Zacharie Perrin leaves Nancy to join Hamburg in Germany

Expected as a promising young talent for his first season in Betclic ELITE with SLUC Nancy, Zacharie Perrin (2.08m, 20 years old) didn’t fully convince. At 20, the Besançon native has chosen to join Hamburg to try to restart his career in a championship considered more accessible, reports Basketeurope.

Hamburg, a fresh start for Zacharie Perrin

Zacharie Perrin will continue his professional career in Germany. The French big man has signed with Hamburg, who have been competing in EuroCup since 2022 without yet making the playoffs. This choice may seem surprising, as the Besançon native was coming off a promising season with Antibes in Pro B in 2023-2024, before being named MVP of the U20 EuroBasket during the summer.

However, his step up to the higher level with Nancy proved more challenging. In 30 Betclic ELITE games this season, he averaged 6.7 points with 56% shooting, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. These statistics were decent but fell short of expectations. Neither a true power forward nor fully adapted to the center position at this level, Perrin struggled to find his place in SLUC’s paint.

By joining Hamburg, he will play in an environment potentially more conducive to his development. The German championship is often considered less athletic than Betclic ELITE, which could allow Perrin to better utilize his technique and dominate the boards. Hamburg, aiming for a playoff spot in EuroCup, could offer him a more structured role for his professional future.