The FIBA World Championships that will be held in Argentina in a few months are getting closer as the summer moves along. Today, the French National team’s roster was unveiled.
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker will lead the team alongside other NBA players and some high quality international players according to Ballin Europe.
The 12-man roster is loaded with veterans from international play and the NBA is well-represented with Nicolas Batum (Portland Trail Blazers), Boris Diaw (Charlotte Bobcats), Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls), Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), Mickael Pietrus (Phoenix Suns) and Ronny Turiaf (New York Knicks). Kevin Seraphin (Washington Wizards) is listed as an alternate.
Making up la douzaine are Yannick Bokolo (Gravelines Dunkerque), Antoine Diot (Le Mans Sarthe), Nando De Colo (PE Valencia; NBA rights held by the San Antonio Spurs), Mickael Gelabale (ASVEL Basket), Florent Pietrus (Caja Laboral Baskonia), and Ali Traore (Virtus Roma).
Other replacement players include Andrew Albicy (Paris Levallois), Fabien Causeur (Le Havre) and Charles Lombahe-Kahudi (Le Mans Sarthe).
Parker has said in recent interviews that he still isn’t certain whether or not he’ll play in the tournament until the international insurance policy is cleared later on in the summer.
Parker was also ranked as the 9th best point guard in the NBA today according to Sports Haze.
Parker was an immediate impact player for the Spurs and, over his nine years with them, he has started 733 out of a possible 746 games. His accolades include being a three time champion (2003, 2005, 2007) and winning a Finals MVP in 2007. Parker has always been a score-first point guard like Billups and is one of the fiercest attackers at the rim for the position. He’s already played 138 postseason games averaging 18.8 point per game.
Chris McDaniel, who ranked the point guards went on to forsee a future in which Parker will continue to be a main member of the San Antonio Spurs’ core.
Parker has had a bit of a drop-off in his stats over the last few seasons due to injury and a highly public divorce with actress Eva Longoria. Parker’s importance to the Spurs title hopes grow every year with Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan growing older and declining. For the Spurs to be successful over the next few years, Parker has to dominate the always-tough Western Conference.
(Photo: Ballin Europe)
