A few months after the Joel Embiid affair, we learned today that Mike James, the leader of AS Monaco, also wanted to be naturalized to be able to play with the French team. a request which was refused by the French Basketball Federation.
After three seasons in the French championship, Mike James feels at home in France (and in Monaco). The American leader even wanted to benefit from naturalization.
It was the French Basketball Federation itself which confirmed this to the Team as part of the announcement of Vincent Collet’s list for preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games. The Monaco player inquired about the steps to take in order to obtain “sporting nationality” and thus evolve with the Team of France. A question which quickly found a firm answer from the FFBB:
“We don’t have the culture of other nations that systematically use naturalized players. But we have a duty to explore all possibilities. In this case, we were asked, we looked and quickly established that it was not a question.”
Several reasons are given to explain this refusal. For a long time, the authorities seemed convinced that Joel Embiid would join the French team and thus occupy the only place reserved for a naturalized player according to FIBA rules. Once the Philadelphia Sixers center decided to represent Team USA, it was already too late and the delay in obtaining a passport would have been too long.
The EuroLeague MVP would have been directly considered the best leader in the squad, but his links with France and his legitimacy would have been debated. Especially since last summer, Mike James had already tried to become… Latvian.
The Monaco player is the delight of the French championship, but will therefore not be part of the national selection. The Joel Embiid episode seems to have vaccinated the authorities, even if it means going to the Olympic Games with a position as playmaker more uncertain than ever.
Text source: L’Equipe
2024-05-17 15:45:00
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