Are you excited for this season?
“I’m always excited but this year it’s even more so because it’s an ultra-open season. I lived through a lot of years where the finals were between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers (from 2015 to 2018) which was very good because you had stars galore and dream posters. But you were missing a bit of that surprise side. There for example, in the West I can tell you five teams contending for the title and the same in the East. »
What franchises are you thinking of?
“Boston obviously as favorite. The leaders have not changed anything about their team, they are the title holders and are dominant. There are also the Sixers, and Milwaukee which we cannot omit with Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Without forgetting the Knicks with their ambitious recruitment. On the other side in the West, you still have Denver with a certain Nikola Jokic, Dallas who was in the final last year and Minnesota in the conference final. There is also Oklahoma which finished first in the West in the regular season last year and which has strengthened. And there may be surprises like Phoenix and its star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. It’s the most open season in a long time. In any case, since I arrived at beIN 13 years ago, this is the season that promises the most suspense. »
“One more story for LeBron to tell”
And the Lakers with the beautiful story between father and son, LeBron and Bronny James together?
“The story is quite beautiful because it’s LeBron. In the narrative of his legend, this will be one more story to tell. He will be able to say at the end of his career that he played with his son and that no one had done it before him. And that’s incredible. But sporting reality is a bit of a joke. I’m less firm than the people who say that Bronny is not an NBA player. He still has an interesting physique and I ask to see if he might not be able to help out over a long season of 82 matches by playing a few minutes here and there. But sportingly, there are basketball players who deserved to be drafted much more than him. And for the Lakers, I am divided because I have the heart and the reason. It’s the franchise that I love. I lived there, I discovered them on a daily basis. I want them to win but I don’t really believe in it. We’re often tough when we support a franchise and I know I can surprise some people, but I don’t see the Lakers qualifying for the playoffs. They haven’t strengthened and when you don’t advance in the NBA, you go backwards, especially in the West. (to rephrase a little because we don’t care if it’s his favorite team, we just want his analysis on the Lakers) »
Staying in the Western Conference, is this the year of confirmation for Victor Wembanyama with a potential selection for the All-Star Game?
“It seems obvious to everyone that he will become an All-Star this season. It’s crazy, he’s still a kid. There are marketing interests that would suit the NBA if he were. But sportingly, there is a good chance that it will be justified given the monster that it was last year, it will become even more dominant. »
“A golden age of basketball in France”
The No. 1s in the 2023 and 2024 drafts are French, it’s unheard of. Is this the golden age of French basketball?
“I think we are completely in a golden age of basketball in France. The Olympics confirm this. France is the second largest basketball country in the world and it is an exceptional source of pride to say it. We placed our two men’s and women’s teams in the final against Team USA. In 3×3 basketball, we also won silver.
We were a little disappointed with the impact of French basketball players in the NBA recently. Victor is a special case. Among the headliners, Rudy Gobert and Nico Batum played but Evan Fournier hardly ever set foot on the floors last year. And the other French people like Ousmane Dieng played little. But this year, I think it will change. »
“The NBA did things right”
Four French people drafted in the first round including No. 1 and No. 2, how do you estimate these rookies arriving in the NBA?
“Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1 in the NBA draft) and Alexandre Sarr (No. 2) will play a lot. Everyone has very specific expectations. It is likely that Risacher will start the season on the bench but I can see him being a starter fairly quickly. It will be necessary to develop a good connection with Trae Young, leader of the team, for it to work. For Sarr, I think he will start at the start of the season. But be careful, there are still people at his position with the Wizards such as Jonas Valanciunas and Marvin Bagley.
Tidjane Salaün (n°6, Charlotte Hornets) is a little less talked about but he is showing lots of good things in pre-season. He has great athletic qualities and he is a little “crazy” with his unfiltered play.
And the last Habs drafted in the first round is Pacôme Dadiet (No. 25, New York Knicks), he will be in the rotation but New York is a top team. And we know that coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t really like playing young players. He will be in the rotation but the year may be a little more difficult than the other three. »
“The return of Wemby makes it all the more exciting”
The NBA returns to France with two matches (Spurs-Indiana) for twice the fun?
“Infinitely more fun (laughs). I hope anyway. Because last year’s Cavs-Nets meeting was very questionable sportingly. This year, the NBA did things well. We have an incredible poster because Spurs and France are a love story. Wemby’s return makes it all the more exciting. And on the other side, there is Indiana with its star Tyrese Haliburton. This is a super fun team to watch and is focused on offense. I hope this will also give people more of a chance to be able to buy tickets. We know how complicated it has been in the past to find places, especially given the price. I want to believe that if there are two meetings, there will be a little more purchasing opportunities. »
