If you are looking through the lenses of a NBA scout or executive then Tidjane Salaun might be the main prospect to watch from all three European teams. He has the necessary size and athleticism for the wing/forward position that is needed nowadays in the NBA. His “skills bag” is also deep and he can offer a lot on the ground and in the air too. He was aggressively attacking the rim and going for dunks, often went to the free throw line and was great at drawing the fouls plus made some shots from the three point territory. Inconsistent shooter so far but I believe that over the years he will get better at that skill and more reliable as a spot up threat. Showed great defensive effort too and had many positive defensive plays. Was capable of defending multiple positions and has the necessary defensive versatility. A name to follow in next season and before the 2024 draft because his draft stock might go up if he continues to make the progress like he was making it in this season.

 The 205 / 6’8″ wing player from Cholet Basket is another extremely versatile scorer with above average athleticism. In addition to his vastly improved technical shooting form and creative shot creation, the young Frenchman consistently attacked his opponents’ closeouts without hesitation. In addition, he is a motor in the fastbreak, where he repeatedly finishes with highlights. 

Salaun originally came through the youth ranks of Saint-Charles Charenton in Paris, where Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara, among others, were active. But Cholet also has an excellent talent program and convinced him to make a switch. With Rudy Gobert, Kilian Hayes Rodrigue Beaubois and many more, the French team has already developed some strong players. 

To add a defensive touch, it is worth highlighting that he regularly displayed aggressive on-ball defense and rewarded it with some steals. Also otherwise with his enormous arm span he makes the spaces small as a helpside defender. In Patras, he put up averages of 20ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.8apg and 2.2steals, while posting a 41.2% three-point rate and a 62.5% two-point percentage.