Four days before the start of the EuroBasket, a mandatory squad review to introduce you to each of the twelve Blues who will try to climb to the roof of Europe on September 18, nine years after Ljubljana. After the last choices made by coach Vincent Collet, we now know the final list of players who will represent the French team at EuroBasket 2022. And today, it’s Andrew Albicy’s turn to be passed sifting, he who is as skilled at shooting as with a controller in his hands.
- Name: Albicy
- First name:Andrew
- Age : 32 ans
- Height: 1m78
- Weight: 77 kg
- Position: Leader
- Nickname: Swaggy Drew
- On the CV: Paris-Levallois, Gravelines, Andorra, Zénith Saint-Petersburg, Gran Canaria
- Honors in EDF: silver medalist at the EuroBasket 2011, bronze medalist at the 2019 World Cup, silver medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games
Yes, Andrew Albicy is there. We had some doubts a month ago when he had to leave the Blues rally due to a thigh injury, but the Gran Canaria leader did everything to recover and find the France group in time for a participation in the EuroBasket. Because he’s like that Andrew, he’s a fighter and a hard worker, qualities that allowed him to break through at the top level despite his small 1m78. And the EDF, Albicy knows it well. His first experience with the grown-ups? It dates from the 2010 World Cup, where he was in Vincent Collet’s group just 20 years old after guiding the U20s to a European champion title. Suffice to say that he was not born yesterday, especially since he has three medals around his neck after the podiums of the Blues at Euro 2011, the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics. These same qualities of perseverance as ‘we mentioned a little above notably allowed him to regain a place in the French team after several years of remaining on the sidelines in the face of the strong concussion on his position (Tony Parker of course, Antoine Diot, Thomas Heurtel) , which explains the decade gap between his first and last medal.
The three weeks of care and work paid off ???????? In a hurry to find the guys, the staff and the grounds ???????? https://t.co/8O68PQInYe
— Andrew Albicy (@andrewalbicy) August 22, 2022
Today, the objective is clear for Drew: to bring this perseverance which characterizes him so much, but also his big defense, his experience, his qualities of offensive management and some banderillas from afar. A profile that Coach Collet appreciates, nevertheless Albicy will probably need a little time to find all his feelings and one can wonder about his real role in view of the context. It has been said, the tricolor leader has just returned from a thigh injury and has only appeared in one of Les Bleus’ six games in the whole of August. Bad luck was the one against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday night, where France lost for the first time in double overtime 96-90. Eight short minutes of play, just enough time to score two free throws and take… five personal fouls. Not great to gain rhythm while the first match of EuroBasket is already scheduled for Thursday against Germany. Let’s hope that the rise in power is done as quickly as possible because France will need their pit bull side which does not let go when coming off the bench.
“Andrew’s training has been encouraging. […] We hope he will bring the balance that we lack, we have already seen it in training this week. We know what he is capable of on the ball, that’s what he does best and that can help us with our difficulties in the first half, sometimes coordination in defense. I don’t know how he does it, but his ability to put pressure on the ball can be very important for us. »
– Vincent Collet, via basketactu.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nN3zfPGnmo
Proof of the competitive side that animates him, 5×5 basketball is not always enough for him. In 2017, he had fun in 3×3 by winning the French Open alongside Amara Sy, Bandja Sy and Jerry Boutsiele. And when he needs to get away from basketball while keeping the flame of competition alive, he turns to video games. But beware, we’re not talking about a Sunday player, huh. In everything he does, Andrew Albicy is more of the type to get involved: no less than six hours of console a day, no kidding. His bio on his Twitch channel? “Professional basketball player in Gran Canaria by day and warzone soldier by night”. Well, that says it all.
“My behavior on a basketball court vs behind the console? It’s kind of the same. There are similarities in the sense that when I lose I get angry, and when I win I’m very happy, that’s it. But I’m a fighter, always. I always like to be first and I let myself do very little, let’s say. I’m a hater myself, so it’s not possible that I give up. »
– Andrew Albicy, via an interview with GameWard Team
So we reassure you, even if he himself admits to being better at KAR98 (a formidable weapon in the Call of Duty Warzone game) than at 3-pointers, Swaggy Drew will not spend his life behind the screens during the EuroBasket . He knows his priorities, he knows his mission, he knows the ambitions of the French team after having participated in the two fine courses of the Chinese World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics. A new medal is the natural objective of the Blues given their current status, and Albicy would clearly not be against the idea of expanding his personal record at the age of 32.
Being part of the EDF executives through his experience and his experience in the blue jersey, Andrew Albicy will be one of those who will have to show the way forward, regardless of the form in which he evolves. And even if there are people on the back lines, his defensive abilities should once again allow him to gain minutes. Not sure that the opposing attackers are delighted at the idea of crossing his path.