Diaw Delighted With France Return
By Steve Douglas, PA Sport, Paris18 August 2007
A relieved Boris Diaw expressed his delight at being back in a France jersey after seeing his
club-versus-country insurance saga eventually come to a successful conclusion.
Just minutes before Friday night's clash between France and Portugal in the EuroBasket 2007 warm-up tournament in Paris, Les Bleus captain Diaw was given the go-ahead to return to the court.
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The versatile forward has been unable to train with France for the past few weeks, with his NBA side the Phoenix Suns insistent on him having an insurance policy that would absolve Tony Parker was on his game for France with 21 points in the win over Portugal.
them of liability if he was to aggravate his back injury.
But he is back, and after 21 minutes of action - during which he scored four points - in the 86-64 win over the Portuguese, he is raring to go with the start of EuroBasket just two weeks away.
"I am happy to be back playing," he said.
"We were given the green light towards the end of the day.
"I was persuaded that I was going to be able to play at some stage or another. But it is true that it is important to return to training and preparation as quickly as possible.
"We are trying to put a team in place - there are a lot of players with whom I have never played and with whom I must learn how to position myself.
"It was important to return as quickly as possible. I have done no team training but I had the opportunity to live with the squad and to get to know the players on a daily basis."
With Diaw back into the squad, France will be hoping to push on and put the finishing touches to their EuroBasket preparations that have been hampered by Diaw's absence and injuries to the likes of Tony Parker and Florent Pietrus.
"I have watched the progression of the team in the series of matches, and what is being put in place," added Diaw, who said his fitness was fine.
"We are already getting a better defensive cohesion and we know that this will be our strong point. We had this last year and two years ago.
"It is a question of being strong individually, but also collectively, in defense.
"It is getting better and better. Now we must improve our offensive cohesion, which is more difficult to nail."
Les Bleus coach Claude Bergeaud was thrilled to see the return of Diaw, who was so important to his team in last year's FIBA World Championship - France finished fifth, with Diaw inspirational in the absence of the injured Parker.
"We are basically back to full strength and that gives me enormous pleasure," said Bergeaud, who said he first heard Diaw would be available for the match an hour before tip-off.
A press release was sent out to this effect moments before the start of the game.
The game itself was memorable for the return to something like his best form of Parker, who was back on the Stade Pierre de Coubertin court he last played on in 2001 with former club side Paris Basket.
The San Antonio Spurs star, fully recovered from his ankle injury, drained a game-high 21 points and was superb in the 27 minutes he played.
But he said there was much more to come.
"I believe I am still at only 70%," said the NBA finals MVP.
"I am happy to be back with the team. Collectively, we are two weeks behind. The return of Boris should bring more intelligence to our game."
Portugal, who will also play in EuroBasket next month for the first time since 1951, suffered their second defeat in three days, following on from an 85-65 reverse to Spain on Tuesday.
After a bright first half when their defense was solid, they faded away, Joao Santos finishing their top scorer with 11 points.
France play Czech Republic on Saturday, with Portugal taking on Russia earlier in the day.
