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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
Joakim Noah, a former French international and product of the French youth system, also spent part of his youth in the United States. He was therefore able to compare the two development systems and point out the qualities of the one from his country.
Like some of his younger compatriots these days, he went through the NCAA circuit to qualify for the NBA. And it worked out quite well for him. A two-time university champion with the Florida Gators, Joakim Noah went on to enjoy a remarkable career at the next level. All the more reason for other talented French players to follow in his footsteps, and increase the number of French players in the league.
Asked a few days ago about this consequent influx of nuggets from France on Pardon My Take, the former Bulls inside man explained it very simply:
Dan Katz: What the hell is going on in France with basketball? How do they create all these mutants? They’re even coming to the WNBA now!
Joakim Noah: It’s true! And the answer lies in the great development system that’s in place there.
Joakim Noah praises French basketball youth system
Having witnessed the arrival of Victor Wembanyama and Dominique Malonga in the United States, Noah wasn’t really surprised. Indeed, in his opinion, this is the fruit of the good work done by the French youth system:
Joakim Noah: Before moving to New York at the age of 12, I played basketball in France. So I was able to compare the two training systems.
In France, the good thing is that professional clubs have U10, U12, U14, U16 teams… And on Saturdays, all these teams can go and watch the pros play. This allows you to see what you need to add to your game to reach the next level. And if you’re good enough, you can be upgraded! And the other thing we do well in France is that we teach basketball as a team sport. There’s no notion of superstar.
Educated in a different way to American young stars, French talent can also learn from their elders. Jooks places a great deal of responsibility on Tony Parker, who has shown the way for the young French generation:
Joakim Noah: Nowadays, when a French youngster emerges as an NBA prospect, France’s top general managers go home and talk to their parents about the expectations surrounding them.
Now, they’re prepared very early on to take that step. In my generation, when we managed to get into the league, there were only two or three French players who were already there. And what Tony Parker did was huge, because it inspired young people to dream of doing what he did. And today, the same thing is happening with Wembanyama.
