TheoMaledon’s breakout season with ASVEL and his move to Real Madrid set the stage for EuroBasket 2025. With MatthewStrazel sidelined, the 24-year-old guard steps into a leading role, combining NBA experience andEuroLeague maturity to anchor France’s backcourt.
After a resurgent season with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne that marked his triumphant return to Europe,Theo Maledon has become one of the central figures of France’s EuroBasket 2025 campaign.
France / Schedule
Originally called up by FredericFauthoux to share point guard duties with MatthewStrazel,Maledon suddenly finds himself shouldering much greater responsibility followingStrazel’s last-minute withdrawal due to injury.
The setback forStrazel — who was expected to battle for the starting role — immediately reshaped the rotation and thrustMaledon into a leadership position. Rather than seeing it as pressure, the new Real Madrid signing welcomed the challenge.
“I don’t feel more pressure than that, especially after my season with ASVEL,” he told the FFBB.
That season was no ordinary campaign. Returning from the NBA,Maledon played some of the best basketball of his career in Villeurbanne, earning a spot on the All-EuroLeague Second Team after averaging 17 points and 4.6 assists per game, along with an aggressive, all-court style that reignited his reputation as one of Europe’s brightest guards.
Now, heading into what he openly calls the most important summer of his career, Maledon is brimming with self-belief.
“This year I think I played the best basketball of my career,” he said. “Even compared to my time in Oklahoma City, where I had decent minutes. What I achieved at ASVEL was something else. I approach things the same way with France: focus on what’s in front of me, and put aside personal goals for the team.”
The numbers back up his words. In the final warm-up games before EuroBasket, Maledon delivered his best-ever performances for Les Bleus: scoring 16 points on perfect shooting against Greece while setting his national team record for efficiency, and dishing out eight assists in just 15 minutes against Great Britain. These outings confirmed his rising confidence and underlined his readiness to take on a starring role.
Maledon credits both sides of his career for this new maturity.
“In the NBA, I continued to progress while waiting for the chance to really show it. At ASVEL, I was finally able to translate what I was doing in training into games. TheEuroLeague helped me a lot — especially in leadership and in taking clutch shots late in games.”
His debut test comes Thursday, August 28 in Katowice against Belgium, where France begin their hunt for continental glory.
Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.