Cholet Info

Coach

2024/2025 - 2025/2026 Season: In summer 2024, Fabrice Lefrançois became the new head coach of Cholet Basket, former assistant to Laurent Vila. On March 23, 2025, Fabrice Lefrançois officially extended his contract until 2028.

2023/2024 Season: Laurent Vila is Cholet's head coach, assisted by Antoine Chevrier and Fabrice Lefrancois. Cholet Basket has announced Vila's departure at the end of the 2023-2024 season after 3 seasons with the club.

Budget

For the 2025/2026 season, Cholet has a projected budget of €6.5M (compared to €6.4M last year, +1%), ranking 8th among 16 BETCLIC Elite clubs, with a payroll of €1.6M (13th in BETCLIC Elite) - per DNCCG announcement on October 6, 2025.

For the 2024/2025 season, Cholet has a projected budget of €6.4M (compared to €6.0M last year, +7%), ranking 8th among 16 Betclic Elite clubs (per DNCCGCP announcement on October 22, 2024).

For the 2023/2024 season, Cholet has a projected budget of €6.0M (compared to €5.7M last year, +4%), ranking 10th among 18 Betclic Elite clubs (per DNCCGCP announcement on October 12, 2023).

Training Center

Cholet Basket's training center is one of the most renowned in French basketball, with multiple Betclic Elite Espoirs championships and having developed numerous professional and French national team players. Since the 2016/2017 season, the training center has been renamed the Académie Gautier Cholet Basket with Rudy Gobert as its ambassador. Besides Rudy, Cholet has seen many academy players drafted: Mike Gelabale, Rodrigue Beaubois, Nando De Colo, Kevin Seraphin and Killian Hayes.

• French League Runner-up 2011 (0-1 in finals against Nancy)
• French League Champion 2010 (1-0 in finals against Le Mans)
• Winner of the Semaine des As 2008 (67-40 victory in finals against JA Vichy)
• Finalist of Tournoi des As 1993 (71-58 loss in finals against Pau-Orthez)
• Finalist of Tournoi des As 1990 (87-85 loss in finals against Limoges)
• Finalist of Tournoi des As 1989 (82-80 loss in finals against Mulhouse)
• Finalist of Tournoi des As 1988 (88-85 loss in finals against Limoges)
• French League Runner-up 1988 (0-2 in finals against Limoges)

• Fabien Causeur: French MVP in 2011/2012 (Pro A)
• Samuel Mejia: Foreign MVP in 2010/2011 (Pro A)
• John Linehan: Defender of the Year in 2009/2010 (Pro A)
• Kevin Séraphin: Most Improved Player in 2009/2010 (Pro A)
• Rodrigue Beaubois: Most Improved Player in 2008/2009 (Pro A)
• Nando De Colo: Most Improved Player and French MVP in 2007/2008 (Pro A)
• Nando De Colo: Semaine des As MVP 2008
• David Gautier: Best Young Player in 1999/2000 (Pro A)
• Antoine Rigaudeau: French MVP four times in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 (Pro A)
• Antoine Rigaudeau: Best Young Player three times in 1990, 1991 and 1992 (Nationale 1, former Pro A)
• Jim Bilba: Best Young Player in 1988/1989 (Nationale 1, former Pro A)