Vincent Collet finds it “normal” that the question of his future at the head of the French basketball team is asked by the press after the elimination in the first round of the Basketball World Cup following the defeat against Latvia (88 -86), Sunday in Jakarta.
He returned to several other topics in the mixed zone after the meeting. Here are the main ones.
Collet, in office since 2009, is under contract until the Paris Olympics. Could the Indonesian rout be a game-changer? “I would understand it (that there is a reflection). But it’s not me who decides that. I am under contract even if I am aware that there are plenty of times when a coach under contract is still cut. But you will have to ask the leaders. For the moment I have three matches left (he smiles: one in the first round and two in the rankings, editor’s note). But it is normal that this question is asked.
Leader Nando De Colo was sent off 3 min 15 sec from the end, for a second unsportsmanlike foul on a gesture of humor when a foul had been called against him and the Blues were in the lead (75-66) .
“Clearly, this is the turning point of the game. We were starting to get our hands on the game a bit. Beyond the points they scored live on this unsportsmanlike foul, it is above all on the follow-up, the management … ”, estimated Collet.
“Honestly, there was a fault on him. Maybe she was also unsportsmanlike. But on the other hand his reaction, I think that, unfortunately, it cannot be otherwise (than to whistle an unsportsmanlike foul).
After the match, captain Nicolas Batum wanted “a big questioning”, including from the federation.
“Before talking about that, we must already focus on us. It was a good feeling to announce the objectives loud and clear. But was that really realistic?” replied Collet.
The Blues conceded 88 points against Latvia after taking 95 against Canada in the opener.
“We made our medals on the defensive identity and there, it crumbled, if it did not disappear, it crumbled. So we will necessarily have to start there” to prepare for the Olympics, said Collet.
“We have never dominated the world with our attack. What made us win medals in recent years is the defense,” he added.
Leader of Euro-2022 where the Blues reached the final, Thomas Heurtel was declared ineligible by the federation after signing for Zenit Saint Petersburg when he had signed a charter, after the invasion of Ukraine , where he pledged, like the other internationals, not to play for a Russian or Belarusian club.
His absence was regretted by Captain Nicolas Batum. Did Collet also wish he could be counted on? “It’s not me who can answer you. I knew it before so it would be easy to say I regret it when I knew it couldn’t be there. We must not move the debate.”
