Nadir Hifi is having a dreamlike season with EuroLeague newcomers Paris Basketball. The player and his agent, Olivier Mazet, break down how an undersized French guard has become one of the league's main attractions and what the future might hold for him.
Nadir Hifi can be nothing short of flabbergasted as he watches his basketball career skyrocket in leaps and bounds. His meteoric rise from the French 6th division to the EuroLeague elite over the course of four seasons has been a Cinderella-type of story that any player would envy.
Player of the Game
TJ Shorts II
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TJ Shorts II
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Being part of a team that plays at its own pace regardless of the opponent has paid dividends for the undersized (1.84 m.) scoring guard, who has turned into a fearless baller with no second thoughts when it comes to shooting the ball – especially off the dribble.
To dominate the EuroCup competition and end up winning the trophy handily is one thing. To become an unstoppable force at the EuroLeague level, literally overnight, is another.
And Paris Basketball have done just that while delivering a crowd-pleasing brand of basketball acknowledged and enjoyed by friends and foes alike.
Paris' latest feat was staged in Piraeus, where Olympiacos tried to snap the French side's 9-game winning streak, to no avail.
"I'm not gonna lie. We didn't expect to have these results in December, but 10 wins straight is beautiful. I hope we can keep it up. It's a long season," Hifi told BasketNews following his 20-point showcase against Olympiacos.
So far, he's averaged 13.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in his first 14 games as a EuroLeague player. He's also taken almost twice as many 3-point (104) as 2-point shots (52). Despite his high volume from a distance, his accuracy amounts to a decent 32.7%.
It's no secret that the talented Frenchman grew up watching a lot of Shane Larkin's videos. When he was still playing with Le Portel, he received an Instagram message from the 2-time EuroLeague winner, who encouraged the young prospect.
"I like what you do. I'm following you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate; we can talk," Larkin's message read, as Hifi told BeBasket's Alexandre Lacoste in 2023.
Since then, the two have been in regular contact, in a relationship that looks like a mentorship, since they often text each other with words of inspiration.
However, Larkin isn't the only prominent EuroLeague guard Hifi has modeled his game around.
"I've also watched a lot of
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Giorgos Kyriakidis