France unveils basketball squad for Tokyo Olympics

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - France on Thursday unveiled the national basketball squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

French Basketball Federation (FFBB) said in a statement that coach Vincent Collet picked 12 players and 4 reserves for this summer's games.

Collet also named four alternate players, who will train with the French team during preparations and can be integrated into the team in case of injury.

Axel Toupane (Milwaukee Bucks), Isaia Cordinier (Nanterre), William Howard (ASVEL) and Mathias Lessort (Monaco) were said to be the reserves.

There are five NBA players in France's 12-man Olympics squad; Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks), Evan Fournier (Boston Celtics), Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Brooklyn Nets) and Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz).

Fenerbahce Beko playmaker guard Nando De Colo and Pinar Karsiyaka power forward Amath M'baye were also in the national squad to travel to Tokyo.

France will gather on June 23 to prepare for the Olympics.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will take place from July 23 to Aug. 8 after it was postponed for one year due to the pandemic.

France will play in the Group A in Tokyo to face US, Iran and a nation to come from the Olympics qualifiers (Victoria, Canada).

FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments' (OQT) Victoria winner will join France, US and Iran.

Canada, China, Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey and Uruguay are set to compete on June 29-July 4 to bag one ticket to the Olympics.

- French national squad for Tokyo Olympics

Centers: Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz), Moustapha Fall (ASVEL), Vincent Poirier (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Guerschon Yabusele (ASVEL), Amath M'baye (Pinar Karsiyaka), Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Brooklyn Nets)

Guards: Nando De Colo (Fenerbahce), Evan Fournier (Boston Celtics), Andrew Albicy (Gran Canaria), Thomas Heurtel (ASVEL) and Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks)