Controversial last basket, Francisco’s apology, Prepelic’s criticism, Hifi ejected: tense end to France-Slovenia game
August 30, 2025
Alexandre Lacoste
Draymond Green slams Sylvain Francisco: « That’s why it was important to beat France in Paris »
EuroBasket - After France's victory over Slovenia (103-95) at EuroBasket 2025 on Saturday, Draymond Green defended Slovenia... while taking a clear shot at Sylvain Francisco and particularly at the French.
Photo Credit : Julie Dumélié / © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Sylvain Francisco (6’1″, 27) made headlines during the France – Slovenia EuroBasket 2025 game on Saturday in Katowice. After a spectacular duel, won by France (103-95), one sequence particularly caught attention: after the Slovenian and the French point guard embraced in a gesture of respect at the end of the game, Francisco then went to score an easy layup, triggering a buzz on social media.
A viral sequence that gets Draymond Green’s attention
The clip quickly circulated online and Draymond Green didn’t take long to react. The Golden State Warriors player, very active on Threads, commented: « That’s why it was important to beat France in Paris! Go USA ». A direct reference to the Paris 2024 Olympic final, where Team USA had prevailed over Victor Wembanyama’s France (98-87). Draymond Green is known for going after French players, regularly targeting Rudy Gobert in the NBA.
Francisco targeted despite his outstanding performance
Ironically, this criticism comes when Sylvain Francisco had arguably his best performance in a France jersey. The point guard finished the game with 32 points, becoming the 9th French player to score over 30 points in a EuroBasket game. But it’s his gesture after the handshake with Doncic that sparked debates, including overseas. « Sylvain made a good move by scoring that basket, because you never know what might happen, » his teammate Bilal Coulibaly reminded on Monday, after the heavy loss against Israel.
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve is the founder and editor-in-chief of BeBasket, which he has been running since 2010 (formerly known as Catch & Shoot). Having studied at the École Publique de Journalisme de Tours and two universities in North America, he has developed his expertise in French basketball, from the National League to amateur divisions, over the past 20 years. Alongside this, he is also involved in the development of clubs in the Montpellier area.
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