Joan Beringer, the new French phenomenon: a first-round NBA Draft pick shaped in less than four years?!
June 25, 2025
Alexandre Lacoste
[Analysis] The Unlimited Potential of Joan Beringer, by Process Corporation
NBA - Selected 17th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Joan Beringer made a strong impression during Summer League. Having switched from soccer to basketball just four years ago, this high-potential phenomenon could quickly become a key piece for Team France.
![[Analysis] The Unlimited Potential of Joan Beringer, by Process Corporation](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.bebasket.fr%2Fresources%2Fimages%2Fblog%2Fusatsi-26531559-168418670-lowres-1-1f071f94-2f82-601a-b0cf-edf88891a20a.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Joan Beringer arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : © Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Joan Beringer (6’11 », 18 years old) is not your typical player. Selected 17th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, this young French big man, who only started playing basketball at age 15, is already impressing across the Atlantic. Through an impressive Summer League showing, he’s confirming all the potential that scouts saw in him. With exceptional mobility for his size and shot-blocking instincts, Beringer could well be a future pillar for Team France.
An atypical profile, combining precociousness and explosiveness
Just four years ago, Joan Beringer wasn’t playing basketball. He played soccer, which he had to quit due to not finding cleats in his size. At 15, he stepped onto a basketball court for the first time, starting with the youth team at his club. Yet at 19, he heard his name called at the NBA Draft.
What convinced the Timberwolves? His defense. « He’s a shot-blocking machine, » analysts explain. His natural timing, rare lateral mobility for a big man, and ability to dominate as a defensive deterrent make him a unique prospect. In Summer League, he made an immediate impact: 7 blocks in his very first game.
From Rudy Gobert to Joan Beringer, a generational handoff?
It’s hard not to think of Rudy Gobert when watching Joan Beringer play. Same lengthy profile, same defensive specialty… but with added mobility. Still raw offensively, he currently lacks control, coordination, and touch to impact the game on offense beyond cuts, rebounds, and transition plays. « He moves too fast, lacks balance, body control on the ground, » notes Process Corporation in their analysis.
But his age suggests great development potential. Eventually, the Wolves hope he can impact both ends of the floor. For Team France, where he’s already highly anticipated, his profile could perfectly complement Victor Wembanyama’s.
Joan Beringer, potential « steal » of the 2025 NBA Draft according to ESPN poll
July 25, 2025
Lilian Bordron
A future to be written… very high
Joan Beringer may not have a defined ceiling yet. His potential seems immense, his development rapid, and his defensive impact immediate. In the NBA, he’ll need time, consistency, and work on his offensive game, but the foundation is there.
Process Corporation summarizes it this way: « He’s the player with the least basketball experience, but the most potential in the draft. » A calculated gamble by the Timberwolves, and undoubtedly a pressing matter for Frédéric Fauthoux and the French national team staff.
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve est le fondateur et rédacteur en chef de BeBasket, qu’il anime depuis 2010 (sous le nom de Catch & Shoot). Passé par l’Ecole Publique de Journaliste de Tours, puis deux universités en Amérique du Nord, il a pu développer son expertise sur le basket français, de la Ligue Nationale aux divisions amateurs, durant ces 20 dernières années. En parallèle, il est aussi engagé dans le développement de clubs du côté de Montpellier.
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