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One less Frenchman in the NBA

The Portland Trailblazers announced Friday the recruitment of Ibou Badji with a two-way contract, which means that the Frenchman Olivier Sarr must leave the franchise.

There are only eight French in the NBA! Olivier Sarr left the tricolor contingent of the biggest League in the world on Friday, being cut by Portland, who preferred to recruit another player to take his place in the roster. The Blazers, surprising leaders of the Western Conference with ten wins and five losses, have announced the recruitment of Ibou Badji, a 20-year-old Senegalese pivot, measuring 2.16m, who played with the Wisconsin Herd (the team affiliated with the Milwaukee Bucks) in the G-League. The former Barça reserve player signed a two-way contract (which allows round trips between the NBA and the G-League), and recovers that of Olivier Sarr, since the number of contracts in a team is limit.

What future for Sarr?

The 23-year-old French pivot signed with the Blazers on October 13, after participating in the Oregon franchise’s training camp. He had participated in three preseason games, averaging 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 11.9 minutes per game, before injuring his right wrist (partial tear of the scapho ligament -lunar). His absence was estimated at six weeks. He therefore only had two weeks left to wait before returning to the courts, but the Blazers decided otherwise. The native of Niort, once recovered from his injury, will therefore have to look for a new team. It could be another NBA franchise, or a G-League team. Unless he decides to come to Europe, like Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, who should commit very soon with Milan after having failed to find playing time in the NBA. Remember that Olivier Sarr had not been drafted in 2021, after four years in the NCAA, but had still been recruited by Oklahoma City, with whom he had played 22 games between December 2021 and April 2022, for 7 points and 4 .2 average rebounds.

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