've started to run and shoot on Tuesday," he said.
"It had been two or three days that I could walk normally but I could not fully put some weight on the ankle.
"Now the decision is mine, either I come back next week or I wait to come back at 100% strength.
"For now, nothing has been decided and I will wait next week to take a decision. I do not want to hurry anything with the risk of sustaining another injury."
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Quote:ITA/FRA - Messina says no to France
MILAN (EuroBasket 2009) ââ¬â It has emerged that Italian coaching great Ettore Messina was given the chance to coach France next summer but the CSKA Moscow boss turned down the opportunity because he didnââ¬â¢t want to be a ââ¬Åtraitorââ¬Â.
Messina was in Milan leading CSKA against Armani Jeans Milano in the Euroleague and a story appeared in the La Stampa newspaper in which the veteran tactician admitted the French job could have been his but he said he simply could not coach against his homeland in the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009.
Only one of the six national teams in the additional qualifiers can reach the Final Round in Poland.
"The truth is that I did turn down the opportunity to coach the French national team,ââ¬Â Messina said in La Stampa.
"But not for rules that could pose a problem, but because I will never be a traitor to my country.
"We will play against France in a game that means life and death to all of Italian basketball.
ââ¬ÅI will never coach a team that could decide negatively the destiny of my national team."
France, Italy and Finland face each other in one Additional Qualifying Round group while Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium square off in the other.
The winners of the two groups then meet each other and the national side that triumphs in that meeting advances to the Final Round in Poland.
Messina once coached Italyââ¬â¢s national team.
He has been persistently linked with the Toronto Raptors the past couple of years and even gave a coaching clinic on big men before the NBA season in the Ontario city before CSKA Moscow took on the Raptors in a pre-season scrimmage.
The speculation wonââ¬â¢t be dying anytime soon after the Raptorsââ¬â¢ sacking of coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday.
Toronto, the NBAââ¬â¢s only Canadian team, replaced Mitchell with former Canada coach Jay Triano.
Messina has also been linked with the Barcelona coaching post.
ââ¬ÅRegarding the rumors of going to Barcelona, I can only say that I donôt know what I will do at the end of the season,ââ¬Â he said.
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Messina could have acted more professionally (if the reason he mentioned is actually the reason) <!-- s
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With that position, he won't coach any other NT imo. If, for instance, he became the coach of Spain and Italy was drawn in the same group as them, would he quit just not to defeat Italy? Or would he lose the game on purpose? This just doesn't make sense to me.
Quote:FRA/ESP ââ¬â France considered Spainââ¬â¢s Pepu for national team job
PARIS (EuroBasket 2009) - France contacted Spainââ¬â¢s 2006 FIBA World Championship gold medal-winning boss Pepu Hernandez about the possibility of leading Les Bleus next summer in the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009 but were turned down.
The French only managed a second-place finish behind Turkey in their qualifying group this summer and that wasnââ¬â¢t good enough to book a place in next yearââ¬â¢s Final Round in Poland.
Hernandez followed up the 2006 world title in Japan with a silver medal at EuroBasket 2007 in Madrid but was sacked by the Spanish Basketball Federation shortly before the Beijing Games.
In a weekend statement announcing his re-election, France Basketball Federation president Ivan Mainini said: ââ¬ÅOne of the first things we need to do is focus on the national team in order to get a decision by the end of January.
"We have been working for several weeks on certain paths, such as the former Spain coach Pepu Hernandez, who has preferred to focus on a club.
ââ¬ÅThe others have been French coaches. We need to find the right person to guide the team to the level that it should be in Europe."
Former Italy and current CKSA Moscow coach Ettore Messina was quoted in the La Stampa newspaper in Italy recently as saying that he had been approached by France but he didnââ¬â¢t want to be a ââ¬Åtraitorââ¬Â and coach against his homeland.
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Another rumour for coach: Larry Brown.
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[quote name='"rikhardur":3geqz56a']Another rumour for coach: Larry Brown.
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Interesting. If he really becomes the coach of France maybe he will also consider working with a club in Europe. I don't think he's the best choice for European team. But because of his name will attract lots of interest.
I agree with Vilius. france need expirenc coach from europ. their team is loaded with taletend and atletic players but tacticly they behind the rest of europ. NBA coach isin't best solution for them
Quote:France To Announce Name Of Coach On March 4
France will on March 4 reveal who will coach the men's team in the EuroBasket 2009 Additional Qualifying Round.
French Basketball Federation (FFB
president Yvan Mainini will make the announcement, the FFBB said in a statement.
France finished second to Turkey in their Division A campaign last summer under coach Michel Gomez.
They were not, however, among the top three second-place sides from the four groups and as a consequence must win the additional qualifiers to play at the EuroBasket in Poland.
The French are in the same Additional Qualifying Round group with Italy and Finland.
Should they finish top, Les Bleus will take on the winner of the other group that includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium and Portugal for the right to play in Poland.
The FFBB yet to specify the location and time of the press conference to announce the new coach.
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Quote:FRA - Brown Linked With French Role This Summer
CHARLOTTE (EuroBasket 2009) ââ¬â The last time Larry Brown graced the international stage was in 2004 at the Athens Olympics, when the veteran coached the United States to a bronze medal.
The boss of the NBAââ¬â¢s Charlotte Bobcats could be set for a return, though not as coach and not with the USA.
Instead, Brown, according to BasketNews in France, has expressed the hope that he might ââ¬Ågive a handââ¬Â to Les Bleus.
The French Basketball Federation are to announce on Wednesday their coach for this yearââ¬â¢s Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009.
Brown, who has Frenchman Boris Diaw and Alexis Ajinca in his Bobcats squad that has been playing much better of late, was asked if he would like to coach France.
"I would really like to give a hand, whatever that may be, but I donôt think that this (head coach) is for me,ââ¬Â Brown said.
"There are many good coaches out there that know the international game better than me.
ââ¬ÅBecause of my relations with my two players (Diaw and Ajinca) and the number of French in the NBA, I would like to help."
France will take on Italy and Finland in Group B of the Additional Qualifying Round and if they finish top will then face the winner of Group A ââ¬â Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Portugal.
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Quote:FRA - Florent Pietrus upbeat about Franceââ¬â¢s chances of reaching EuroBasket
VALENCIA (EuroBasket 2009) ââ¬â Of the six teams that still have a chance to reach the EuroBasket 2009 Final Round in Poland, France are deemed by many to be the favourites.
With Tony Parker pulling the strings at point guard, Les Bleus will go into the Additional Qualifying Round looking to overcome Italy and Finland in Group B.
They will then have to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium or Portugal from Group A.
The French still have one very important matter to solve, however.
They must appoint a new coach.
The federation has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday in Paris to announce the new boss.
An interview over the weekend in BasketNews with former Team USA boss Larry Brown, who is currently at the helm of a Charlotte Bobcats team in the NBA that includes France international Boris Diaw and 20-year-old Frenchman Alexis Ajinca, has caused a stir.
Brown was asked if he would like to coach France but he replied no, although he would ââ¬Ålike to give a helping handââ¬Â.
Veteran forward Florent Pietrus of Pamesa Valencia, who missed last summerââ¬â¢s campaign while he rehabilitated his knee following an operation, says that no matter who takes the reins, France will be a force to be reckoned with.
He spoke to Jeff Taylor in an interview for FIBA.com.
FIBA.com: We really enjoyed watching you play for France at the last two EuroBaskets and at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. You werenââ¬â¢t able to play last summer when France finished second in their qualifying group to Turkey. Are you going to play for France again?
Pietrus: Of course, of course. We have a nice opportunity. We lost the qualifications last summer and we have only one chance to get to the European Championship (EuroBasket). I hope that everyone will be there to help France qualify.
FIBA.com: Italy will be a tough team to beat in your group, though.
Pietrus. Yes, I think itââ¬â¢s going to be between us and Italy, but I think we have a good chance to make this European Championship.
FIBA.com: There is one other matter. Who is going to be the coach?
Pietrus: I donââ¬â¢t know. Up to now, we donââ¬â¢t know. But it doesnââ¬â¢t matter. What is more important is July 5 when we start the preparations and like I said before try to get to the European Championship.
FIBA.com: You have played in Spain for a long time. How do you like the basketball in the countryââ¬â¢s top flight, the ACB?
Pietrus: Itââ¬â¢s great. For me, itââ¬â¢s one of the best championships in Europe because after the NBA, every NBA player goes straight to Spain. That makes the level higher. Thatââ¬â¢s why itââ¬â¢s important for us in the EuroCup and winning this game (against Azovmash) because we have an opportunity (to win a trophy). In the ACB, itââ¬â¢s going to be tough to play against such teams as Tau, Barcelona. This (EuroCup) is our competition, so we have to give 100% to achieve something.
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Quote:Collet's Mission: Get France To London 2012
France have the long-term goal of playing at the 2012 Olympics in London.
The country's basketball federation felt ASVEL Basket coach Vincent Collet was the man best suited to make it happen, and on Wednesday gave him a four-year contract.
"First of all, I would like to say that I am very honoured to become the coach of France for a long period," the 45-year-old Collet said.
"Nevertheless, we have a mission in the short term: to qualify for the EuroBasket as early as this year, which will help condition our success in the project in the longer term."
France will take on Italy and Finland in Additional Qualifying Round Group B and if they finish top, then a showdown with the winner of Group A - Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Portugal - will await them with the side that prevails advancing to Poland.
"This means to see this team compete in the top international tournaments, starting from the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey," Collet continued.
"It will be necessary to be able to persist and to continue. This is the reason why the Federation President (Yvan Mainini) has shown me this confidence.
"The qualification for the Olympic games is a very ambitious project. It will be necessary to satisfy this objective."
France have also announced that Rouen coach Michel Veyronnet and Jacky Commères, the former women's team boss and assistant to both Claude Bergeaud and Michel Gomez, will be on the coaching staff.
Crawford Palmer, a member of France's silver-medal winning side at the 2000 Olympics, has been given a role to handle relations with the NBA with many of the country's leading players competing in the league.
Collet, an assistant on the national team coaching staff in 2002-03, has long been recognised as one of the top coaches in his country's top flight.
While at Le Mans from the 2000-2008, he was voted French Coach of the Year three times (2001, '04 and '06).
Collet will take over a French team that has underachieved in recent years in the eyes of many.
At EuroBasket 2005 in Belgrade under Bergeaud, the team stunned hosts Serbia & Montenegro and made it to the Semi-Finals where they blew a huge lead against Greece in the final minute.
France ultimately defeated Spain to capture the bronze medal.
At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan under Bergeaud, France overcame the loss of star point guard Tony Parker shortly before the start of the tournament and managed to finish fifth.
At EuroBasket 2007 in Spain, France were just seconds away from advancing to the Semi-Finals but missed crucial free throws against Russia and lost.
They eventually came in eighth place, which prevented the team from taking part in the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens and also forced them to go into qualifying for EuroBasket 2009.
Last summer under Gomez, France came in second place behind Turkey and missed out on earning a direct ticket to the Final Round in Poland.
With Parker and other talented players, however, France will be the favorites to win the Additional Qualifying Round.
One of those who could enter the national team is Portland Trail Blazers rookie Nicolas Batum, a former player under Collet at Le Mans.
Batum, a player for France at junior level, has been solid this season in his North American debut.
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[url="http://www.talkbasket.net/content/view/1875/69/"]France gets last ticket for Eurobasket 2009[/url]