The NBA regular season is coming to an end. Each match counts for a qualification in playoffs because, in the East as in the West, nothing is settled. Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Frank Ntilikina can testify to this!
Every week, Basket Europe offers you a complete overview of the performance of our French nationals abroad. Each month, we also take stock with the main expatriates in the United States (NBA, G-League, NCAA).
Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves have found the hair of the beast in recent weeks! Minnesota is currently positioned in 6th place in the Western Conference and can still aim for the top 4. The adaptation time has passed on the side of the French interior. It connects double-doubles and becomes much more dissuasive than it was at the start of the season. In mid-February, Wolves welcomed Gobert’s former Jazz teammate Mike Conley in a three-team transfer that included the departure of D’Angelo Russell. A recipe that seems to work.
In the rear view mirror of Gobzilla, we find the Mavericks (7th) of a Frank Ntilikina at random playing time. Absent from Dallas’ offensive activity – it must be said that the back line can rely on two stats, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving – “Franky” remains an important role player in Jason Kidd’s roster.
The Clippers are also in the fight for a directly qualifying spot in the post-season. After a particularly successful trade deadline, on paper, the Clipps had a series of 5 defeats. And that does not forgive for a title contender team, wanting to avoid the play-in box at all costs. In this home stretch, Nicolas Batum – still off the bench – remains an essential element in the good balance of the LA franchise.
Is the leader of the France team in the United States?
A few months before the World Cup, the composition of the back line of the France team is the subject that raises questions. So that we wonder if the leader of the France team is well in the United States.
Because, in January, Killian Hayes achieved the best performance of his short career in the NBA, thus placing him among the favorites for the list of Vincent Collet. But in February, the leader of the Pistons experienced a big drop in speed. His shooting problems have returned (31.3% success since the NBA Paris Game), as has his inconsistency within the worst team in the league. Now a full-time resident in the G-League, Théo Maledon multiplies scoring performance. He’s averaging 23 points over his last three outings with the Greensboro Swarm. From there to think of a return to the Blues this summer? Nothing is certain.
Decidedly, the 2022-23 season will not be that of the French. The most striking case remains that of Evan Fournier, still nailed to the Knicks bench while the latter are on a cloud in the East. Finally, the great satisfaction of the month of February on the French side is in the formation of G-League Ignite. Young fullback Sidy Cissoko is having a blast over the weeks. Aggressive and with a very correct outside shot, the former resident of the Baskonia training center has chained five performances to more than 20 points since February 24 (series still in progress). What to make him win a few places in the next Draft? He is currently projected at the end of the first round.
The statistics of the French in the NBA
Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)
34 wins – 32 losses | 6th in the Western Conference
13.6 points on 67.6% on shots, 11.5 rebounds, 1.4 against, 1.8 loss of balls and 0.9 assists for 22.3 evaluation in 31 minutes (54 games)
Evan Fournier (New York Knicks)
39 wins – 27 losses | 5th in the Eastern Conference
6.8 points on 34.8% on shots, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.8 loss of balls for 5.8 rating in 18 minutes (23 games)
Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers)
34 wins – 33 losses | 8th in the Western Conference
6.2 points on 41.9% on shots, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.7 loss of balls for 9.2 evaluation in 22 minutes ( 50 games)
Killian Hayes (Detroit Pistons)
15 wins – 50 losses | 15th in the Eastern Conference
9.4 points on 36.3% on shots, 6.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.0 loss of balls for 11.1 rating in 27 minutes (64 games)
Frank Ntilikina (Dallas Mavericks)
33 wins – 32 losses | 7th in the Western Conference
2.4 points on 36.5% on shots, 1.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 loss of balls for 2.8 evaluation in 12 minutes (39 matches)
Ousmane Dieng (Oklahoma City Thunder)
4.8 points on 44.0% on shots, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.3 blocks and 0.7 loss of balls for 6.1 evaluation in 16 minutes ( 21 games)
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia Sixers)
41 wins – 22 losses | 3rd in Eastern Conference
33.0 points on 53.5% on shots, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.4 loss of balls, 1.1 interceptions and 1.6 against for 35.3 evaluation in 35 minutes ( 50 games)
The statistics of the French in the G-League
Theo Maledon (Greensboro Swarm)
16.2 points on 45.9% on shots, 5.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.2 loss of balls for 17.7 rating in 31 minutes (17 games)
Moussa Diabate (Ontario Clippers)
17.5 points on 58.6% on shots, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 against and 2.7 loss of balls for 26.0 evaluation in 32 minutes (19 games)
Joel Ayayi (Lakeland Magic)
8.6 points on 54.0% on shots, 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.7 loss of balls for 14.2 rating in 27 minutes (35 games)
Sidy Cissoko (G-League Ignite)
12.0 points on 45.1% on shots, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.7 loss of balls and 0.9 blocks for 12.6 rating in 29 minutes ( 31 matches)
Rescue Doumbouya (Delaware Blue Coast)
3.4 points on 37.9% on shots, 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists for 3.5 rating in 10 minutes (17 games)
Adam Mokoka (Oklahoma City Blue)
13.0 points on 49.0% on shots, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists for 14.5 rating in 31 minutes (38 games)
NCAA French stats
Joshua Mballa (Ore Miss)
3.4 points on 51.4% on shots, 2.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists in 9 minutes (16 games)
Eddy Kayouloud (Central Arkansas)
15.0 points on 47.8% shooting, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.9 steals in 29 minutes (31 games)
Yvan Ouedraogo (Gran Canyon)
4.5 points on 52.8% on shots, 5.2 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.8 loss of balls in 24 minutes (17 games)
Daniel Batcho (Texas Tech)
8.6 points on 64.3% on shots, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 loss of balls and 1.8 against in 26 minutes (16 games)
Yohan Traore (Auburn)
2.4 points on 40.8% on shots, 1.5 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 10 minutes (22 games)
Honey to the Man (Arizona)
2.7 points on 37.7% on shots, 1.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 9 minutes (24 games)
Kymany Houinsou (Washington State)
4.2 points on 41.2% on shots, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 18 minutes (30 games)
Alex Tchikou (Rhode Island)
3.9 points on 46.2% on shots, 3.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 17 minutes (25 games)
Josaphat Bilau (Rhode Island)
6.9 points on 44.4% on shots, 5.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 2.4 loss of balls in 23 minutes (8 games)
Quentin Diboundje (East Carolina)
7.1 points on 36.2% on shots, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 19 minutes (25 games)
Benjamin Bayela (East Carolina)
3.4 points on 25.3% on shots, 2.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 16 minutes (23 games)
Alaaeddine Boutayeb (Arkansas State)
2.4 points on 42.1% on shots, 1.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 9 minutes (15 games)
Maxime Raynaud (Stanford)
8.6 points on 55.4% on shots, 6.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 22 minutes (29 games)
Kane Milling (UC Davis)
7.2 points on 39.9% on shots, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 28 minutes (28 games)
Louis Lesmond (Harvard)
5.8 points on 31.4% on shots, 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in 21 minutes (5 games)
Photo : Rudy Gobert