Theo Maledon has long fought to try to stay in the NBA, but this season the leader chose a new start by returning to his training club ASVEL this summer. A choice that is already paying off since he has shown himself to be one of the major players in the Euroleague since the start of the season.
There are many examples of players completely restarting their careers by deciding to leave the United States for Europe. Nando de Colo, Guerschon Yabusele and Elie Okobo have made this choice in the past, and Theo Maledon seems to be following the same path.
The former Oklahoma City Thunder player showed good things during his first season in the NBA before gradually disappearing from the rotation. Since his return to ASVEL, the playmaker has found playing time again, and is taking advantage of it, especially in the Euroleague.
Averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in European competition, stats that are more or less the same as those that earned Mike James his MVP trophy last season. Above all, it is the recent state of form of the Villeurbanne that impresses. After putting in a crazy performance against Olympiakos with 31 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Theo Maledon did it again this Thursday evening by scoring 26 points on 7/9 shooting against Red Star Belgrade.
His individual performances do not really translate into collective results since ASVEL has only won three of its ten matches in the competition, but no one is pointing out the level of the club’s child as the culprit.
Théo Maledon makes a point of shining against the biggest teams of the Old Continent since earlier in the season, he had also exceeded the 20 point mark against Baskonia or Barcelona.
It is difficult to know if, as for Guerschon Yabusele, this kind of performance could ultimately reopen the doors to the NBA for him, but the most important thing is not that, the leader is playing basketball again, he is doing it good and this is excellent news, in particular, for the French team!
Senegal
