By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
When Theo Maledon came back from the NBA to Europe, not a lot of people expected him to have such a breakout year in the EuroLeague, instantly becoming ASVEL’s leader on the court.
After a pretty solid campaign in the competition, where he put up 17.0 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague, he earned his way to Real Madrid.
Interviewed by SKWEEK, the 24-year-old guard described his move to the Spanish powerhouse. “I don’t think I’ve fully realized it yet. I think it will really hit me when I start preseason with them and get to know the coach and the guys in the organization,” he said.
“Just thinking about it feels like a dream. Obviously, playing for the biggest team in Europe is something incredible,” the French guard added as well.
“It started in December, but at that time, I was focused on the present moment with ASVEL and on doing my best there. And then, as the season went on and the playoffs came around, that’s when Madrid came back into the picture,” he revealed.
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
“That’s really when my agent and I had to sit down and decide what would be the smartest move to prepare for next year,” Maledon added on what happened behind the scenes.
Asked if he still thinks about the NBA, he didn’t close that door. “I’m still open to it. Obviously, the NBA is always a goal. I’m taking it day by day,” he said.
“The EuroLeague is also a very high level. It’s really fun to play there. It’s not something I’m worried about. I’m in a great place here with Madrid, too.”
Finally, talking about potentially playing FIBA EuroBasket 2025 with France, he shared his emotion. “I’m really excited. Having the opportunity to compete for a roster spot with France and to fight for the European Championship is going to be a great challenge,” Maledon said.
“I’ve seen that, unfortunately, a lot of guys won’t be able to participate. That doesn’t change anything. If anything, it makes it even more exciting to have the chance to be, in a way, the underdogs,” he added.
PHOTO CREDIT: Basketball Champions League