The Euroleague logo on basketball jerseys, we had not seen that at the Halle Georges Carpentier since the European campaign in Nanterre in 2013-2014. Barely promoted to Betclic Elite, Paris Basketball is organizing the Paris European Games this weekend, a pre-season tournament with prestigious guests all competing for the queen of European competitions: ASVEL, Alba Berlin and Milan. A taste of the level that the club of the capital wants to reach? ASVEL coach, which will represent France on the big European stage for the third year in a row, TJ Parker would welcome the emergence of a large-scale Euroleague team in the French capital.
“I had great moments in Paris, I played here for two years (at Paris Basket Racing, from 2005 to 2007)”, he recalls. “Sometimes in Paris, it’s difficult because everything goes to football or rugby, there are a lot of sports here, a lot of competition. But there are so many young basketball players who come from Paris, and that’s too bad we haven’t yet had a big project in Paris. I think that’s what Paris Basketball is trying to do, Boulogne-Levallois is also trying to do it on its side, and now, if we can have several big teams in Paris, it can become like NBA with New York and Brooklyn. I hope we can get there, but it takes time. “
A future competitor for Asvel?
Ambitious sports project launched in 2018 in Pro B, with the resumption of sports rights for the HTV and the arrival of David Kahn at its head, Paris Basketball has the prospect of integrating the Arena Porte de la Chapelle in September 2023, and we knows that the Euroleague, which likes to see its product shine in the big European capitals, closely observes the rise in power of this team which will discover the elite of the French championship. A prospect that also excites ASVEL winger David Lighty, won over by the holding of this pre-season tournament in Carpentier.
“I think it’s good not only for French basketball, but for European basketball as well. Paris is a great city and I think seeing teams of such a level here is good for maybe a future future in Euroleague for this city. I played in Nanterre, won the title (in 2013), so Paris has a warm place in my heart. And for me, Nanterre was already a great Parisian team (smile). But yes, the Paris Basketball project has a lot of potential. And we too, with Asvel, are growing, so it’s obviously a good thing for French and European basketball. ”
David Lighty, this Saturday at the Halle Carpentier (photo : Lilian Bordron)
