Nicolas Batum has been part of France's national team for about 15 years now. He was part of a gold-medal game loss to the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics. Part of another gold-medal game loss at last year's EuroBasket. Part of a pair of semifinal-round losses at the last two FIBA World Cups. Those were all difficult. To him, though, this was worse. Much worse. France — a medal favorite in the eyes of many entering this World Cup and the No. 5-ranked team in the world according to FIBA — won't even get out of the first round of this tournament, a massive embarrassment for a team that will consider itself a gold-medal favorite when it plays host to the Paris Olympics in 11 months.

https://www.mymotherlode.com/sports/soccer-general-news/3216699/after-falling-early-in-fiba-world-cup-france-quickly-turns-focus-toward-paris-olympics.html

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