FRA - Diot, Mickael Pietrus in French EuroBasket team

PARIS (EuroBasket 2011) – France have announced the 12 players to compete at the EuroBasket in Lithuania.

With the aim to get to next year’s London Games by reaching the Final or earning a place in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, France coach Vincent Collet has remained true to his word and included Le Mans guard Antoine Diot (pictured) as one of his point guards with Tony Parker.

Diot was invaluable two years ago at the EuroBasket in Poland when France booked a spot in the 2010 FIBA World Championship but then had to miss playing in Turkey because of a back injury.

Collet believes the 22-year-old has great chemistry with Parker, who also skipped Turkey to rest.

Mickael Pietrus of the Phoenix Suns has been welcomed back to the fold.

The 29-year-old forward’s last appearance with the national team was the 2006 FIBA World Championship, with injuries preventing him from taking part ever since.

Pietrus' brother, Florent, and his Power Electronics Valencia teammate Nando De Colo are in the  12.

Florent Pietrus is part of an impressive frontline that also includes Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, a center the French have been eager to add for the past couple of summers.

New York Knicks center Ronny Turiaf did not play in Turkey at the FIBA World Championship but is in this year's squad.

Among the replacements are Andrew Albicy, the youngster who led France to the gold medal at last year's U20 European Championship and was a playmaker for Les Bleus at the FIBA World Championship.

Charles Lombahe-Kahudi, Fabien Causeur - another who played in Turkey - and former Cholet big man Kevin Seraphin of the Washington Wizards are also replacements.

Collet explained his thinking in announcing his team at this moment in time.

"I wanted to announce the 12-man team and the replacements at every position right now. We inspired ourselves of what Spain has been doing over the last few years. This enables us to start the preparations with the team and being covered in case of injuries," he said.

"We will go to London on 16 August (for the London Olympic Test Event) with the team that will play EuroBasket."

Big man Ian Mahinmi, who competed last summer in Turkey as well and just won the NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks, and Mavs teammate Rodrigue Beaubois were on the initial 24-man list but have not been named.

The Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said earlier this year that guard Beaubois, who missed the first half of the NBA season through injury, would not be able to play in Lithuania.

The EuroBasket tips off on August 31.

France are in Group B with Serbia, Latvia, Israel, Germany and Italy.

France squad: Antoine Diot, Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, Yannick Bokolo, Nando De Colo, Mickaël Gélabale, Mickaël Pietrus, Boris Diaw, Joakim Noah, Florent Pietrus, Ali Traore, Ronny Turiaf. Replacements: Andrew Albicy, Charles Lombahe-Kahudi, Fabien Causeur and Kevin Seraphin.

FIBA