French basketball was in the spotlight in the NBA, during the second confrontation between Victor Wembanyama's Spurs and Bilal Coulibaly's Wizards this January, and for the first time, France will be doubly represented at the Rising Stars Challenge . One more opportunity to highlight the “French Touch” in terms of training since the two former teammates at Boulogne-Levallois today embody the faces of the future tricolor in the league.
The blue-bank-red wave is not about to stop since a good number of prospects will still invest in the American market in the months to come, between Alexandre Sarr, Zacharias Risacher, Tidjane Salaun And Melvin Ajinca.
The four French people could slip into the first round of the next Draft, including three possibly among the first six choices, according to ESPN experts.
Two French people in the first two places in the Draft?
“Can you believe it? I don't think any country, except the United States of course, has ever done this before. That would be crazy” Victor Wembanyama ignites. “This would be an unprecedented message. It would mean a lot. There has never been an NBA Draft with two international players in the first two spots, let alone two players from the same country. It’s great that we’re finally being recognized. Everyone wants to try French products. So I'm happy that this is happening. We have so much talent here.”
For ESPN, Victor Wembanyama has thus drawn up a squad review of the four French players who are turning the heads of league scouts, starting with Alexandre Sarr, who impresses in the NBL, on the Perth side, and who is announced as a possible number 1 of the future Draft. With his mobility and his wingspan, he had impressed “Wemby” during their first meeting. Olivier Sarr's little brother was then 15 years old.
“Regarding Alex, I was struck when I saw him for the first time, it was in 2020. I didn’t know him at all. I had never heard of him. And he had crazy talent. You could tell he wanted to improve and win, but at the time it seemed like he didn't really know himself, that he didn't know how to play and how to use his body. It has continued to improve over the years. He has great talent. And he had such an unconventional journey. He traveled all over the world.”
Zacharie Risacher should then arrive very quickly. As a result, Victor Wembanyama worked more closely with Stéphane Risacher's son, during his season at Asvel in 2021/22, while the latter was still evolving within the training center, and beginning to have his first experiences in the professional world, until his explosion this season at JL Bourg. Here again, a fairly versatile and very mobile profile for a winger of his size.
The second part of the season could decide what happens next, in particular its possible place on the podium of the Draft, and not to be third.
“I had the opportunity to spend some time with him. We were both very young at the time, but he would sometimes train with us and he would do some crazy things talent-wise. He is definitely part of this category of players. I probably don't know anyone more talented than him in this category.”launched Victor Wembanyama.
Tidjane Salaün, and Melvin Ajinça, “old” acquaintances
On the side of Cholet, a talent factory for decades, the latest nugget to date is called Tidjane Salaün, another beautiful baby for a 3-4 position aged barely 18 years old, who is also having a successful first season as a professional. . Seen to his advantage in BCL, he has just completed his first match with 20 points in Betclic Elite and also benefits from a large margin of improvement.
Incidentally, “Wemby” also knows him very well, since his sister Eve Wembanyama was part of the French U16 team alongside Tidjane's sister, Janelle, but also Rayan Rupert's sister, Iliana. The opportunity for the three kids to rub shoulders while they were still very young. Here again, Victor Wembanyama has a lot of hope for the development of Choletais.
“His work ethic and desire to progress are simply remarkable. I also spent some time with him during the summer of 2022 working out. I can trust him to improve and train like crazy.”
It’s a bit the same thing for the last big prospect mentioned by “Wemby”, Melvin Ajinça. He is a player he has known well since his beginnings having regularly faced him, long before Alexis Ajinça's cousin even joined the Federal Center.
The progression of the left-handed winger was then linear, within the CFBB then at Saint-Quentin, where he was elected best young player in Pro B last year, actively participating in the rise of the SQBB. He then discovered Betclic Elite this season, where he is still showing great things, with a great ability to adapt since the level and pace are much higher than in Pro B. All punctuated by a U19 World Cup noticed this summer, notably by a certain Dirk Nowitzki.
“He has always been one of the best talents of our generation. The thing he did differently than everyone else at the time was take shots. He was making tough shots, and he had a reliable shot for a long time.”continued Victor Wembanyama. “I think he's a surprising prospect because he's now at the professional level, whereas the guys who were on the face of it more talented than him have totally disappeared, and he's still here. »
With all these beautiful people, the “French Touch” in the NBA still has a bright future ahead of it, which has the gift of delighting the rookie star of the Spurs, impatient to see this whole generation join him on the other side of the Atlantic to shine the tricolor flag at his side.
“It’s true that it makes me happy. From my point of view, it's weird because, first of all, until a few months ago, the NBA was a dream for me. Growing up, I never thought I would meet these guys again and play against them [pendant] many years in the best league in the world. I’m very proud of them, it’s incredible.”
