Sylvain Francisco opened up about his move to Panathinaikos and his missed NBA opportunity. The playmaker was close to signing a guaranteed deal with the Chicago Bulls, but LeBron James’ delayed free agency decision blocked the necessary trades before Francisco’s contract deadline expired.
Sylvain Francisco was one of the hottest topics this summer in the European basketball community.
Position
PG, SG
Age
28
Height
185 cm
Weight
79 kg
Birth place
Creteil, France
After a stellar season with Zalgiris Kaunas where he was among the final candidates for the EuroLeague Most Valuable Player award, Francisco originally signed for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
Not much time passed, and Francisco decided to leave ASVEL before even suiting up for them, and signed with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, as the Greens paid a buyout for him.
What happened at ASVEL?
In an interview with L’Equipe, Francisco reflected on the situation at the French team:
“When we learned that ASVEL was going to take some time to finalize its budget, I told my agents, ‘We have to leave,’” he said.
“I think we had a good talk with Tony; he was very clear about it. He worked hard, wanted to be thorough, but there are some things you can’t control. The process took a little longer, and I decided it was time to leave.”
LeBron James prevented Francisco from playing in the NBA
Francisco also revealed how close he was to the NBA.
The French point guard was talking a lot about pursuing his NBA dream during last season, and this year he was inches away from achieving it.
As Francisco reveals, the reason for that dream still not being completed is LeBron James:
“Yes, in the NBA, there were openings, at least five or six teams, many with guaranteed two-year contracts,” the French international recalled.
“I had the opportunity with the Chicago Bulls, but the trade they wanted to make beforehand got blocked because in the NBA, everyone was waiting for LeBron [James’] decision. My deadline was July 20th [to activate his release clause from ASVEL], and LeBron signed four days later.”
“So that’s when all the teams really started trading players, making more exchanges. It’s a shame,” the point guard admitted.
“I was a little fed up, annoyed, let’s say. But it’s something I can’t control. In the end, it could be a blessing in disguise. I’m staying in Europe,” he concluded.
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