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By Joël Pütz | Sports journalist
Like all the rookies of her cuvée, Tidjane Salaün lived his first season in the NBA as a kind of round of observation. A particular player also put French in difficulty when they clashed, as the latter recently confessed.
Each on their side, French rookies will have experienced very different seasons in 2024-25. First draft pick last June, Zaccharie Risacher timidly started before becoming one of the main candidates in the Roy, in addition to discovering the play-in with the Hawks. His dolphin Alex Sarr quickly established himself as a holder to the Wizards, despite a big offensive clumsy and defeats in the shovel.
And Tidjane Salaün in all of this? Selected by the Hornets with the sixth choice, the old Choletais unfortunately did not experience the same trajectory as his compatriots. With only 10 tenure this year, the one who is one of the younger players in the League did not play a huge role in North Carolina, not helped by her very mediocre offensive performances (33% in shooting, including 28% from afar).
Tidjane Salaün impressed by the power of Sabonis Domantas
However and despite his galleys, the Habs took the opportunity to discover the Great League and his Superstars. Some have also particularly marked it on the ground, and not necessarily those that we could naturally expect. Asked about the player who posed the most concerns for him during his first season in the United States, the brother of Janelle Salaün did not hesitate long before giving his champion:
To defend? It's complicated to answer. I would just say, hardness that I found almost impossible, it was Domantas Sabonis. I was shocked. When I faced it recently at the Spectrum (Center, the Hornets room, editor's note) in the racket, it was really hard. For example you touches it, or even he touches you, you have to move.
For example, in the sense that, even when I just wanted to touch his ball when he has it or a little moving it, it does not move. From one and two, then, the ball already … After I looked at my hands because I thought I had turned a finger because he was holding the really hard ball. Frankly, it was really impressive.
If his Kings were once again mediocre with a ninth place to the west during the regular, the Lithuanian was just as productive with 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds (League leader) and 6 passes on average at 41.7% of three points. If that was not enough to improve his team, Salaün was nonetheless impressed by the son of Arvydas against he could not find a respondent.
Tidjane Salaün crossed the road to a good pack of NBA stars this season, but none gave him more with a hard time than Domantas Sabonis. We imagine that French will be keen to resist him more next year, like a sign of his progress.
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