On July 27, the basketball event at the Paris Olympics begins, with host nation France facing South American powerhouse Brazil.
France is currently ranked 9th in the world, while Brazil is ranked 12th. In the latest FIBA power rankings, France is placed 6th, and Brazil is 10th.
The two former South American giants, Brazil and Argentina, have both declined in recent years. Argentina failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and Brazil has faced a generational gap in its star players. After missing the last Olympics, Brazil had to endure a tough qualifying tournament for this event. The 41-year-old former Lakers guard, Huertas, remains Brazil’s primary playmaker. This oldest player in the men’s basketball competition at the current Olympics plays for Tenerife in Spain and scored 12 points with 7 assists in the final against Latvia during the qualification stage.
Kabongo, aged 28, is the leading scorer for the Brazilian national team. Kabongo was selected 20th overall by the Raptors in the 2014 NBA Draft but played mostly a marginal role during his seven-year NBA career. Currently playing in Europe, Kabongo averaged 17.8 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game during the Olympic qualifiers, leading Brazil to success and earning him the MVP award in the Riga zone.
The French national team is currently quite strong, having reached the final of the previous Olympics where they lost to the USA and finished as runners-up. As hosts for this event, the French team has ambitious goals.
The frontcourt duo of Wembanyama and Gobert can be considered world-class. Both are tall with long arms and excel defensively. Wembanyama contributed an average of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game in his rookie season in the NBA. Gobert is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, France has experienced perimeter players such as Fournier and Batum, as well as capable players like Yabusele and Koulibaly.
After completing their Olympic qualifying matches, the Brazilian national team did not play any friendlies, spending the 20 days before their match against France resting and training internally. The French national team played six friendlies after entering July, winning the first two but then suffering four consecutive losses. Their offensive performance was somewhat lacking, and they did not appear to be in top form overall. On paper, France has a certain advantage, and they also benefit from home-court advantage. However, as a seasoned powerhouse, Brazil will not surrender easily. Furthermore, the French national team needs to improve its offensive efficiency, and it is likely that the outcome of this match will not be decided until the final moments.
Brazil 12-man roster: Vitor Benite, Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Dias, Cristiano Felicio, Gegeinho De Paula, Marcelo Huertas, Didi Louzada, Leo Maindrel, Raul Neto, Guilherme Santos, Yago Santos, Joao Marcelo
France 12-man roster: Wembanyama, Gobert, Fournier, Batum, Bilal Coulibaly, Andrew Albicy, Isaia Cordinier, Nando de Colo, Mathias Lessort, Ntilikina, Mathieu Strazel, Guerschon Yabusele
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