CAIRO (FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017) - Thomas Heurtel is a big name in French basketball. Enzo Goudou Sinha has displayed a similar game at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017, but the France playmaker is flattered by the comparison - though he admits it's not far off.

Goudou Sinha has put up big numbers for a France team that started 2-0 in Group A in Cairo, averaging a team-high 14.0 points and 5.5 assists to go with 2.5 steals in his first stint for the French national team.

"It was a dream for me to wear the French jersey, so I am very happy to be here," Goudou Sinha said. "I hope that I will have a long and successful career with 'Les Bleus'."

Watching the Cahors native on the court reminds observers a lot of Heurtel, who has helped France win FIBA EuroBasket 2013, finish third at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 and reach the 2016 Olympics. Goudou Sinha has heard the comparisons a lot. And when asked about the senior national team veteran, Goudou Sinha, flashes a big smile.

"I am very flattered to be compared to him. I hope that I can do as many great things as he has done. It would be great. I am very flattered," says Goudou Sinha, who turns 19 years in late November.

Does he think the comparison to Heurtel is accurate?

"Yeah, he is one of my favorite players and I watch a lot of his games, so I think there is something there, yeah," said Goudou Sinha, who especially likes Heurtel's fearlessness.

When asked about a similarity between Heurtel and his main point guard in Cairo, France head coach Herve Coudray takes a second and offers: "Yeah, maybe, it's a good idea you have. I didn't think about that."

Coudray says it's a joy having Goudou Sihna as his floor general.

"He's very coachable and he always talking to the coaches to see what is better for the team. It's easy for a coach to have a player like that," Coudray said.

The coach came into the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 preparations knowing that he would need a new point guard giving that the team's previous one, the MVP of the FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 Frank Ntilikina, would not be available since he was going to be selected in the NBA Draft.

"When I asked (Goudou Sinha) to come for the first camp he did exactly what we wanted. He put pressure on the defense and played pick-and-roll, and we needed that because we knew that Frank was not there," Coudray said. "It was very important for us to have somebody that can control the tempo, who can play pick-and-roll like Frank did. For sure he's not Frank. But we thought it was the best opportunity to have a point guard like that."

Not only has Goudou Sinha done a solid job filling the void for Ntilikina, but he has also been welcomed into a French 1998-born generation that won the FIBA U16 European Championship 2014 and FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 as a group.

"He's a great point guard. He's passing the ball, making points. That's all we want. We are happy to have him," said Digue Diawara, who was a member of both U16 and U18 continental championship teams.

Goudou Sinha, for his part, feels more than welcomed by the team.

"I have been very well accepted. We are all friends and we practice well together," he said.

It helps when you can play the game in a way to get comparisons to Thomas Heurtel.

FIBA