An NBA champion in Paris. French winger Axel Toupane signed this Thursday, January 6, with Paris Basketball until 2024.
The arrival of the 29-year-old in the young Parisian club is a surprise. NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, Axel Toupane, 25 caps with the France team, was popular with several European teams.
Indeed, his past in the United States but also at the highest European level was very observed by some recruiters.
His signature is therefore a good operation for the promoted to Betclic Elite (French first division, Editor’s note), in search of experience. Paris Basketball also needed to fill a gap on post 3.
Welcome @ toups_33
flocked on the jersey, the international, NBA champion in ’21 with the @Bucks, @ toups_33 brings his experience and talent to Paname.
LesssssssGooooo pic.twitter.com/auLemXZwAm
– Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) January 6, 2022
According to Jean-Christophe Prat, the team’s coach, in a press release from the club, “Axel Toupane will help to increase position 3”. The player is also expected for “his leadership”.
An ambitious club
Very young in the world of French basketball, the club often gives the image of a UFO, by its Americanized style, against the tide of historical teams.
For its first season in Betclic ELITE, Paris Basketball did not skimp on the means to achieve its goal: the Playoffs. Shortly before the start of the season, he had already created a surprise by recruiting Kyle O’Quinn, recognized veteran in the NBA.
Paris also tends to develop the young French hopefuls of tomorrow, like Milan Barbitch, Juhann Begarin, drafted in the NBA last summer, and Ismaël Kamagaté, expected in the United States for the next Draft.