NBA legend Tony Parker thinks France are close to being able to finally dethrone the United States as Olympic champions, after the Europeans finished second in Tokyo and Paris.

And even though Los Angeles will be the site of the 2028 Games, the former San Antonio Spurs guard believed the emergence of top NBA draft picks such as Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher meant things could be different in less than four years time.

“I think basketball in France is growing like crazy, and we are on the wave right now,” said Parker, who had his No 9 national team jersey retired in July. “[The future is] super positive and I think we can keep improving.”

The last time France won on the world stage was at the EuroBasket in 2013, when Parker was in the team, but the country has produced five top-10 picks in the past two drafts and the four-time NBA champion singled out Spurs centre Wembanyama as someone of whom he expected big things.

“We have a great leader with Victor, and I think, in 2028 we can have a team that can be very scary,” the 42-year-old Parker said. “For sure the best time is yet to come.”

Attending an NBA Fan Fest event in Hong Kong on Sunday, alongside former Houston Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley, Parker, a majority owner and the president of French basketball club ASVEL, also encouraged those local children at Tsuen Wan Sports Centre to think big.