ROUEN (France) - Andrew Albicy is wearing the France national team shirt for the last time this week, drawing to a close one of the most compelling stories in international basketball the past eight years.
A winner of five medals with the national team, Albicy always showed an abundance of spirit, defense, engagement and commitment when representing his country.
He was able to display those qualities until now thanks to the introduction of the FIBA windows in 2017.
Having shone for France's youth teams, including at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in 2009 and at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket the following year, coach Vincent Collet included Albicy on the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup team in Türkiye and in the FIBA EuroBasket 2011 side in Lithuania that reached the Final.
After playing in three friendly games ahead of the London Olympics, Albicy wasn't selected again.
Until the windows in 2017.
When France had to assemble teams without NBA or EuroLeague players to take part in European Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, it called on Albicy and his U19 World Cup teammate, Paul Lacombe.
Their talent, experience, overall presence and leadership were crucial factors as France clinched a spot in the World Cup.
Both then played in China, where France not only upset the USA in the Quarter-Finals but also beat Australia in the Third-Place Game.
Albicy was never forgotten again.
He remained with France, both in the windows and in the summer tournaments.
The playmaker made his Olympic bow in Tokyo and won his third medal, a silver, before claiming his fourth medal at EuroBasket 2022 in Berlin, another silver.
Albicy then made France's team when the country hosted the 2024 Olympics and claimed another silver medal, which was an incredible experience to be a part of.
Now 35, he's drawing the curtain on his national team career.
"It’s symbolic for me to finish during an international window, because it’s through this kind of event that I was able to return to the French team," he said to bebasket.fr.
I came back through the window, and I’m leaving through the window
In the windows, whether it was World Cup Qualifiers or EuroBasket Qualifiers, Albicy has 25 wins in the 30 games.
He says that getting older in basketball years was not the sole reason he's decided to stop playing after this window, when France host Belgium in Rouen and then play at Finland.
"It was against Belgium that I made my comeback with the national team (on November 24, 2017, in Antwerp, a 70-59 France victory)," he said. "Also, it means I’ll play one last game in Finland, where my wife lives, so that’s very special too.
"There were just so many signs telling me that it had to stop now."
His senior team experience has earned Albicy a lot of notoriety. He has more caps (108) than the 13 other players selected for this window combined (98 in total) has been loyal to the French national team for 15 years.
Albicy truly has been the embodiment of defensive toughness, self-sacrifice and leadership. He has scored, but it's other aspects of his game, and character, that have made him a factor for France and endeared him to fans.
Going way back, he earned his first France senior cap on Friday, August 13 in Toronto against Canada, shortly after the 2010 U20 EuroBasket he played in.
Albicy was the MVP of that U20 EuroBasket.
"Of all the medals I’ve collected with the French team, that’s my fondest memory — with a generation that wasn’t necessarily expected, and I ended up MVP," Albicy said. "It was the end of the ’90s group, so it was very meaningful.
"I was also deeply influenced by the World Cup (2019), because it was something special for me to return to the blue jersey, to be with the senior team, and to have a real impact."
Albicy played in all eight of the team's games in China, averaging 19.1 minutes per contest.
In the Third-Place Game against Australia, the French were on the back foot early and Collet needed a spark from the bench. Albicy was so decisive that he played 27 minutes in that game.
He made several big plays in the second half and finished with 9 points on 3 of 4 shooting from 3-point range, while also contributing his customary suffocating defense.
As a professional, Albicy has spent most of his career in Spain's Liga Endesa (ACB), although he was in Russia for one season, the 2019-20 campaign.
Looking back, Albicy knows that the windows created an opportunity for him with France that otherwise he probably would not have had.
With France, I switched into 'bulldog mode'
There was even a time when he even considered playing FIBA 3x3 with the aim of competing at the Olympics.
Never did he imagine that he could represent France 108 times.
Once Albicy was called back by Collet, he took the opportunity and ran with it.
"It’s crazy ... My mindset was more about figuring out how to help the team," he said. "I switched into 'bulldog mode,' with a specific role. I'm very happy to have been part of this era that won medals, and I hope there will be more (for France) in the future."
France had a shock Round of 16 exit at this summer's EuroBasket in Riga, a tournament in which Frederic Fauthoux relied on younger and less experienced players.
Albicy watched from afar.
"There's a huge amount of potential and talent — everything just needs to come together to achieve more great results," he said. "Now, I’m part of the older generation that’s now retiring. It made sense to follow that path..."
France fans will never forget the likes of Albicy, or Nando De Colo (38) and Nicolas Batum (who will turn 37 on December 14), two stars that retired after the Paris Olympics.
Albicy is excited to end it all in Espoo, Finland, where his wife and their children will be in the stands.
"This week will be emotionally intense, but I think I have the experience to handle it," he said to FFBB. "For now, I’m trying to fulfill my role as captain, as an older brother, and to help the younger players as much as possible. The goal is to get two wins, not to focus on myself."
Fauthoux must feel a pang of regret that he will no have Albicy in the team any more.
He's a monument, the specialist of the international windows
"He’s a monument, a pillar of the French national team, who is taking his bow," the coach said. "I hope we give him the best possible send-off. He was the specialist of the international windows, but he also managed to put together some great tournaments with medals.
"He’s inspirational for others, who can say to themselves that since Andrew did it, they can do it, too. He’s someone who really brings a group together.
"I'm also proud to be his last national team coach. And the fact that he's the one who chose to stop—honestly, that also reassures me (laughs). I prefer it happening this way. I hope it will be a beautiful ending for him and that we give him the two wins."
Thus ends the Albicy France national team chapter, but his legacy will live on.
There have been others that gained a foothold in the national team by playing in the windows like Lacombe and Mathias Lessort, players who found their way among the superstars to become great leaders, to gain experience, familiarity with the coach, to become pillars of the national team during the qualifiers.
Who will be France's next window hero?
FIBA