Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has set lofty goals for himself and the French national team for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. In an interview with Marc Stein of The New York Times, Gobert claimed that they have a legitimate chance of winning the tournament.
“Our goal is to win it all,” the Jazz star said. “We know there are a lot of very good teams, but we think we have a chance.”
It's not a farfetched goal on Gobert's part. Recently, the French national team has had success. They won a silver medal in the 2011 EuroBasket, a gold in 2013 and a bronze in 2015. Right now, they are ranked as the third-best team in the FIBA World Cup, behind the United States and Spain.
Plenty of quality NBA players have suited up for France. Five-time NBA champion Tony Parker is one of the most decorated French players of all time and was a mainstay on the national team. However, after his retirement, the team will lean more on younger players like Evan Fournier and Gobert.
The FIBA World Cup begins on August 31, and it has the potential to be more competitive than it has in years. Usually, the U.S.A steamrolls through weaker teams before facing some resistance from the top tier squads. However, the Americans are without some of their biggest stars this year.
Perhaps 2019 is the year Gobert and France upset the basketball powerhouse.
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