Watch Out! The French Are Coming

The summer of 2010 will be a welcome reprieve from the summer of 2009 from the viewpoint of basketball fans. Why? Because pro level basketball will extend well beyond the NBA finals as the World Championships takes center stage next summer. We will have plenty of basketball activity this time next year to carry us through the dull summer months leading up to the NBA fall tipoff. Obviously, Team USA are heavy favorites if the best trio in basketball (Kobe, Lebron, Wade) participate but don’t be surprised if the French National Team turns a few heads with their performance. Team France is loaded with NBA talent, including All-Star guard Tony Parker; and they are young meaning they could be around on the National scene for a very long time. Let’s take a closer look at this team.

Projected Starting Five:

Boris Diaw – F (CHA)

Ronny Turiaf – F (GS)

Joakim Noah – C (CHI)

Nicolas Batum – G (POR)

Tony Parker – G (SAS)

Possible key (NBA talent) Reserves:

Mickael Pietrus (ORL)

 Johan Petro (DEN)

 Ian Mihinmi, (SAS)

Nando De Colo (SAS)

Rodrigue Beaubois (DAL)

Of course this article could be a bit premature as the French National Team has to first qualify for the 2010 World Championships. They are currently playing in the Eurobasket Championships and managed to upset Italy without Tony Parker in the line-up. Parker, who was recently injured, has been cleared to by the San Antonio Spurs to return to action. He and his Spurs teammate Ian Mihinmi should be a welcome boost to team France as they take on team Finland tomorrow evening. Keep a watchful eye on this French team as they attempt to play their way into the world championship conversation.