Elijah Hoard missing: Former ASVEL prospect vanishes at Chicago O’Hare Airport

Elijah Hoard, a 23-year-old French basketball player who came through ASVEL‘s academy system and brother of professional player Jaylen Hoard, who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv and the French national team, has been reported missing since Friday, February 27th after being dropped off at Chicago O’Hare Airport by his father, Antwon Hoard, for a return flight to France.

« He never got on the plane »

After arriving in Chicago about ten days earlier to visit his father, Elijah Joseph Hoard was scheduled to return to France on Friday evening, but he never checked in his luggage or boarded the plane, according to his family and Chicago police. His phone has been turned off since then.

His father, Antwon Hoard, MVP of the 2008 Pro B finals with Besançon, explained that he dropped him off by car in front of the terminal, thinking his son would simply « check in his ticket and board, » before learning later that no trace of his passage had been found at the check-in counter. « To my knowledge, he never got on the plane, his luggage was not checked and he never did his check-in… »

American authorities describe Elijah Hoard as measuring approximately 1.90m and weighing 100kg, wearing a brown hoodie, black sweatpants and cream-colored shoes at the time of his disappearance. Chicago police indicate he may need medical care and are asking anyone with information to contact the missing persons unit.

Family mobilized for search efforts

Born into a family where basketball holds a central place, with mother Katia Foucade who was a French international player, Elijah Hoard was trained in France and notably developed within ASVEL’s academy system, one of the flagship clubs of Betclic Elite, before continuing his journey away from the spotlight.

Hoping to reach both the French public and the diaspora living in the United States, his sister Leah spoke in French and English in an Instagram story, imploring internet users to share the information: « Please share. My brother, Elijah Hoard, has been missing since February 27th at Chicago O’Hare Airport. Any information can help. »

Chicago police are searching for a 23-year-old man who was last seen Friday at O’Hare International Airport. https://t.co/A7S9ersilf

— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) March 2, 2026

Chicago police have officially opened an investigation for a concerning disappearance and have begun examining surveillance footage from O’Hare Airport, one of the busiest in the United States, to retrace Elijah’s path after he left his father’s vehicle. American authorities are currently focusing on the possibility of an incident or personal vulnerability. Police have notably stated that Elijah may need medical care. When questioned by American media, Antwon Hoard revealed that his son suffers from mental health issues and was very reluctant to return to France. « Everything was normal during the first eight days of his visit but his mood completely shifted during the last two days, » expressed the former Hyères-Toulon player. « He was adamant about not wanting to go home. »