Promise kept. Paused for more than two years and the start of the health crisis, the big NBA show will return to Paris with a new regular season game in 2023. This prestigious game should take place on January 19, a Thursday, at the Accor Arena In January 2020, the first official NBA match in France opposed the Milwaukee Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA champions in 2021, to the Charlottes Hornets of owner Michael Jordan (116-103). In 2023 according to no information, not yet confirmed by the American league, the NBA match in Paris should oppose the Chicago Bulls to the Detroit Pistons. These are two teams from the Eastern Conference, which seems logical given the time differences. Impossible indeed to bring the Lakers, the Warriors or even the Jazz of Rudy Gobert to France between two regular season games: the trip is much too long.
The poster is enticing. Chicago is obviously the legendary franchise of His Majesty Jordan, six-time NBA champion in the 1990s and already passed through Paris in 1997, on the occasion of a tour organized by McDonalds where they faced PSG Racing. Jerseys, T-shirts and all clothing bearing the bull logo are still worn everywhere in the French capital, every day.
Killian Hayes alone French?
After years of scarcity, the Bulls have come back in force for a few seasons. Released in the first round of the playoffs this week by the Bucks, they have once again become a team that counts in the NBA landscape in the wake of their stars DeMar DeRoZan or Zach Lavine. Peak intensity of the Jordan years the derby against the Detroit Pistons also remains a game apart in the NBA. Champions for the last time in 2004, the Pistons are struggling to rebuild. They didn’t make the playoffs this year and their return to the top of the NBA will take some time. The match in Paris, if the poster is confirmed by the NBA in the coming days, and if it has not been transferred by then will allow a Frenchie from Detroit to play in front of his family: Killian Hayes. The former leader of Cholet had been drafted by the Pistons in 2020 in 7th position. The NBA had to choose a team with a French player to come to Paris in its roster: The contract at this time is respected.
Two years ago, the NBA released the big game for the arrival of the Bucks and the Hornets by bringing the former glories of the two franchises to France. If the operation is renewed, the Bulls and the Pistons are not lacking in immense players in their history: Jordan of course but also Scottie Pipen, Dennis Rodman or even the Frenchman Joakim Noah for Chicago. Will they be there? The son of the former Roland-Garros winner will certainly be invited to take part in the celebration. Opposite, it’s not bad either with Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars those of the time of the “Bad Boys” to name a few.