SAN ANTONIO (NBA) – Having a strong captain on your team is vital to a successful game or campaign. A good captain helps the group stay together, take responsibility and step up his game whenever the team needs it.

Down by three points with three minutes left against Lithuania in the 3rd place game of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, France’s captain Boris Diaw drove twice to score difficult lay-ups as Les Bleus went ahead and held on for the victory.

With 15 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists against the Baltic team, the veteran helped France make history in Spain by winning their first ever bronze medal at a World Cup.

Entering the competition without two of their main superstars, San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker and Chicago Bulls’ defensive pillar Joakim Noah, and counting on some talented but inexperienced youngsters such as Orlando Magic’s Evan Fournier and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, the team coached by Vincent Collet was expected to face a tough task competing for a medal.

"We had a younger group of players than the previous competition but our goal remained the same: we wanted to reach a medal. We worked hard and stepped up our game as the competition was going on, so I think we deserved to win the bronze," Diaw told FIBA.com.

"Despite playing without Tony, we had to confirm our recent improvement and show that we are the current European champion. A lot of teams had the potential to win a medal but we did pretty well by making history in Spain."

Despite beating the hosts Spain in the quarterfinal (65-52), one of the biggest upsets in international basketball history, Diaw doesn’t consider that game as the defining moment of France’s great campaign.

"I don’t think that it was the most important game of the tournament. Spain has an amazing team and was playing at home, but we prepared that game well.
We didn’t want our World Cup campaign to end at the quarterfinals, we had a great game and we found the way to beat them," Diaw stated.

Winning his fourth medal at senior international level with France last summer, ‘Bobo’ his happy to help bring his country back into the spotlight after some disappointing results in the 2000’s.

"It felt good to reach the third place at the World Cup. It was amazing to see the players, the staff and the fans happy. I have been playing for the national team for more than ten years now. We went through some hard times but we never gave up," he said.

"Being now considered as one of the best teams of the world is the recognition of the great work that has been done in the last few years. We want more titles and medals and we want to help France’s national team stay competitive for long years."

Diaw, one of the NBA players - alongside Argentina’s and Indiana Pacers’ Luis Scola- who his the most committed to his national team, gives importance on representing his country in international competitions.

"I haven’t been having a lot of summers off since I started my professional career but I really enjoy playing for the national team. The camaraderie with the players and the pride of representing your country is unbelievable. I know that I am getting older, but I really want to win more titles and medals," he admitted.

Starting his 12th year in the NBA after a successful summer with Les Bleus, Boris Diaw is having a great start of the season with the defending champions the San Antonio Spurs averaging 8.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

"I am happy to have signed an extension contract with the Spurs a few months ago. The team, the staff and the fans are between the bests of the league. I feel very comfortable in the way the Spurs’ play, and also having my great friend Tony Parker as a teammate," he said.

"I just want to help the team be as competitive as we have been in the last few years. I am not focused on myself, I am only focused on the team. The team is above all else."

Considered as a serious contender every season, the Texas-based franchise is expected to fight for a back-to-back title next June.

"Winning the NBA title was one of the best moments of my career so far. We played at an amazing level against a top team, the Miami Heat, and it was great to win after the disappointment of the 2013 NBA finals," he affirmed.

"The roster is the same and we have been improving since last year. We have been having some great results since the beginning of the season but there is still plenty of time for the playoffs to start. We all want to keep the title."

FIBA