Once again, the calendar year was rich in emotions on the basketball world. To end 2023 in style, we'll let you vote for your basketball moment of the year, among the ten most memorable.
LeBron James' record
It was February 7, 2023. Against Oklahoma City, LeBron James achieved what many considered impossible: beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's points record and become the best scorer in NBA history.
A record which validates the scoring talents of the “King”, obviously, but above all his extraordinary longevity at the highest level, and his ability to avoid injuries and slumps.
Connecticut wins NCAA title
At the end of “March Madness”, the March madness that celebrates college basketball each year, it was Connecticut which won the NCAA title. The fifth in Huskies history, in five finals.
Adama Sanogo, the MOP of the Final Four, and his teammates beat San Diego State (76-59) in the final on April 3.
Joel Embiid elected MVP
Double runner-up to Nikola Jokic in 2021 and 2022, Joel Embiid finally managed to get the better of his Serbian counterpart from the Nuggets in 2023. On May 3, the Sixers pivot received the “Michael Jordan” trophy.
A victory that was ultimately quite clear since Joel Embiid received 73 1st place out of 100, compared to 15 for Nikola Jokic and 12 for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Carmelo Anthony retires
A few weeks later, on May 22, Carmelo Anthony soberly announced, via a short video on his Twitter account, accompanied by a “Thank You”, that he was retiring.
After 19 seasons in the NBA, the 3rd choice in the Draft, without a club since the end of the 2021/22 season, left LeBron James as the last active representative of the famous 2003 vintage. Legendary scorer, “Melo” ended his career without an NBA title, but with three Olympic gold medals, 10 All-Star Game selections, 6 All-NBA Team selections and a place on the “NBA 75th Anniversary Team”. Not to mention an NCAA title with Syracuse.
The coronation of the Denver Nuggets
On June 12, Carmelo Anthony's former club, the Denver Nuggets, won their first championship title. Nikola Jokic was obviously named MVP of the Finals, won against a Heat who were not expected at this level of the competition, but who had overturned all the obstacles in the Eastern Conference, before falling too short.
For the Rockies club, it was the culmination of a patient and methodical construction, around its Serbian pivot, 41st choice in the 2014 Draft. At the end of a totally controlled playoff campaign.
Victor Wembanyama’s Draft
As expected for months, Victor Wembanyama was chosen in first position in the 2023 Draft by the Spurs. He was ahead of Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson, while Bilal Coulibaly was chosen in 7th position.
This June 22, 2023, “Wemby” therefore made its official entry into the Great League, he who had been attracting all eyes for months. The most scrutinized and awaited prospect since undoubtedly LeBron James, the Frenchman relished it.
“I can’t really describe it. It's still very fresh. It's one of the best feelings of my life. Without doubt the most beautiful evening of my life. I've been dreaming of this for so long, and this dream is coming true. It's incredible. It was the longest five minutes of my life. That's when I started to feel butterflies in my stomach, and I saw that my family was no longer saying anything. Everyone looked at their watches. »
Tony Parker in the Hall of Fame
While Victor Wembanyama's career was taking off in San Antonio, Tony Parker was entering the Hall of Fame right away. The celebration of the exploits of the French leader with the Spurs, between 2001 and 2018.
A strong emotional moment for “TP”, this August 13, especially when talking about his parents and loved ones.
” I have a big family. My father is from Chicago. My mother comes from the Netherlands, Amsterdam. I was born in Belgium, but I am French. I was born into both cultures. I feel like I have the best of both worlds. And it helped me a lot in my journey. To my father… I love you » he explained. “To my mother, who was a caregiver, and helped me a lot throughout my career. I love you so much. Thank you for everything. To my two brothers, TJ and Pierre. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. »
The triumph of the Mannschaft
No Team USA. No French team this September 10. Ultimately, it was Dennis Schröder's Germany who won the World Cup, triumphing over Bogdan Bogdanovic's Serbia in the final.
The leader was immediately elected MVP of the competition, Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Anthony Edwards (United States) and Luka Doncic (Slovenia) accompanying him in the first five.
Las Vegas Aces double
By winning 70-69 in Game 4 against Marine Johannès' New York Liberty on October 18, the Las Vegas Aces achieved back-to-back and retained their WNBA title. Only the Comets in the late 90s and the Sparks in the early 2000s managed to retain their title before Becky Hammon's players.
“Not many players get the opportunity to do that, and it’s amazing to come up short and win.” reacted A'ja Wilson, elected MVP of the Finals, after having already won the trophy for best defender of the year. “The victory is all the more beautiful. It’s difficult to come back to the final to win again.”
Los Angeles' victory at the NBA Cup
New this season in the NBA, the “In-Season Tournament” will obviously have raised some eyebrows but the players have rather adhered to the concept… as well as the reward of 500,000 dollars for each winning player.
For LeBron James, the idea of being the first to hang his name on the prize list of the new competition was too good. The “King” also finished as MVP of this tournament, even if it was Anthony Davis who walked on the Pacers in the final. For the winger, the “Final Four” in Las Vegas was also a kind of ready-made transition, while he dreams of owning a future franchise on the “Sin City” side…
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