After an extremely complicated last campaign for the French clan in the NBA, between the banishment ofEvan Fournier in New York, a difficult adaptation of Rudy Gobert at Wolves and a young guard who was struggling to find his place in the Great League, things are going better for the French colony, which is finding reasons for hope.
The first is obviously the arrival of Victor Wembanyama. Certainly, the work remains enormous at Spurs, and “Wemby” must refine his game to maximize his potential, but the sparks are exciting.
VETERANS
Rudy Gobert (31 years old)
Minnesota Timberwolves
Summary: 15 wins – 4 losses
Stats: 13.3 points at 60.3% success, 11.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.6 turnovers, 0.6 interceptions and 2.4 blocks on average in 33 minutes
This is very good news for the French camp at the start of the season. After a complicated first year with the Wolves, Rudy Gobert has regained his full impact, at the same time as his best physical form.
As he told us, the French pivot thinks he has never played so well in his career. However, his stats are very similar to last year, and he was more productive in Utah. Except that last year, and for the first time in his career, his team was more effective when he was not on the field. Back to normal this season, with Wolves posting +8.8 in “Net Rating” (difference between offensive and defensive efficiency over 100 possessions) when Rudy Gobert is in play, and only +3.7 when he is not.
At the head of the best defense in the league (106.7 points conceded over 100 possessions), leading the Western Conference (15 wins – 4 losses), Rudy Gobert can have a smile, despite the Draymond Green episode. Moreover, it is currently the big favorite of punters to collect the Defender of the Year trophy…
Nicolas Batum (34 years old)
LA Clippers/Philadelphia 76ers
Summary: 9 wins – 4 losses
Stats: 5.9 points at 56.3% success including 51.3% from distance, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 turnovers, 0.7 interceptions and 0.8 blocks on average in 24 minutes
For what is (probably) his last season in the NBA, Nicolas Batum is doing Nicolas Batum. The Frenchman puts oil in the wheels, doing a lot of things that don't necessarily show up in the statistics.
Logically, his Sixers teammates as well as his new coach, Nick Nurse, already adore him, just like his former Clippers teammates and his former coach, Tyronn Lue, also adored him. The only bad news is this finger injury, suffered when he tried to block Kristaps Porzingis, but hit the board. His index finger on his right hand was badly twisted at the time, and the Frenchman recently revealed the problem.
Evan Fournier (31 years old)
New York Knicks
Summary: 1 victory – 0 defeat
Stats: 2.0 points at 16.7% success, 1.0 rebound, 1.0 assist and 1.0 interception on average in 16 minutes
Not much to say for Evan Fournier, still stuck on the New York bench. Tom Thibodeau only restarted it one game, when there were too many injuries on the back lines. But it is clear that the coach absolutely does not count on the former Magic, and is not going to change his plans.
The “catastrophe” that the full-back feared is therefore occurring, and as Vincent Collet explained, it would be good for Evan Fournier to quickly leave New York, even if his contract remains difficult to exchange.
For his confidence, for the rest of his career, but also for the French team, with a view to the Paris Olympics…
SUCCESSION
Victor Wembanyama (19 years old)
San Antonio Spurs
Summary: 3 wins – 15 losses
Stats: 19.3 points at 43.7% success rate including 27.1% from distance, 9.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.5 turnovers, 1.3 interceptions and 2.7 blocks on average in 30 minutes
The “hype” was so monumental that the reactions to Victor Wembanyama’s great debut could only be disproportionate. In fact, the NBA has discovered a separate phenomenon, capable of modifying the entire geometry of the field with a mix of size/span/speed that forces everyone to stay on the alert.
Already among the best bullies in the league, “Wemby” also shows in sequences what can make him unique on the offensive level, with this size which makes him a fantastic target on “switch”.
At the start of the match against the Hawks, Clint Capela was able to taste the problem, when Victor Wembanyama's dribbling/size/speed mix caused him huge problems, suggesting the best for the Spurs. In return, Victor Wembanyama also has to clean things up, starting with his sometimes frustrating ball losses. His 27% success from distance is obviously also an area of work, but it is undoubtedly also linked to the fact that he is still too easily removed from the circle by the opponents. Seeing him fail to physically impose himself in the low position against Kevin Huerter demonstrates his room for improvement.
A margin for progress closely linked to that of the Spurs, who have a lot of work to do on a collective level.
Killian Hayes (22 years old)
Detroit Pistons
Summary: 2 wins – 17 losses
Stats: 9.5 points at 42.9% success including 32.1% from distance, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.8 turnovers, 1.2 interceptions and 0.7 blocks on average in 27 minutes
Wobbly situation in Detroit for Killian Hayes. After three disappointing first seasons, we could definitely wonder about his future with the Pistons, but Monty Williams loves his profile. Except that his association with Cade Cunningham is not natural, the Frenchman's offensive aggressiveness seems linked to having the ball in hand.
And as on the management side, we seem to be pushing for the development of Jaden Ivey, while the franchise is at the heart of a historic series of defeats, Killian Hayes seems in a delicate position.
Can he form an effective pair with Cade Cunningham, in a point guard/back role? Can he be the organizer of the “second unit”? So many questions whose answers are linked to his skill, in slight progress but which remains a concern for an outsider, with only 43% success on shots, 32% on 3-points and 67% on throws.
Bilal Coulibaly (19 years old)
Washington Wizards
Summary: 3 wins – 15 losses
Stats: 8.2 points at 51.9% success including 43.5% from distance, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 turnovers, 1.1 interceptions and 0.7 blocks on average in 26 minutes
We knew him to be opportunistic and serious, and Bilal Coulibaly does not disappoint for his NBA debut. Based on what he knows how to do, the young Frenchman is particularly clean, among Wizards who are not…
Victor Wembanyama's former Mets '92 teammate remains in his role. Without embellishment, but without fear either, he does not hesitate to clash with the best opposing attackers, using his wingspan and speed of movement to disrupt Damian Lillard and the other superstars who find themselves in his path.
Second best blocker in Washington, behind Daniel Gafford, Bilal Coulibaly is progressing at his own pace and seems to have all the weapons to become an impact player, in the long term, in the NBA. Hoping that the Wizards put him in the best conditions in the short and medium term.
Théo Maledon (22 years old)
Charlotte Hornets
Summary: 3 wins – 10 losses
Stats: 4.2 points at 28.8% success rate including 16.7% from distance, 1.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 turnovers and 0.5 interceptions on average in 15 minutes
With the injury to Frank Ntilikina, then that of Terry Rozier, Théo Maledon had a role to play in Charlotte, even on a two-way contract. He was also in Steve Clifford's rotation for the first ten games, finding himself starting against Miami.
Except that the North Carolina coach changed his plans, pushing the former Asvel player to the end of the bench. Over the last eight matches, Théo Maledon has only played the courts for 13 minutes. Even LaMelo Ball's injury didn't change anything.
Moussa Diabate (21 years old)
LA Clippers
Summary: 5 wins – 4 losses
Stats: 3.0 points at 50.0% success, 2.1 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.2 turnovers and 0.4 interceptions on average in 6 minutes
Still in a “two-way contract” with the Clippers, Moussa Diabaté plays the useful role in the racket. But with the arrival of Daniel Theis in support of Ivica Zubac, minutes are very limited for him in California.
Ousmane Dieng (20 years old)
Oklahoma City Thunder
Summary: 6 wins – 6 losses
Stats: 3.0 points at 35.1% success rate including 26.7% from distance, 1.8 rebounds, 0.9 passes, 0.3 turnovers and 0.1 interceptions on average in 10 minutes
This is undoubtedly the big disappointment/surprise among young French people. Because like Josh Giddey, we really expected Ousmane Dieng to take off, in a Swiss army knife role coming off the bench.
Except that if Mark Daigneault had made one of his first rotations in the first five games, the Frenchman quickly disappeared from circulation, having to be content with a few minutes here and there, and especially from the G-League to stay in place. form and try to regain his place in the first team. However, as the Thunder are doing very well, being in 2nd place in the West, it seems compromised in the short term…
Olivier Sarr (24 years old)
Oklahoma City Thunder
Summary: 3 wins – 2 losses
Stats: 2.4 points at 50.0% success including 66.7% from distance, 4.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.4 turnovers and 1.0 blocks on average in 11 minutes
Rayan Rupert (19 years old)
Portland Trail Blazers
Summary: 1 victory – 6 defeats
Stats: 0.7 points at 8.3% success rate including 16.7% from distance, 0.1 rebound, 0.3 assist, 0.3 turnover and 0.3 interception on average in 4 minutes
Malcolm Cazalon (22 years old)
Detroit Pistons
Summary: 0 victory – 1 defeat
Sidy Cissoko (19 years old)
San Antonio Spurs
Summary: 0 victory – 1 defeat
Frank Ntilikina (25 years old)
Charlotte Hornets
Hurt
