Théo Maledon wanted to mark the occasion against his former team

Deprived of LaMelo Ball for the end of the season, with Terry Rozier also on the injured list and Dennis Smith Jr. who had to withdraw at the last minute because of a glitch in his toe, the Hornets simply tenured Theo Maledon last night, for their trip to Oklahoma City.

A hell of a wink of fate that the tricolor leader did not miss. With 39 minutes of play (the biggest playing time of his team), Maledon finished with 19 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 blocks, three season records (in minutes, points and assists) and even a record in career (on counters). And a victory over the wire as a bonus (137-134)!

“Just because of the context, coming back to OKC where I spent my first two years in the NBA, I was already very motivated for this game”confirms Maledon in the Charlotte Observe. “I was ready, whether it was for 20 minutes, 10 minutes or 30 minutes. As long as I was going to come on, I was ready to give it my all and leave it all on the pitch. »

sweet revenge

A little short on his long-range shots in the first half, Maledon was like his team: he mounted pressure after returning from the locker room, with a second half at 80 points for the Hornets, including 14 for the French international.

“He was very incisive”appreciated Coach Clifford. “He has a good vision of the organization of the game, which helped us a lot. They put a lot of pressure on the ball carrier as they are very good at creating loose balls. We lost a lot, but that’s where he’s good. He can organize the team and give us good possessions. It is one of its great strengths. »

Rather confined to the G-League since January (where he averages 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), with each other’s injury returns and after having already played 41 NBA games this season , Maledon can thank the Hornets for signing Xavier Sneed recently.

Indeed, with this signing which gives 15 players to Charlotte, Maledon is now authorized to be part of the “active” workforce of the Hornets 50 times, and no longer 45.

“I’m really happy to have this opportunity. No matter what form it takes, I always want to be ready to seize it. To live it fully and have no regrets. I just tried to prepare myself as best as possible: by making video, by recovering well, by taking my shots and by being precise in training, so that it then translates into the match. »

An end of the season to show off

With 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists on average at 54% shooting success, including 41% from 3-pointers in his games with the Hornets, Maledon has returned the confidence granted by the staff of Coach Clifford who really appreciates the seriousness of its French leader.

Prior to last week, Maledon had only been in the Hornets squad once in 2023. But with a few games still to play before the summer break, Maledon may well have more opportunities to show off with the team A rather than in the G-League…

“He’s going to play a lot. But he was always good when he played for us. He’s smart, he’s an organizer, and he’s got the size for his job. Everything he does makes sense when you see him play, on both sides of the pitch. We all trust him. »

In the meantime, Maledon clearly wanted to mark the occasion against his former team. The timorous former Thunder rookie has given way to a seasoned player who has no intention of getting cut for lacking ambition and initiative.

“It’s a feeling apart, after spending two years here. When you are drafted and given your chance, you have to be grateful. But at the same time I also remember what happened [son transfert] and so I just wanted to play hard and do what I had to do. »