REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - France have a long history of producing high level talent. And La Grande Nation appears to have developed another group of strong prospects if you consider the players selected to participate at one of the major youth showcases.

Theo Maledon, Tom Digbeu and Killian Hayes were picked among the top 10 performers from the Jordan Brand Classic European Camp in Barcelona to then play at the JBC International Game in Brooklyn next month.

The three French youngsters will travel to the United States in April to play with and against some of the other top 2001-born players from around the world. And that experience will undoubtedly benefit them this summer when they will likely be the leaders of the France team at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017.

And a top-five finish in Podgorica would then give Maledon, Digbeu and Hayes a chance to see some of those same talents again at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018.

The same thing happened for the French duo of Jaylen Hoard and Yves Pons, who participated in the 2015 JBC game and then helped France finish fifth at the U16 continental championship later that summer. The Frenchmen were reacquainted with four of the JBC players at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016.

Hoard and Pons have both remained highly regarded talents with Hoard playing high school in the United States and Pons already committed to attend the University of Tennessee starting in the fall.

Talent observers have long recognised France as a talent-producing nation and the U16 JBC International Game has seen a good share of French in the game. A year before Hoard and Pons played in 2015, Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Cham appeared in the 2014 showcase after Stephane Gombauld and Luc Loubaki were in the 2013 game.

France were left un-represented at the 2016 exhibition but now a trio of youngsters are Brooklyn bound.

Maledon is no stranger to international competition and showcases. Not only did he participate in last summer’s Eurocamp in Treviso but he also played at the FIBA U16 European Championship. Despite being a year younger, Maledon played a major role in the France team, including collecting 10 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals against Italy in the Classification 5-8.

Maledon was the only 2001-born player on the French team at last summer’s U16 continental tournament. And he will undoubtedly be a leader from 11-19 August at Podgorica 2016.

But Maledon will have help with the likes of Digbeu and Hayes as well as Essome Miyem, who also participated in the camp in Barcelona but was not selected for the showcase game in the United States.

Así vuela Tom Digbeu (@FCBbasket), el hijo de Alain Digbeu, en el @JordanClassic. pic.twitter.com/Rwq2Syl7BZ

— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) March 14, 2017

Digbeu, who is playing in Spain in the Barcelona youth ranks, should be a common name for basketball fans in Europe as his father is Alain Digbeu who played at three EuroBaskets (1999, 2001 and 2003). And Tom’s aunt is Jennifer Digbeu, who appeared at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2010, FIBA EuroBasket Women 2011 and Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament 2012 for France.

Hayes meanwhile is the son of Deron Hayes, an American who used to play professionally in France.

And Miyem is the younger brother of current French international Endy Miyem, who played with Jennifer Digbeu from 2010 to 2012 and has since played at the 2016 Olympics, 2014 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and two FIBA EuroBasket Women.

Participating in events like this are a big help for young players as they see how they stack up against other top players. In the long run, this will not only help the trio of Frenchmen but also the French national team system. 

David Hein

FIBA 

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