June 29, 2016
Countdown to Manila OQT: 6 days
The pre-tournament favorites to win a coveted Olympic spot in Manila will bring a loaded line-up.
NBA veterans Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, and Boris Diaw headline a stacked French Men’s National Basketball Team, known as the Les Bleus, as announced by the Fédération Française de Basketball Wednesday afternoon Manila time.
In an announcement made by French National Team head coach Vincent Collet and federation official Patrick Beesley, the 12 French players were named included the three NBA players.
Completing the team are Denver Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne, former San Antonio Spurs/Toronto Raptors combo guard Nando de Colo, former Seattle Supersonics/Los Angeles Lakers wingman Mickael Gelabale, Antoine Diot, Thomas Huertel, Adrien Moerman, Charles Kahudi, Adrien Moerman, Florent Pietrus, and Kim Tillie.
New Orleans Hornets center Alexis Ajinca missed the final cut for the team.
Les Bleus finished in third place during the 2015 Eurobasket. The French team is situated in Group B of the Manila OQT together with the Philippines (Gilas Pilipinas) and New Zealand (Tall Blacks). The Manila OQT is set to begin on July 5 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
