Swiss Basketball will lose its best player

Kyshawn George is, along with Clint Capela, the best active player in Swiss basketball. However, unlike the pivot of the Hawks, on the decline, he fully embodies the future. Problem: he apparently opted for the Canadian selection and not the Swiss team.

The pessimism displayed Monday at a press conference by Erik Lehmann, general secretary of Swiss Basketball, was not a facade, after Kyshawn George did not respond to the federation’s calls. The Valaisan does indeed wish to play in the future for Canada, the country of his father Deon, according to his mother Sophie who confirmed the news to Matin.

Erik Lehmann stressed that he understood such a decision from the “rookie” of the Washington Wizards, the third Swiss to play in the NBA, after Thabo Sefolosha and Clint Capela. But he did not mask his bitterness, recalling that Kyshawn George had been trained in Switzerland – in Monthey where his father Deon had played – until he was 16, before leaving for France and the Chalon training center. sur-Saône.

“He recently received the administrative agreement from FIBA ​​(ed: the International Basketball Federation) to play with Canada and we spoke with Swiss Basket on this subject. It’s a sporting choice. These are two levels that are not comparable. And Kyshawn wants to face the highest possible competition,” detailed the player’s mother in the columns of Matin.

A pure product of the Swiss team, Kyshawn George was U16 national champion and played in the Nati jersey at the European Championship in the same category. However, Swiss basketball apparently did not succeed in retaining him. But could it be otherwise given the level of the national selection, not invited to international tournaments, not even to EuroBasket?

In any case, we should not have any illusions. Even if winger Montheysan had to deal with a single passport, it would not have been said that he plays for the national team. The 21-year-old would undoubtedly have followed Thabo Sefolosha and Clint Capela, who too often gave up on Nati campaigns, to fully concentrate on their NBA careers, and not on low-level qualifying games. The Hawks pivot has not represented Switzerland for five years.

Now it remains for Kyshawn George to be selected in the Canada jersey, quarter-finalist of the last Olympic Games with many NBA stars, including Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City).

(roc/ats)

Kyshawn George is, along with Clint Capela, the best active player in Swiss basketball. However, unlike the pivot of the Hawks, on the decline, he fully embodies the future. Problem: he apparently opted for the Canadian selection and not the Swiss team.

The pessimism displayed Monday at a press conference by Erik Lehmann, general secretary of Swiss Basketball, was not a facade, after Kyshawn George did not respond to the federation’s calls. The Valaisan does indeed wish to play in the future for Canada, the country of his father Deon, according to his mother Sophie who confirmed the news to Matin.