BallinEurope is previewing all 18 Euroleague Basketball teams ahead of the start of the season. Today it’s the turn of the debutants, Paris Basketball. Tiago Splitter has taken charge of the team in its maiden season of Euroleague play but can he make them relevant.
The EuroCup champions have made the step up to Euroleague Basketball. Now all Paris Basketball have to do is prove they belong there. Tiago Splitter has a lot of work ahead in his first ever head coaching job.
Last season
Eurocup record: 17-1
Regular season position: 1st in Group A
Playoffs: Won finals vs JL Bourg (2-0)
LNB record: 27-7
Regular season position: 2nd
Playoffs: Lost finals vs AS Monaco (3-1)
Other: Won Leaders Cup vs Nanterre, Lost French Cup round of 32 vs Lille
Who’s gone?
Tuomas Ilsalo (coach), Maxim Logue (Oregon State), Jean Noba (Boulazac), Mehdy Ngouama (JL Bourg), Mohamed Diawara (Cholet), Justin Simon (Ludwigsburg), Gauthier Denis (free agent).
Who is new?
Tiago Splitter (coach), Maodo Lo (Olimpia Milano), Yakuba Quattara (AS Monaco), Daulton Hommes (Trento), Kevarrious Hayes (Zalgiris Kaunas), Leo Cavaliere (SIG Strasbourg).
Who stayed?
TJ Shorts II, Nadir Hifi, Mikael Jantunen, Tyson Ward, Leon Kratzer, Sebastian Herrara, Collin Malcolm, Bandja Sy, Enzo Sharvin.
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Need to know
The promotion spot to Euroleague Basketball was accepted after a year of no change. Gran Canaria, the previous season’s EuroCup champions, had opted against the extra cost of moving up a level. Paris Basketball, by contrast, have targeted playing at this level from the beginning of their project. Having essentially grafted on the best bits of the Telekom Baskets Bonn side that won the Basketball Champions League two seasons ago, they’ve lost a key piece.
Tuomas Ilsalo, the young Finnish coach with a rocket tied to his back, has made the jump to the NBA to be an assistant. By contrast, Tiago Splitter has moved in the opposite direction. After a couple of years as an assistant in the NBA, this is his first ever head coaching gig.
What the bookies think
There’s a clear split in the sportsbooks when it comes to Paris Basketball. The divide won’t be all that comforting to Tiago Splitter. The shortest price on his side in Euroleague Basketball betting is 100/1. Just as many books have them at 200/1.
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What we think
The overall ins and outs are a net positive. This Paris Basketball roster is, on paper, better than the one that won EuroCup last spring. Unfortunately, it’s not remotely close to enough movement to be relevant at Euroleague Basketball as a level. Tiago Splitter has, quite clearly, inherited one of the weakest teams in the competition. While TJ Shorts II is a thrilling player to watch, this is a different level. He can’t be expected to dominate to the same extent as he has in the prior two campaigns.
Fearless prediction
Come the end of this year, we’ll find out how much Euroleague Basketball loves Paris Basketball. A choice will be made on whether they or Alba Berlin make the drop down to Eurocup. In the simplest of terms, this won’t be a good year for Tiago Splitter’s side.
Pick: 17th in the regular season
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