Theo Maledon, confidence restored thanks to ASVEL: « I played the best basketball of my career this year! »
August 26, 2025
Arthur Puybertier
Theo Maledon, among the new leaders of Team France, at last?
French National Team - Without Matthew Strazel, Team France now relies on Theo Maledon as their primary point guard. At 24, the Normandy native, who recently joined Real Madrid after a successful season with ASVEL, is finally establishing himself with Les Bleus.
Photo Credit : Guillaume Poumarede
On the eve of Team France’s first EuroBasket 2025 game against Belgium, Theo Maledon (1.93m, 24 years old) met with the press in Katowice. It was an opportunity for the new French point guard, designated as #1 after Matthew Strazel’s withdrawal, to assert his role and vision for the team.
🤞🏾🇫🇷 pic.twitter/6c3y9hGFrQ
— Theo Maledon (@Theo_Maledon) August 27, 2025
« Excited to get started »
« I’m focused, ready to get down to business, and excited to start, » said Maledon, satisfied with the preparation and collective work done by Les Bleus. « We’ve really seen what can work for us. The identity we’re going to have, what we need to implement to give ourselves the best chance to win. »
The Normandy native emphasized the team’s mentality: « We’re going to approach the first game with a 0-0 mindset, since that will be our record at the start of this Euro. And we’ll look at each game the same way. »
An assumed position, without denying the collective
Promoted to starting point guard, Maledon refuses to make this role a personal matter. « Whether we have four or five point guards, when I’m on the court, I focus on what I can bring. »
Regarding Strazel, who stayed with the group despite his injury, he emphasizes his importance: « It’s cool because it’s really hard to get injured just before the competition. But he has always been vocal and active in the group’s life, so it’s always good to have this presence. »
Youth as a strength
France is the youngest team at EuroBasket, a fact Maledon claims he wasn’t aware of: « I didn’t even know that was the case. I don’t think it’s extra motivation. Our objectives are set, regardless of our age. »
But he emphasizes the chemistry that exists in this group: « The fact that we’ve all played together or against each other in youth competitions brings a special chemistry. And it’s already visible: against Spain, we were able to speak our minds at halftime and it triggered a reaction. »
Team France shows historic youth at EuroBasket
August 27, 2025
Arthur Puybertier
A decisive step in his international career
Having been through the 2019 World Cup preparation and briefly seen at EuroBasket 2022, Maledon is now fully established with Les Bleus. Could this finally launch his international career and make him a fixture of the national team? « Yes, it’s a great opportunity. But beyond that, I’m focused on the collective goal. It’s how I approach this Euro that will help me move forward. »
A strong connection with the staff
Finally, he praised the work of Frédéric Fauthoux and his assistants, Joseph Gomis and Brian George, with whom he has already shared experiences: « With Freddy, the communication is open. He tells things as they are. It allows us to have the necessary reactions when we’re not at the right level. » Hoping he won’t have to do so during or after the first game against Belgium, this Thursday at 5 PM.
From Katowice,
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve est le fondateur et rédacteur en chef de BeBasket, qu’il anime depuis 2010 (sous le nom de Catch & Shoot). Passé par l’Ecole Publique de Journaliste de Tours, puis deux universités en Amérique du Nord, il a pu développer son expertise sur le basket français, de la Ligue Nationale aux divisions amateurs, durant ces 20 dernières années. En parallèle, il est aussi engagé dans le développement de clubs du côté de Montpellier.
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