Higher participation sport than rugby but rugby is much more popular. I think because French club basketball is so bad is why its not popular. I think people just watch the NBA and follow French players in the NBA. Team in Lyon Metropolitian area (ASVEL) has lots of history and tradition but no modern arena capable of making them a strong European club. The 2 Paris area clubs in the French basketball league have small budgets and play in small gyms but despite that they are having success on the court. Nanterre, EuroChallenge champs and Paris-Levallois made the quater-finals of the EuroCup (2nd tier comp). At the highest level (EuroLeague) French teams dont have the money to win there. Btw, Monaco's basketball team is leading the 2nd divsion right now and should be promoted next year.
Yea I remember a friend I played AAU with attended those French Basketball camps in French Antilles that the federation hold yearly to form their youth teams that usually tour Guadeloupe, Guiana, Martinique, etc. Beaubois, Pietrus, Diop, etc usually hold these camps. He's in college now tho playing D-1 Bball, but I remember a couple French teams offering him meager contracts.
Yeah lots of guys who played D-1 college basketball in America playing in France obviously. The Italian League isnt even that good anymore and they used to be right up there with Spain. Spain clearly the best league now and countries like Turkey are making big progress and have surpassed Italy. France and Germany are on a similar. level. Neither country basketball is that big a deal. I think the German League might be better but only slightly. Bayren Munich has a team and they dont domiante like they do in football because it doesn't translate to basketball a less popular sport.
Yea he was Guadeluopeén though. He plays somewhere in Florida, I think its USF. He played with French U-18s during the summers. It was pretty cool, because he faced off against French NBA prospects like Gobert, Ingles, Labyrie, etc. Speaking of French players, Alex Ajinca is a solid guy. Plays in my city for the Pelicans of the NBA.
I like Evan Fournier (from the Paris suburbs) a lot. Get him off the Orlando Magic and I think he can become an all-star. Excellent shooter, had a hip injury this year slowed his development. He might be of Maghreb decent not Carribean.
Joachim Noah will forever be my favorite French player. Despite a weak league, French NT is pretty elite, maybe not USA obviously, but definitely Spain, Argentina, Lithuania tier. Australia is on the rise though.
Speaking of Nanterres, their young center, Jaiteh, is NBA draft bound. I think he's a late first rounder. He'll be one of like four French prospects.. Alpha Kaba, Petr Cornilie of Le Mans, and Luwawu round out the French class with Luwawu the better of the 4 imo.
Luawau is the 3rd highest rated international player in his draft class. Cornilie is 6th. http://www.draftexpress.com/rankings/International--95/
Rumors of a possible name change if the new academy isnt in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. http://news.maxifoot.fr/info-216718_150427/football.php
So ridiculous. I would be livid if the name was changed and I don't think I'd ever use the new name. Even if the training center is built elsewhere, the club has roots in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and so the name should never change. I hope they find a solution because I'm really not happy with the possibility of them forcing the club to change the name.
http://www.psg.fr/fr/PSGTV/800102/Video/9818/But-exceptionnel-de-Thomas-Martin-avec-la-reserve What a goal!!!
http://www.slate.fr/story/100899/changement-nom-psg http://www.football.fr/ligue-1/articles/et-si-le-psg-devenait-paris-united-656694/ Gotta go with Paris United
God that's an awful name... "Paris United" its not even French ffs, might aswell call the club Paris City. Smh, disgusting name.
Don't worry, this is NOT happening regardless of where the new training center is built http://canal-supporters.com/2015/04...-formellement-lidee-de-changer-le-nom-du-psg/ The thought of another name is really upsetting, but it's not going to happen.
Yeah but Red Star isnt French. Its not Étoile Rouge" Paris-Poissy or Pars-Auteuil is much worse. Paris United makes sense because its the one big club in the capital thus it "unites" all the suburbs.
Paris United is awful. There is no way in which an English name would be acceptable Paris-Poissy sounds terrible, but it's better than Paris United. Anyway, it doesn't matter because this isn't happening.
Blanc has been nominated for the Ligue 1 manager of the year. This is really embarrassing. With the team and resources he's been given, what he has "achieved" is the bare minimum. Mostly anyone could replicate his results (and many could do better). This award should go to someone who really worked to get results, not someone who has been handed a top team from the start. Someone like Bielsa (though the results of the past few months don't make him look too good). All this is going to do is inflate his ego and make him think he's untouchable. FFS.
Even more embarrassing is Mandanda is nominated for GK of the year. Go look and see how many goals he's allowed. Yeah not all this fault because of a horrible defense but still thats part of it. Fournier is easily manager of the year and Jardim 2nd. There's no debate really other than who is 3rd. Guy from Guingamp maybe. Bielsa is not in the top 3, its an ENTIRE season award not a 75% of the season award.
http://www.tropheesunfp.com/ Voting for the best Ligue 1 player of the year. Three of our players are in it versus Lacazette, which kind of hurts our chances since our fan base is split up to pick either Verratti, Pastore, or Ibra. I suggest voting Verratti, who is the PSG player with the highest amount of votes so far and who has had a truly remarkable season (along with Pastore who has been phenomenal and Ibra has been really good too except he's suffered from injuries/suspensions). Also, please vote for Marqui for the "MEILLEUR ESPOIR" category.
Yeah, I think Leonardo Jardim definitely deserve to be mention and one of the strong nomination for the award, especially if AS Monaco able to secure the third place in the league, he would be my choice of Manager of the year.
Today is the final of the women's Champions League! It's such an exciting moment for the women's team and the club. They only went professional a few years ago, so making the final is a huge accomplishment regardless of the result. They will of course be the underdog. I hope the girls can win in Berlin! Allez Paris!