From players to spectators, the NBA is a dream across the planet. But behind the visible, flashy side with the rhinestones and million dollar contracts, the North American Championship also has a darker side. A side where players can also be treated as simple numbers. The French Vincent Poirier, 27, had the bitter experience. Transferred overnight from Philadelphia to the New York Knicks on March 25, the native of Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine) will hardly have had time to digest the ad and post a photo in the jersey on his social networks. blue with Franck Ntilikina – whom he thought to find at the Knicks – whom he learned that the New York franchise was freeing him. Now without a club, Poirier confides in this situation.
Under what circumstances did you learn that Philadelphia was going to transfer you to New York?
VINCENT POIRIER. We had just arrived in Los Angeles to play games when Elton Brand (Editor’s note: general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers) came to tell me that they were going to send me to the Knicks and that he was thanking me for my stint. I just had time to post a photo with Franck (Ntilikina) but quickly my agent warned me that the Knicks would surely cut me because they didn’t need another interior and I didn’t have the profile they were looking for.
How did you react ?
Already, I looked for a way to get back to Philadelphia because in a few moments I was no longer part of the team and I could not stay with them. My agent called the Knicks to take care of my return even if they weren’t babysitting me. It’s violent, but you have to take a step back, I don’t have to complain either because I will reach the end of my contract. This is the business.
A business with a ruthless universe …
I wish someone had told me: “ We were wrong », « You can’t play with us “. I like it when things are cash, square. The coach didn’t even send me a message even though I know he sent others. I’m not asking him to give me compliments but just a message to wish me good luck. We are not commodities, we remain human beings. It’s a minimum of sending a message, to say that the situation was complicated, but thank you for your professionalism. A bogus thing, even if he doesn’t really mean it …
How do you cope with this uncertainty around your future?
It’s not easy not having a job, it’s the first time it’s happened to me. Even when I changed clubs in the past I always knew where my future destination was with an insured contract. There, I have nothing, I do not know anything. I wait.
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Still hoping to continue your NBA career?
I told my agent that my priority was to participate in the Olympics this summer and that I needed playing time guarantees. I have already lost too much time. You have to find the best place. There are two or three tracks in the NBA but I do not know more, it is my agent who manages.
What if you don’t have any offers?
If I have to return to Europe I will return. I just want to play. But for now I’m at ” Philly », I found a room to train and I have a coach that my agent sent me. It is not 5 against 5 but it is already that.
What do you take away from this experience?
It’s frustrating because I never really had my chance to show what I could bring. But we know that the NBA is a world apart. I played in two franchises (Boston and Philadelphia) where the team was in place. It’s complicated in these cases to claim anything. You have to be in the right place at the right time, sometimes it comes down to nothing. We are a little helpless in these situations. But it’s still a good experience. The NBA was a goal but I don’t want to stay there to say I’m there. I want to have my place and playing time, if I don’t, if the NBA doesn’t want me anymore, I won’t stay.
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