The 6 French rookies played… 20 minutes combined in their first game
Oct 24, 2025
Tom Compayrot
Joan Beringer plays his first NBA game while other French rookies remain on bench
NBA - Alsatian Joan Beringer played his first NBA minutes tonight with Minnesota against the Lakers. Meanwhile, other French rookies remained on the bench.
Photo Credit : © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Joan Beringer (6’11 », 18 years old) had his NBA baptism of fire. The young Alsatian (20) stepped onto the court in official competition with the Minnesota Timberwolves during their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers (128-110). Recording his first career stats, he is currently the only new French player in the League to have received playing time.
A promising first game for Beringer
Two days after staying on the bench in Portland, Joan Beringer got his first minutes of play at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. His coach Chris Finch put him in during the fourth quarter of a game already sealed by the Lakers, led by a brilliant Luka Doncic (49 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists).
In just under five minutes, the Strasbourg rookie showed active play: one successful inside shot, four rebounds captured, and notable energy.
In the same game, the other French center Rudy Gobert (7’1″, 33 years old) had limited impact: 2 points on 1/2 shooting, 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 28 minutes.
Other French players still waiting
While Joan Beringer has taken his first step, other French rookies are still waiting their turn. Maxime Raynaud, Nolan Traore, Noah Penda, and Mohamed Diawara did not play this Friday, while sophomore Pacome Dadiet (New York Knicks) also remained on the bench.
Noa Essengue, with Chicago, wasn’t involved tonight as the Bulls weren’t playing.
Next test in Minneapolis
The Timberwolves will play their first home game Monday (midnight, French time) against the Indiana Pacers, last spring’s NBA finalists. Will Joan Beringer get another opportunity to build on his successful debut?
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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