By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After appearing in major international competitions for fourth straight summers, France star center Rudy Gobert won’t be joining his national team in the 2025 EuroBasket.
Gobert talked about the reasons behind his absence to L’Aisne Nouvelle and explained why he’s skipping the tournament.
“I’ve had busy summers in recent years, and it’s taken a toll,” Gobert said. “People don’t always realize how intense the EuroBasket is. It finishes just before the NBA resumes, and it’s a big responsibility. I had said I’d wait until the end of the season to decide, and now I have. This summer, I’m focusing on myself, my family and my son.”
The 2025 EuroBasket will be played from 27 August to 14 September and France is expected to have a long run in the competition. Players don’t have much time to recharge before joining their clubs.
Preparation ahead of the EuroBasket also keeps them busy for weeks before the actual tournament. France, for example, has scheduled to begin training camp in July 24 and preparation games on August 4.
This year France will have to deal with multiple absences. Apart from Gobert, centers Victor Wembanyama and Mathias Lessort are also out while Evan Fournier is doubtful as of now.
Gobert has been a pivotal member of the French national team over the last decade. The Minnesota Timberwolves big man and four-time NBA DPOY has won two Olympic silver medals (2021, 2024), two bronze medals in the World Cup (2014, 2019), bronze medal in the 2015 EuroBasket and bronze in the 2022 edition of the tournament.