France's trip to Indonesia for the FIBA World Cup did not go according to plan. They were billed as the favorites in their group, along with Canada. Right from the get-go, though, Rudy Gobert and Les Bleus got off on the wrong foot. They were destroyed by Canada in their tournament opener. An upset loss to Latvia ended their chances of making it to the second round. After the disappointing finish, French legend and ex-San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker laid into the team during a radio appearance (translation from Eurohoops).

“There, we (France) really experienced a fiasco. I talked about it for a long time with Nicolas Batum, we spoke for an hour on the phone, and it’s true that it’s very, very disappointing. It’s not normal for such a team to lose in the first round. We have never seen Spain and the United States go out in the first round. And it’s a shame because our generation worked so hard to bring France back to a certain level, so that we could be respected, by FIBA, the referees, the other countries. Latvia had a great match. They had some crazy shots, but it’s not normal. It’s still a bit of a shame,” Parker shared.

Woof. Talk about a harsh beatdown. Tony Parker didn't mince words when talking about France's campaign. The Spurs star was part of the golden generation of France alongside Batum, Boris Diaw, and Nando de Colo. With them on the lineup, France was a consistent Top 10 team in world. France's Olympic qualification isn't tarnished by this loss, but it's still a massive disappointment.

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The good news for France is that help is on the way for the Olympics after this disappointing finish at the World Cup. Joel Embiid (yes, he's playing for the Les Bleus) and Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama will be suiting up for them come 2024. However, Parker noted that this will come with some headaches for France… in particular, with Rudy Gobert.

“They are going to have big choices to make. If you bring back big players like Joel Embiid, and Victor (Wembanyama), it has to be complementary with the rest, because it could mean the departure of certain cornerstones, which can make headlines. We have to improve the team, we need changes, but it’s not going to be easy,” Parker added.