Joan Beringer wins Slovenian championship before NBA Draft

Joan Beringer (2.10 m, 18 years old) concluded his European season in the best possible way. The young French center won the Slovenian championship this Monday, June 9th with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, who defeated Krka (72-65) in a decisive fourth game. Scoring 7 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, Beringer once again showed his strength in the paint.

🛡️🐉 pic.twitter.com/mNouGHCLOP

— Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) June 10, 2025

Fifth consecutive title for Cedevita Olimpija

After being eliminated by Dubai in the Adriatic League playoffs quarterfinals, the Slovenian capital’s club won 3 games to 1 against Krka in this national final, securing their 22nd Slovenian championship title – their fifth consecutive – and their 13th national trophy in a row since 2020. Trailing at halftime (33-38), Zvezdan Mitrović’s players responded after the break with a 14-2 run. Led by former Le Mans player Brynton Lemar (16 points) and former Chalon player Aleksej Nikolic (14 points), Finals MVP, the « Dragons » managed to hold off Krka’s late-game comeback.

« I want to congratulate Krka for this very competitive final, but we deserve this title, » said Ljubljana’s Montenegrin coach, Zvezdan Mitrović.

Next stop NBA for Beringer

After coming through SIG Strasbourg’s youth academy, Joan Beringer will now take an important step in his young career. The Alsatian will head to the United States in the coming days to participate in the 2025 NBA Draft. According to ESPN’s latest projections, the Frenchman is expected to be selected in the middle of the first round, around the 15th pick. This positioning confirms his rapid rise since arriving in Ljubljana, where he earned his place in a competitive team playing in EuroCup and Adriatic League.

Joan Beringer! pic.twitter.com/42LdS8ugvt

— Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (@KKCedOL) June 9, 2025

In a deep roster, Beringer made the most of his playing time to show consistency and performance, particularly in defensive impact and rebounding. These qualities have caught the eye of American scouts and could make him the second-highest drafted French player in the 2025 NBA Draft, behind Noa Essengue.