The French championship had the chance to observe the Briante Weber phenomenon at work between 2019 and 2021, in Boulogne-Levallois then in Gravelines-Dunkirk. The opportunity to see up close a leader who plays with passion on both sides of the field, even if he stands out above all for his pugnacity in defense.
After having compiled 45 games in the NBA, between Miami, Memphis, Golden State, Charlotte and Houston from 2015 and 2018, Briante Weber left to harden up in Europe, where he quickly became a benchmark leader. Before moving to France, he notably discovered “European” basketball in Greece, at Olympiakos.
“When I arrived in Greece, the level of toughness of the Greek players was high. I give them credit for helping me understand how difficult it is to play in Europe. In the NBA, as soon as you are touched, there is a fault. In Europe, these are real screens”, he explained.
The NBA is first interested in his behavior
At 30, Briante Weber now shines in the Turkish league under the colors of Büyükçekmece, with whom he has a good line of stats (13.1 points, 4.1 assists). He also continues to excel in defense, posting the best average of interceptions per game in the division, at nearly three stolen balls (2.7)!
Like other players with a similar background before him, Briante Weber would not say no to a possible return to the NBA, assuring that franchises have contacted him to find out about his situation…
“During the season, NBA teams contacted me to see how I was doing. They are interested in my personality and want to see if I have really evolved from the kid I was in the NBA. I’m not going to say I was perfect. But I enjoyed my life as an NBA player. Now they want to see if I have evolved, at 30, and if I have become someone they can rely on and invest in”he added.
Briante Weber also spoke of his multiple failures in the NBA, believing that beyond his character not always easy to manage, his profile was no longer in line with the current NBA.
“I would say they wanted me to be a Pat Beverley, but the league was about to change from a defensive mentality to a Stephen Curry mentality. They wanted someone who could defend but also be a Stephen Curry. The NBA changed from beating the opponent by defending to beating them by scoring more than the other team. They wanted scorers who could contain their opponents. My timing didn’t always align with what the NBA wanted at the time.”
Pat Beverley, role model and mentor
However, his qualities could still be expressed today if we rely, for example, on the career of a Patrick Beverly, who managed to make his mark by standing out with his glue pot defense. An example to follow for Briante Weber, passed by Olympiakos like Pat Beverley.
“It’s the same type of situation, but he stayed solid and kept his personality. He wanted to return to the NBA. I have the same mindset. I know I can play at the highest level. Now it’s about figuring out what to do to keep growing and showing maturity in my game.”
The chance of life has meant that the two players have already had to face each other in a pre-season game between the Lakers and the Clippers. And as you might expect, the two ended up falling out!
“It was before my last preseason game with the Lakers, and he was with the Clippers. We both received two technical fouls and got sent off,” remembered Briante Weber.
Except that Patrick Beverley had undoubtedly recognized himself in the ardor of the young Briante Weber, four years his junior. After the meeting, he therefore invited him to the restaurant and the two players have remained close ever since.
“He told me that the trip was not always as we saw it. It’s about staying strong. Sometimes you have to take a step back to see what progress looks like”continued Briante Weber. “He always left me motivating messages, like ‘Keep doing what you’re doing. ‘Everyone is looking at you’. ‘Don’t think people don’t see what you are doing and how you are handling your situation’”.
To see if Briante Weber will have another chance to show himself in the NBA and if he will manage to seize it to enroll durably in a project by benefiting from his experience and his defensive rigor.
