The French National Team, led by Vincent Collet, has called upon Yoan Makoundou to step in as a backup in light of Mathias Lessort’s ongoing ankle injury.
As the recovery timeline for Mathias Lessort remains uncertain, the potential scenario of Vincent Poirier making a return to the French squad gains traction. In the interim, Makoundou, 23, has swiftly integrated into the team’s dynamics, participating in his maiden training session on Sunday. His involvement, however, is set to be limited to the Orleans training camp during the week commencing August 7.
Makoundou, boasting four appearances for France, is the latest addition to the roster of ‘training partners,’ complementing the existing squad of 11 selected and fit players. This practice, firmly entrenched within the French setup, sees these additional players joining the national team during their practice sessions.
Mathias Lessort, toujours ménagé, Yoan Makoundou (2,07 m, 23 ans, 4 sélections) a été appelé par le staff technique en tant que partenaire d’entraînement sur le stage d’Orléans. Il participe à son premier entraînement dès ce dimanche.#TeamFranceBasket | #PassionnémentBleu |… pic.twitter.com/roRR6VDoMD
— Équipes de France de Basket (@FRABasketball) August 6, 2023
Throughout this summer, Hugo Benitez, Bodian Massa, Yves Pons, Matthew Strazel, and Joel Ayayi have answered the call to support the team, seizing the opportunity in the absence of Mathias Lessort to showcase their skills.
While the EuroLeague’s recent announcement to align its calendar with FIBA’s qualifying windows for EuroBasket and the World Cup brings a shift to the landscape, it’s plausible that the upcoming gatherings might not include all French players actively engaged in the top continental competitions. The experiences of players like Guerschon Yabusele, Terry Tarpey, and Yakuba Ouattara, who have capitalized on such opportunities in the past, could serve as a guiding light for the emerging talents within the team.
The six training partners are slated to remain with the team until the culmination of the Orleans tournament. One of them, however, is set to depart for Japan on August 14, engaging in a final week of preparatory games alongside the core squad. The French team is scheduled to cross paths with Lithuania on August 9 before embarking on their journey to Tokyo, where they will face off against hosts Japan and Australia on August 17 and 20, respectively. As France navigates the challenges ahead, the blend of seasoned players and rising stars promises an exciting journey on the international stage.