Having disappeared from the NBA radar since the Hornets cut him last February, Frank Ntilikina made the choice not to return to a club at the end of the season, in order to start again on a healthy basis. It must be said that after two, even three, seasons marked by various injuries and small physical glitches, the French leader needed to find himself and rebuild himself.
Having recently signed for Partizan Belgrade, who will continue in the Euroleague, the 25-year-old player would like to follow in the footsteps of Dante Exum who, like him, left the NBA through the back door before returning to it (and the NBA Finals) after a conclusive experience at the top European level.
Frank, how do you feel physically, after a season still complicated by injuries?
It's going, it's going very well. As you know, I've spent a lot of time off the field, I've had a lot of injuries over the last few years but I've put a lot of things in place over the last four months, and that's why that I made the decision not to sign for a club. Above all, I wanted to get back on track physically.
How did you organise your preparation, knowing that last year you perhaps pushed yourself a little too hard, which led to an injury before the World Cup?
It's clear that I had much more time [que l’an passé]. It was unpleasant because I missed the field, but pleasant because we were able to do things in order. It's gone through a lot of rest and care already. And then very analytical work, with a physiotherapist, another physiotherapist who is my brother, a physical trainer and a basketball coach of course. We analyzed the last three years of my career, where and why I got injured. Where there were lacks of strength, lacks of mobility. We wanted to make a plan based on these analyses. I got cut last February, we've been doing this analysis for four months, with precise exercises, so that I can get into an interesting state of form with the French team. I had a moment when my body was no longer keeping up and, at 25, it still feels good to feel those sensations again.
You were able to get back into the rhythm of the pitches at Nanterre, under the leadership of Pascal Donnadieu, the assistant coach of the French team, we imagine that this helped you to stay on course.
It definitely made me happy. When Pascal came to discuss with my camp and me, it was the ideal time to resume the game in opposition. We did three or four good weeks of training. I thank the group again, because even though I only spent a few weeks with them, I really felt like I was part of the team. Moreover, there have been several appeals [pour essayer de me recruter] [rires]. We took things in order. It was already great to get back on the field and the group atmosphere.
Does signing for Partizan Belgrade so early in the off-season free your head and allow you to fully concentrate on the Blues?
Clearly. I feel the difference compared to last year. I don't want to say that I used the French Team as a springboard last year, but I wanted to show myself a little. It's clear that already having your club, your situation, it frees your mind and I can concentrate more easily on the present. On each training session.
“We have some of the best players in the world in their positions”
Wouldn't you be doing a “Dante Exum” for us, namely signing for Partizan to return to the NBA (and Dallas where you already played) quickly?
In the long term, why not. It's the goal to return to the NBA at some point in my career, why not. But, to be very honest, I'm in a state of mind where I'm really in the present moment. And I'm still struggling because I'm already really impatient to start with Partizan. Today, it's the French Team and the Olympic Games. To have the best possible competition.
Have you spoken with Mathias Lessort, who knows the club well?
Yes, we talked for a good two hours on the phone. Even before I spoke to the Partizan coach. And during too. We talked a lot and it was cool of him.
The role of the playmakers will be more than ever to put the ball inside, with the presence of Victor Wembanyama within an interior sector of unprecedented richness in the history of the Blues, what do you think? YOU ?
We have Victor joining the group this year and that's obviously a big new thing. I can't wait to play with him. When you look at the group, we have weapons in all positions. We have variety. We have some of the best players in the world in their positions. They're going to have a gravity that's going to be super interesting. Some teams are going to prepare for that but it's going to be up to us to find the best strategy to go far.
One of the other watchwords of the staff is defense, which is ultimately your best business card…
Of course. It's the DNA of the team. We've felt it since the beginning of training. We have this desire to defend and be intense. It must be our DNA again.
Comments collected at INSEP
| Frank Ntilikina | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | NYK | 78 | 22 | 36.4 | 31.8 | 72.1 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 5.9 |
| 2018-19 | NYK | 43 | 21 | 33.7 | 28.7 | 76.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 5.7 |
| 2019-20 | NYK | 57 | 21 | 39.3 | 32.1 | 86.4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 6.3 |
| 2020-21 | NYK | 33 | 10 | 36.7 | 47.9 | 44.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.7 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 58 | 12 | 39.9 | 34.2 | 96.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 4.1 |
| 2022-23 | DAL | 47 | 13 | 36.4 | 25.4 | 66.7 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 2.9 |
| 2023-24 | CHA | 5 | 9 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Total | 321 | 17 | 36.9 | 32.0 | 76.2 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 4.8 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
