Boris Diaw doesn't rule out Thomas Heurtel from returning to France NT / News - Basketnews.com

French NT general manager Boris Diaw didn't rule out Thomas Heurtel's return to the team.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

French national team general manager Boris Diaw didn't rule out the possibility of Thomas Heurtel playing for Les Bleus once again.

Thomas Heurtel

Position:PG, SGAge:33Height:188 cmWeight:91 kgBirth place:FranceProfileNewsStatistics

After the EuroBasket 2022, where France won silver, Heurtel signed for the Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg.

Prior to that, Heurtel, alongside the rest of the French national team players, also signed an agreement with the French basketball federation (FFBB) that he won't sign a contract with any Russian or Belarussian club due to an ongoing war in Ukraine.

Despite breaking the agreement, Diaw stated that it's too early to talk about whether Heurtel should not wear a France jersey ever again.

"We are not at that point yet. We can only talk about the present. Decisions will have to be made for the future," Diaw said before the upcoming FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers window.

Last week, FFBB presidentJean-Pierre Siutat had way stricter words on Heurtel's situation.

"We had clearly explained how things work, and Heurtel did not honor his commitment. For me, as of today, I consider that he will no longer be there with the team. It's over," said Siutat.

According to the announcement the FFBB issued on September 22, Heurtel won't be eligible for upcoming international basketball events, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"If Thomas Heurtel were to play with the club, this commitment would not be respected. The player would then no longer respect the selection criteria for the next international events, including the 2024 Olympic Games, in accordance with the decision taken by Federal Office on July 28."

Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.