By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The offseason can extend into a debut with the senior national team of France and the EuroBasket 2025 for 19-year-old Alex Sarr.
After being selected with the second pick of the 2024 NBA draft, the native of Bordeaux jumped into the league based in North America with the Washington Wizards, averaging 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 0.7 steals per contest over 67 appearances, all starts.
Meanwhile, France was drawn into Group D of the EuroBasket. Potentially featuring the promising prospect would complete his upgrade from a successful junior international career, including medals in the FIBA U19 World Cup 2023 and FIBA U17 World Cup 2022.
“There’s a lot of good French players. The selection will be very interesting,” Sarr said, referring to several possible options for head coach Frederic Fauthoux and responding to a question about Les Bleus during his exit interview on Monday, “It’s always an honor for me to be able to represent my country. I did it at the youth level, I haven’t done it yet with the adult team. So, it’s very exciting.”
As for his Wizards teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, the 20-year-old winger debuted at the senior level last summer, capturing a silver medal in the Olympic Games 2024. “I’d like to be a part of this,” he mentioned in an end-of-season press conference, confirming intentions to play for France as well, “It’s a good team that we are building, new generation and all that. I’d love to.”
Dealing with a right hamstring injury, Coulibaly spend the last part ot the season on the sidelines. He previously tallied 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks in his second year in the league based in North America, after being selected with the seventh pick of the 2023 draft.
Selector Fauthoux will soon decide on the players for the international tournament. His side will be in Katowice for the preliminary round, facing Belgium, Slovenia, Israel, Poland, and Iceland between August 28 and September 4. Ranking first through fourth in the group would clinch a berth in the Round of 16 and the knockout stage to be played in Riga from September 6 to 14.