From NBA Jets to French Sleeper Buses: Patrick Beverley Reacts to Boulazac Team Travel

Following his arrival in Boulazac, the veteran guard quickly encountered the practical realities of European domestic play. After touching down in the Dordogne department on Monday, August 31, Beverley discovered a quiet hurdle common to smaller French towns on a weeknight. According to local reporting from La Dordogne Libre and regional coverage, the newcomer tried to find dinner after arriving in the evening, only to find local establishments shuttered. « Je ne savais pas que la plupart des restaurants sont fermés le lundi, cela a été un peu difficile pour manger à mon arrivée », he remarked to local media, laughing off the unexpected dining obstacle.

The cultural adjustment continued the following morning at L’Agora venue, where Beverley completed his first collective training session with Boulazac Basket Dordogne (BBD). Immediately after stepping off the practice court, the team boarded transport for a 530-kilometer road journey north to La Baule ahead of a Wednesday night preseason fixture against Le Mans.

In a video shared via his official Instagram account, Beverley initially appeared circumspect upon inspecting the team’s sleeper bus, a sharp contrast to the private jets he utilized during his time in North America and his recent stops with Hapoël Tel-Aviv and PAOK Salonique.

« On m’a dit : “Pat, on va voyager en bus”. Je ne savais pas quoi penser… Mais le bus a des couchettes ! Ouais, notre bus a des couchettes et est confortable ! Ce n’est pas mal du tout. Je suis même en mode VIP, j’ai la couchette du haut. C’est pas mal ! » Beverley noted in his video post.

Zack Wright, a former Betclic ÉLITE All-Star who previously played alongside Beverley during the 2012–13 season in Saint Petersburg, welcomed him to the league with a concise summary of domestic travel realities. Kenny Chery, a former Boulazac player, also weighed in on the demanding nature of domestic road trips.

Frank Mason III, the former guard for French clubs Nancy and Limoges, offered context from his own experiences in the league. « J’ai fait deux ans et demi dans ce championnat et je n’ai jamais eu de lit », Mason pointed out, contrasting his past seasons of sitting upright on standard coaches with Beverley’s upgraded bedding amenities. « Des voyages interminables en restant assis, c’était fou… »

Boulazac’s official social media channels documented the departure for La Baule as the squad prepares for its upcoming testing phase against Le Mans.

The preseason fixture against Le Mans marks an essential step for Boulazac as the club integrates its high-profile offseason acquisition ahead of the new Betclic ÉLITE campaign.