David Kahn happy with his seven seasons in Paris: « We created something that’s more than a club »

David Kahn, president of Paris Basketball, experienced an exceptional season with the French championship title, a French Cup victory, and a EuroLeague quarter-final against the future champion, Fenerbahçe. However, in an interview with L’Équipe, the club’s leader doesn’t hide his bitterness about the departure of several key players. He calls for more creativity to continue growing the project.

One cycle ends, another to create

In the under-construction Adidas Arena, during the screening of the documentary « Tout éteindre » chronicling the incredible 2024-2025 season, David Kahn shared his emotions. « It’s a bittersweet feeling, because T.J. (Shorts), Tyson (Ward), Kevarrius (Hayes), Mikael (Jantunen) are leaving. It’s impossible to think about this adventure without considering that, » he stated to L’Équipe. These departures, forced by market conditions and players’ personal ambitions, remind us of the economic limitations of a still young club, despite its brilliant success.

But this frustration doesn’t erase the pride: « I felt immense joy and pride. It also hurt my heart a bit. But it’s too early for nostalgia. »

Extraordinary success

The former NBA executive, who worked with Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves, places this Parisian experience at the peak of his career: « Paris remains different. There’s something incomparable about building something from the ground up, literally. » For Kahn, it’s no longer just a basketball club but a global project – cultural, social, and even political. « We’ve created something that’s more than a club. A cultural entity people can identify with. » A professional experience that he ranks above, in terms of emotions, the 2000 finals experienced with the Indiana Pacers.

« I was proud to be Indiana’s general manager when we went to the NBA finals. We opened Conseco Fieldhouse, Larry Bird was our coach. And yet… Paris remains different. There’s something incomparable about building something from the ground up, literally. When Eric (Schwartz) and I arrived, there was nothing. No arena, no purely Parisian club since PSG Racing’s title in 1997… So the satisfaction of succeeding is beyond comparison. »

The Parisian team is now a reference in French and European basketball, with a distinctive style, identity, and growing fanbase. While certain moments on and off the court already seem historic, the future remains unwritten. Fortunately, among the faces now associated with Paris Basketball’s image, Nadir Hifi stays. « The fact that Nadir Hifi is staying is an important signal. It was crucial not to lose both T.J. and Nadir, » admits the Oregonian.

Facing market reality

Otherwise, the departure of many key players this summer leaves a roster to rebuild. A situation that forces Kahn to remain inventive: « We must be increasingly creative. » Despite newly acquired prestige and the club’s strengthened foothold in the capital, Paris Basketball must still deal with budgetary realities and the strong attractiveness of its players, now courted across Europe. Especially since his goal is not to lose money, unlike… all of his EuroLeague competitors.

But the club’s strong man doesn’t intend to slow down the momentum: « The work isn’t finished, but these first years have been incredibly enriching, » he believes. For now, he still needs to find one last point guard to complete the 2025-2026 roster that’s already well-stocked, particularly at power forward.