What are the first results for the French in the NBA?

There are now 19 French players on NBA rosters, historical record of French basketball. But this start of the 2025/26 season offers very contrasting trajectories for the blue-white-red representatives. Victor Vembanyama monopolized the spotlight with the XXSL at the beginning of the year, driven by the Spurs’ collective results.

Behind him, the reasons for satisfaction are extremely rare after twenty matches played, even if it seems that some young Frenchmen are finally getting stronger in recent days. The time has already come for the first assessment.

Alex Saar – Victor Vembanyama, the racket of the future meets the present

• Victor Vembanyama 26.2 points on 50.2% shooting, 12.9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3.6 blocks in 34.7 minutes (12 games)
• Alec Sarr : 19.1 points on 51.5%, 8.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2 blocks in 29.7 minutes (16 games)

This is by far the best news for French basketball at the beginning of the season. Victor Vembanyama to sort was studious and richmarked by his withdrawal from EuroBasket following a worrying injury that cut his 2024/25 season in half. There’s no doubt: Spurs’ interior is at its best again.

Always more technically pure, more selective in his recordings, “Wembi” has never been so effective. He cut his 3-point shooting volume in half to draw more fouls and score at the free throw line without losing any of his defensive impact or his rebounding dominance. After him, San Antonio responds: 8–4 with Victor Vembanyama, for an overall record of 13 wins and 5 losses and 4th place in the West. The only downside: another injury, this time on the calfwhich will keep him away from the courts for a while.

Pour Alec Sarrthe collective context is much less rosy among the still-struggling Wizards. But Toulouse is one of the few bright spots in this crisis.

The clumsy and clumsy rookie of the first few weeks gave way to the real boss of Washington. His offensive improvement has been spectacular (from 13 points on 39.4% last year to 19.1 points on 51.5%), confirming the promise he showed with the French team this summer. Very encouraging for the future, while the Wizards could part ways with several veterans to offer even more responsibility to their young talent.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=tka_PLTPbp8

Rizacher, Coulibaly, Gober, Batum… It can be better

• Zachary Risacher : 11.8 points on 45.9% shooting, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals in 24.6 minutes (17 games)
• Bilal Coulibaly : 9.7 points on 39.0%, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1 block in 26.8 minutes (10 games)
• Rudy Gobert : 10.4 points at 72.2%, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 blocks in 32.3 minutes (18 games)
• Nicholas Batum : 4.5 points on 38.6%, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 0.6 assists in 18.3 minutes (19 games)

After the failure at the last Euro, some executives of the Blues could use the start of the NBA season to restart. For now, the smile remains strained.

Still a starter in Atlanta, Zachary Risacher he didn’t really change in size for his second season and even dropped a bit in stats. Capable of making brilliant shots (21 points in 25 minutes against Orlando) as well as missing the matchup, he especially suffers in the outside shooting practice (30.9% on 3-pointers), a sector in which he is especially expected. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, he rarely finishes games, even if that was the case in the last two games, and his role hasn’t really increased, even in Trae Young’s absence.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=G1b86h8LiKo

Operational after the euro, Bilal Coulibaly missed the start of the season and gives the impression that he hasn’t found his rhythm yet. Offensively, he appears to be back to his old ways after making modest progress last year. It’s obviously too early to draw any definitive conclusions, but the Wizards winger will need to shift into a new gear if he doesn’t want to stagnate after three seasons in the NBA.

Not present at the Euro, but just as carefully, Rudy Gobert is also having a mixed start to the year. He’s still the undisputed starter for the Wolves, but he’s seeing his offensive impact diminish slightly. If he is still among the most skilled players in the league, it is also because he has never taken so few shots in ten years. Minnesota, a two-time Western finalist, had a fairly average start to the season (10-8, 7th in the West).

On the Clippers side, the situation is even more complicated. The team is one of the big disappointments at the start of the season, and Nicholas Batum suffers consequences in terms of the role. The French veteran’s commitment and professionalism remain impeccable, but not enough to mask a disappointing collective dynamic.

Diabate and Cissoko, good surprises

• Moussa Diabate 9.4 points at 66%, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.2 assists in 22.5 minutes (19 games)
• Sidi Cissoko : 4.3 points on 40.7%, 2 rebounds, 1.4 assists in 16.8 minutes (14 games)

Arrival of newcomers Ryan Kalkbrenner could block his path under the Hornets circle. But Moussa Diabate confirmed the great dynamics of his season 2024/25, the season of revelation. His playing time has increased further and he already has six double-doubles off the bench. The Frenchman is making a name for himself among the best offensive rebounders in the league (4th with 3.9 shots).

We didn’t expect it either Sidi Cissoko at such a party in Portland. But faced with numerous absences at the helm and the selection of Thiago Splitter to set up a front five without a true professional leader, the former Spurs found a place in the rotation. During the last five games, Holder made very accurate copies (6.6 points, 2.4 rebounds) and attracted praise from his coach.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=S33ni2vNTF0

Among other “former” Frenchmen who are already present in the NBA, Ousmane Dieng (Thunder) et Ryan Rupert (The Blazers), on the other hand, see their situation stagnate: few minutes when injuries occur, but overall playing time is sporadic (11 minutes on average over 14 games for the former, 8 minutes over 12 games for the latter). Jalen Williams’ return to Oklahoma City should once again reduce Usmane Dieng’s wiggle room.

Yabusele, an enigma

• Guerschon Yabusele : 2.6 points on 34.0%, 2.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes (17 games)

It’s a grimace for the Blues captain. From the Sixers in crisis to the much more competitive Knicks, Guerschon Yabusele so far he has not found his account. The interior can’t seem to find a rhythm and therefore gain the confidence of Mike Brown, despite the injury to OG Anunoby and the repeated absences of Mitchell Robinson. The role remains limited, as does the playing time.

Freshmen and sophomores: A little weight loss, a lot of G-League

• Maquime Raynaud : 5.9 points on 48.3%, 3.3 rebounds in 13.8 minutes (12 games)
• Tidjane Salaun : 3.1 points on 36.8%, 3.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes (7 games)
• Noah Penda : 4 points on 51.9%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 9.4 minutes (10 games)
• Nolan Traore : 1.8 points on 22.2%, 1.3 assists in 8.8 minutes (4 games)
• Joan Beringer : 2 points at 72.7%, 1.3 rebounds in 4.1 minutes (9 games)
• Mohammed Diawara : 0.9 points on 44.4%, 0.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists in 3.2 minutes (11 games)
• Noah Essengue : 0 points, 0.5 steals in 3 minutes (2 games)
• Pacome Dadiet : 0.5 points on 16.7%, 0.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists in 2.6 minutes (8 games)

With no French in the Top 10, the 2025 vintage is currently struggling to introduce itself. Maquime Raynaud (Kings) took advantage of Domantas Sabonis’ injury to get some extra minutes (14.2 minutes over last five games) and was pretty convincing, with a career high against the Jazz. The former Stanford player is also the first French rookie to surpass ten points this season… on November 20th.

Noah Penda just put together two solid performances (13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists in 24 minutes vs. Boston, then 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists in 22 minutes vs. Philadelphia), in a Magic run.

There is dead silence behind them. Mohammed Diawara Popular internally with the Knicks, but still not a stable role. The former Choleta is mostly satisfied with “garbage”, as is his compatriot Pacome Dadiet. Same situation for Joan Beringer at the Wolves, he was not seen on the floor for four games.

As for Tidjane Salon, Nolan Traore etc Noah Essenguethey spent most of this early season in the G-League, where they were very interesting, with Noah Esenge leading the way (25.7 points, 8 rebounds in three games). These performances earned him the first minutes in the NBA during the Bulls’ last two outings.