By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA stayed away for a couple of promising upstarts contracted to Paris, Juhann Begarin and Ismael Kamagate.
Both young players will play for Paris in the 7DAYS EuroCup and France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A, the team officially announced Tuesday.
Begarin, 20, was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 45th overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft. Enjoying NBA Summer League action for the last couple of offseasons, he is returning to the French club for yet another season. He joined Paris in 2019, helped in the promotion to the top-flight division of the country, and from there to EuroCup, the second-tier club continental competition of Euroleague Basketball. Last season, he tallied 11.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per Pro A contest.
Kamagate, 21, followed in his footsteps as the 46th overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft. He was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Portland Trail Blazers and finally to the Denver Nuggets. Playing for the Nuggets was the case in the 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas. But he is also coming back for Paris and new head coach Will Weaver. The 2022 LNB Pro A Best Defender is also heading to his fourth campaign in Paris after logging 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 0.7 assists per Pro A game last season.
Besides keeping the two youngsters and hiring Weaver as the head coach for the 2022-23 season, the EuroCup newcomers welcomed Aamir Simms and Tyrone Wallace during the offseason. More players in Axel Toupane, Kyle Allman Jr., Gauthier Denis, Pacome Dadiet, Dustin Sleva, and Mohamed Diawara are projected to come back.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL