France falls out in the first round at FIBA World Cup: NBA’s Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier and Nic Batum turn attention to 2024 Paris Olympics after being eliminated by Latvia, 88-86

Three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and a handful of other league players couldn’t help France avoid an early elimination from the ongoing FIBA ​​World Championship in Asia.

France – a medal favorite in the eyes of many competing in this World Cup and the No. 5-ranked team in the world according to FIBA ​​– won’t even get out of the first round of this tournament, a huge shame for a team that will considered a favorite for the gold medal when it plays host to the Paris Olympics in eleven months. Latvia knocked out France on Sunday-evening by winning 88-86 in a group stage match in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Nicolas Batum has been part of the French national team for about fifteen years now. He was part of a gold medal game loss to the USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Part of another gold medal game loss at last year’s EuroBasket. Part of a pair of semifinal losses at the last two FIBA ​​World Cups.

They were all difficult.

However, this was even worse for him. Much worse.

Nic Batum shakes hands with Rodions Kurucs, a former Brooklyn Nets forward, after the loss

“If you lose in the semi-final or quarter-final, it’s different. I mean, at least you’re in,’ Batum said. We didn’t even get past the first round. We have high expectations. I am ashamed.’

There are 32 teams participating in the World Cup, divided into eight groups of four teams. The first round consists of three group stage matches and France got itself into trouble by losing 95-65 to Canada in the opening game on Friday. It was the French senior team’s most lopsided defeat in a major competition since 1987, according to FIBA.

Then came Sunday, knowing it was winning or else. France held onto the lead almost all the way, losing it for the first and only time with 37.7 seconds remaining.

And just like that, the hope of medals was gone. There’s a futile game to round out the group stage against Lebanon on Tuesday, followed by games in the consolation playoffs, but none of that will matter much for a team that believed it could win gold.

“We have to go home,” said French guard Evan Fournier. ‘It is very difficult. Very cool. Not much to say. We didn’t think we would leave the tournament like this. We need to learn from it and come back next year. There’s nothing else to do.’

The core of the team should all be present in Paris next summer: Batum, Fournier and Rudy Gobert. Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick of the San Antonio Spurs who skipped the World Cup in preparation for his first NBA season, plans to be part of the Olympic team. France is pursuing Joel Embiid, an international free agent of sorts who is also considering playing for the US

The Latvian Arturs Zagars in action with the Frenchman Evan Fournier on Sunday in Jakarta

Batum said he knows the team will face fierce criticism at home.

“I’m afraid to go home because we’ve let a lot of people down,” he said. “All over the country, many people in the country believed in us that we would do something special, and we didn’t.”

He also knows that by the time the Olympic cauldron is lit next July, this result will be forgotten. The question in the meantime will revolve around whether France can sort things out and compete again.

“In 12 months, something big is waiting for us,” said Batum. “We now have to look back at what happened – everyone from players to coach, to staff to federation. … Today was a big reality check for us.’