France's Lacombe raises profile with terrific European Qualifiers campaign

MONACO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - If there's been a revelation in the France team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers, it wouldn't be wrong to say it's been Paul Lacombe. 

A member of his country's U18, U19 and U20 teams, Lacombe didn't get his chance with the senior side until the Qualifiers and he's made the most of it.

His 23 steals rank No. 1 in Europe. The only player with more in the whole of the World Cup Qualifiers is Makram Ben Romdhane of Tunisia, whose 25 are at the top of the steals charts in the African Qualifiers. The excellent Ben Romdhane played in all 12 games for his country and will not feature in the next window since Tunisia, who have already booked their place at the World Cup, have completed their Qualifiers campaign.

"INDIVIDUALLY, IT'S ENABLED ME TO SET A FOOT IN THE FRENCH NATIONAL TEAM AND TO SHOW MYSELF EVEN MORE BECAUSE IT'S TRUE THAT THE QUALIFIERS MAKE FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF EXPOSURE, IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT WE DO IN THE NATIONAL TEAM ALONGSIDE OTHER GOOD PLAYERS OR AGAINST OTHER GOOD PLAYERS AND I THINK THEY LOOK AT US DIFFERENTLY."- Lacombe

For the fans that might not have seen Lacombe play in France's top flight, or the Basketball Champions League, for SIG Strasbourg or Monaco Basket, before this season, they sure know about him now. The Qualifiers experience has been everything he could have hoped for and more.

"Individually, it's enabled me to set a foot in the French national team and to show myself even more because it's true that the Qualifiers make for a different type of exposure, in a different light," he said. "People can see what we do in the national team alongside other good players or against other good players and I think they look at us differently." 

Lacombe doesn't know if he'll be on the plane to China when France travel to compete at next year's 32-team World Cup but he's hoping that will be the case. In the event that he's not, he says that playing for France in the Qualifiers will have been worth it. It's already changed his career for the better. It's been a huge boost for his profile, and his confidence.

"What really pleased me a lot, whether in June-July or September (third and four windows), was that I got the recognition of certain players, particularly Nicolas Batum, Fabien Causeur and others, who said that in their eyes I was a really good player," Lacombe said. "So that in itself is already enough for my (self) esteem.

"It really did me some good. In fact this whole Qualifiers campaign with the national team has done me some good. I think I've done some good in these windows. That being said, I'm not the only one to have shown something."

Lacombe does other things that helps France win games. His 9.8 points per game is respectable. He grabs his share of rebounds (3.5) and sets up teammates (2.5) for baskets. He thrives in transition, and it's all been essential for France as they have ground out plenty of wins in the Qualifiers. Lacombe says it's one of his proudest moments, to have played for his country and helped it reach the World Cup.

"To begin with, it's huge for French basketball," he said. "In these Qualifiers, we've seen a French team with different configurations. We had the 'standard' team in the third (June) window but otherwise, we've more or less done what we could with players from the French league such as myself who'd never worn the national team jersey. So it's really huge what we've done by booking our ticket for China. We've got a lot of positives. We've shown some great things."

Lacombe knows that there will be fierce competition for a spot on the roster that plays at the World Cup, yet he firmly believes he's got a chance to make it. Whoever gets to go, he says, is going to love the experience. 

"The World Cup is magical," he said. "It's true that there will only be 12 players heading to China but it's an entire group that's part of the adventure with the team.

"It involves more than 12 players and we see that when we're out on the court. There will be an entire group that's going to support the guys there (in China) from afar. I don't know if I'll be lucky enough to be there but I hope so.

"Obviously I've fought during the windows for that. The World Cup to me represents the exposure of French basketball. It shows that French basketball is rich. We can count on a lot of players and keep a certain level of play. Now it's going to be a case of going to China to get a medal.

"We are a basketball nation that can allow itself to have some ambition. We're going to be loaded. In our team, everyone plans on coming (to play). There really is an opportunity to do something (special) so long as we have all the (right) ingredients. We have the means - we saw it in June-July/the third window without being in great shape."

There is also the fact that France will want to finish the Qualifiers strong.

"It (China 2019) is still some time away but we're very ambitious," he said. "Before then, there's one last window and we're going to enjoy playing."

FIBA