Context: I have been following basketball for 50 years, initially as a fan of Orthez (then Pau-Orthez). Back in 2024, when Paris was invited in the Euroleague, I decided to buy season tickets (which I renewed the following year). What I wanted before all was to see good basketball, and of course, if Paris was to win games, that would be perfect. Of course, I supported Paris, but wanted to see good games.

Background Paris basket is a non-typical club. Most french clubs are from midsize towns (Pau, Limoges, Le Mans, Cholet…) with the exception of Villeurbanne (Lyon) and Strasbourg, and have a strong fanbase. Basketball in Paris has never been successful, under different versions (Racing, Levallois). Only Nanterre, in the suburbs has managed to build a lasting club, with a strong local interest. This is not typical of basketball, only PSG has a huge ultras base (you literally have to wait several years before getting season tickets). The rugby clubs (Stade Français and Racing 92) have no fan base either. However, basketball is very popular in Paris, through the NBA (and the strong French presence there), the street culture. You see many people with NBA jerseys in the streets.

Paris basket took an original way, led by David Kahn and Eric Schwartz. First they joined the top level by buying the rights to the bankrupt Hyeres-Toulon. Then they were invited in the 2023-2024 Eurocup although finishing 9th in the French League (because of Paris aura). And last, they benefitted the building of the Adidas Arena for the Olympics. At this time, Paris was playing “classical” european basketball.

The rise: a fairy tale The genius coup was to hire Tomas Iisalo as head coach, who in turn proposed to take over his former club’s (Bonn) roster: Shorts, Ward, Malcolm, Herrera. Probably with the idea that to attract people in the new arena, you would have to play an exciting style of basketball. And Iisalo’s fast game, with spectacular players was ideal for that. They added a couple of players, among which Nadir Hifi, a non-typical shooter from Le Portel. That happened to be a master move, because this disruptive style won games. Paris won the Eurocup and reached the French League finals, only to lose against Monaco. They were invited in the Euroleague. This is when I took season tickets. During summer, Iisalo left (after just one year) to go to the NBA and was replaced by Thiago Splitter, his first head-coach experience, but the roster remained almost unchanged, with the addition of Kevarius Hayes and Maodo Lo. The alchemy was there, Splitter was smart enough not to break it, making small adjustments, the players wanted to prove they were underrated and it worked miracles. At halfway, Paris was first in the Euroleague, then opponents adapted but the team reached the play-in, won in Madrid and finally lost in quarterfinals to a superior Fenerbahce. And won the French title against Monaco. Many analysts criticized the “run and gun” style, but beating Paris was easier said than done.

The fall: entertainment first, basketball second? As expected, the roster vanished, the players taking the contracts they deserved. Unexpectedly, Splitter also left (to the NBA again). Time to rebuild. And this is when it began to fail. Francesco Tabellini was hired as head coach from Nyburk. David Kahn stated: “I have no doubt, he will be coach of the year in the Euroleague”. With all players leaving, the team made a financial effort to keep Nadir Hifi. But the roster was poorly built. Lack of a point guard (Nadir is more a 2 than a pure 1, Herrera is not a point guard), lack of a solid center (why did they let Hayes go? He is not outstanding, but solid, can defend, and anyway, Paris does not post-up. He was perfect in such a roster). Faye and Dokossi, come on. And piling up forwards with similar strengths (Mbaye, Willis, Rhoden, Lamar Stevens…). This and Tabellini’s rigid coaching, the team lost many games, there was no structure, Tabellini was fired, replaced by Julius Thomas, depicted as a young genius, but the team did not make any progress when he took over. He also left at the end of the season. He was replaced by rookie Maxime Lefebvre (assistant at Minnesota), helped by Pierrick Poupet (ex-ASVEL - good idea to take him). But no lesson was taken. The roster is built the same way. Robinson replaced by Etienne, so still two guards (with Hifi - Herrera is a shooting 2), no way to alternate Nadir at the 1 and 2 positions to vary the offense. And the centers are still Dokossi and Faye. Is somebody analyzing the strengths or weaknesses of the team? Pair that with a bunch of outliers (which is understandable because of budget and tax constraints), you don’t have a team, and nobody seems to care. In addition, the defense this year is particularly bad. Was not very good last year but is definitely very bad now. Can’t see any footprint from Lefebvre coaching.

Also the club seems to be more focused around entertainment than around performance on the court. “Nadir Hifi prince de Paris” is a nice marketing claim, but beyond that… Relentless basketball can win games but is not a goal in itself. But in Paris, it seems preferable to lose a spectacular game than to win an average one. Paris basket’s marketing is very good (really), merchandising is excellent, but that seems to be the only policy. Make a show, sell tickets and jerseys, play a spectacular game, have nice VIPs. Not the reason I want to come. Add a 20-to-30% increase in season tickets prices every year. Game over, I did not renew this year. Went to see Valencia this week, not good, euroleague Tv will do the job this year.

Summary: in my opinion, the club has a strong marketing strategy, but no sport oriented strategy. 6 coaches in 5 years (Weaver, Iisalo, Splitter, Tabellini, Thomas, Lefebvre). Inconsistent rosters (except when Iisalo came with the Bonn team); no real basketball direction (relentless basketball is not an objective in itself, just one of the possible ways to win games). Who is the real GM ? James Newman seemed to be the hidden guy for that, but he left one year ago. I am still following Paris games but with less interest.

https://x.com/crunchdotguru/status/2113219776478601393

https://x.com/RichiGDavila/status/2105750493331132466

The choice is certainly amusing given the situation:

He has allegedly made a number of Anti-Olympiacos posts, (basically writing social media posts like a PAO fan), covered in this article: https://athlosnews.gr/524916/papanikolaou-pelates-exochika-kai-i-xeftila-enos-ypopsifiou-pou-thelei-na-ginei-proedros-tis-eok-pics

He was officially PAO backed in January 2021

He was the choice of Vasilakopoulos for succession (Vasilakopoulos was widely considered as a PAO leaning president)

His previous role was overseeing the Greek Elite League (2nd division), where the majority of the fixed games currently under scrutiny, took place.

New EuroLeague watcher here. I wanted to ask if after the expansion the two EuroCup Finalists will enter the Euroleague competition like they do now or if it will be changed. Thanks in advance.

https://x.com/bballmaniacs_/status/2114060775501488529

With Motiejunas/Tesonet buying Joventut Badalona, I did a deep dive on the multi club model that we've seen in football coming to basketball

Check it out here

https://www.ballineurope.com/zalgiris-joventut-and-the-business-of-multi-club-basketball-8378/

𝗡𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:

1️⃣ Panathinaikos 🇬🇷

2️⃣ Fenerbahce 🇹🇷

3️⃣ Valencia Basket 🇪🇸

𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:

1️⃣ Real Madrid 🇪🇸

2️⃣ Valencia Basket 🇪🇸

3️⃣ Barcelona 🇪🇸

𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:

1️⃣ Panathinaikos 🇬🇷

2️⃣ Fenerbahce 🇹🇷

3️⃣ Crvena Zvezda 🇷🇸

https://x.com/clutchdata_/status/2113913945245327388

Former Euroleague director, Richard Stokes mentioned in testimony of Greek basketball scandal. A team insider testified that he was asked to organise an all-expenses-paid-trip for Stokes at Costa Navarino luxury destination in June 2021, two months before Liolios won the EOK elections and a few months after the controversial Unics and Monaco game with the allegations against Koromilas.

Koromilas stayed at the property at the same time as Stokes.

A reminder of who Stokes is, he served as the referee director for Euroleague Basketball from March 2015 until June 2023, where he left together with Glickman ( Former Euroleague CEO, currently involved in a bid for London franchise worth 1 billion ) .

https://www.sport24.gr/basket/aftoi-einai-oi-49-agones-pou-erevnontai-gia-to-skandalo-sto-elliniko-basket/

Spyros Kavelieratos was sacked from Sport24 after one of the evidence have shown that he had a meeting with Liolios so Ethnikos Piraeus, would lose the game against Promitheas.

Spyros Kavelieratos was also one of the five journalists that Liolios had chosen to give an interview to speak about his ' hard work to bring the Greek Basketball League back to lawfulness ' .