Record beaten! By placing in the NBA three new players in the second round of Draft, on the night of Thursday to Friday (Penda, Raynaud, Diawara), after the first three of the day before (Essenue, Beringer, Traore), France pushed the number of drafted in a year. Until then, tricolor basketball had limited itself to 5 (in 2016 and 2024). If this 2025 cuvée is certainly not the one that has the highest potentials of this golden generation, it has however revealed an incredible density!
Stunned side by side the day before during the first round, Noah Penda and Maxime Raynaud did not wait too long to know their destination. From the 32nd choice (the second round begins in the 31rd), Noah Penda was sent to Orlando, who had acquired the rights of this choice with the Boston Celtics. He will carry the number 93 in Florida, announced the franchise in stride. This versatile winger, sometimes compared to Batum, was playing in Le Mans until then.
The president of the Magic basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, did not hide his satisfaction at having been able to get their hands on the French: “He is a unique player. He at ease in hand, he is a very good smuggler and an excellent defender. When we saw him for the first time, during a trip we had made to Europe, he had marked us and we had to watch him for the rest of the season. »»
Raynaud in California, surprise Diawara
A little further in the selection (in 42nd position), Maxime Raynaud will land in California. It was the Kings of Sacramento who set leu on this French with a well-made head, mention very well in the bac and student in Stanford until then. Raynaud will arrive with more NBA experience: he waited to be 22 to apply for the draft. It was expected in the projections rather at the end of the first round (around 28th place); The 42nd choice is quite surprising but the pivot will set foot in a training where it will certainly have playing time.
Finally, a little further in the evening, the surprise came from Mohamed Diawara, the Cholet player, selected in 51st position by the Los Angeles clippers but immediately sent to the New York Knicks, where he will find a loved one, another French, Pacôme Dadiet. Concluding a historic Draft 2025 in style.
