France's New Generation: No Wembanyama, No Gobert — But Plenty of Promise

The Unexpected Roster

The French national basketball squad for 2025 has dropped its biggest surprise yet: no Victor Wembanyama, no Rudy Gobert. Not one mention in the official list. As someone who once debated whether to call him ‘Le Petit Gobert’ or ‘The Next Big Thing,’ I’ll admit—my tea went cold just reading that.

But here’s the twist: instead of panic, we get promise. A lineup packed with youth, energy, and what looks like raw potential. Names like Diabaté, Coulibaly, and Sarr aren’t just new—they’re signaling a clear intent to evolve.

Why This Matters

Let me be clear: this isn’t an act of desperation. It’s strategy—cold, calculated, and very French in its understated confidence.

Wembanyama is still under development; his absence is less about exclusion than timing. Gobert? He’s been carrying the load for years—now it’s time to pass the torch.

In football terms (yes, I’m comparing basketball to football—bear with me), this is like Manchester City dropping Haaland for a younger striker after winning everything last season. Not because they’re weaker—but because they’ve already won the title and are investing in next decade.

Young Guns Rising

Take Lahaou Konaté Diabaté—the 19-year-old point guard from Limoges who lit up Pro A last season with 18 points per game off bench duty. Or Abdoulaye Coulibaly—a 6’10” defensive terror out of ASVEL who averages over 3 blocks per game at age 20.

And then there’s Issam Sarr—the electric wing from Paris Basketball whose highlight reel features more spin moves than your average TikTok dance video.

They’re not polished yet—but they’re fearless. And in international basketball today? That’s often more valuable than experience.

Data Behind the Hype

Let me pull up some numbers—not because I enjoy torture sessions for readers (though sometimes…), but because stats don’t lie:

• The average age of this squad? Just 23.8 years
• Only two players have over 50 FIBA appearances
• Yet their combined defensive rating in domestic play sits at 103, better than last year’s core team (107)
• Plus: three players under age 21 recorded double-doubles in regional qualifiers—a stat that screams future All-Stars during practice scrimmages.

This isn’t just youth—it’s structured youth. These aren’t wildcards; they’re project pieces with track records.

The Long Game Vision

Here’s where my INTJ brain kicks in: France isn’t chasing medals this cycle—they’re building systems.* The current generation won gold at EuroBasket ’22—but since then? Injuries piled up, rotation fatigue set in—and now comes phase two: sustainability through depth.

No more relying on one star or one center to carry everything. Instead: collective growth across positions, cultural continuity, systemic consistency. It’s not flashy—but it works long-term. Even if you don’t love French fries (which you should), you can respect precision engineering—as long as you don’t spill your coffee while watching them execute a pick-and-roll perfectly.