A popular theme in several films and literary works involves the moment when the protagonist decides to embark on the journey back home after a long period of wandering. Forgotten by many, yet still held in the hearts and memories of those who always believed—those whose hope never fades, whose flame of belief burns brightly, now rekindled by new fuel. Odysseus, the central figure of the eponymous epic, wandered in much the same way as he did, the person to whom, at the very least, this text should be dedicated.
This is a man who, at just 23 years old, has experienced so much—things that few endure even throughout an entire career. He is the former and now current, the old-new, playmaker of ASVEL from Villeurbanne: the ambivalent Théo Maledon. In the spotlight due to his monstrous performances, but also because only a small fraction of people remember that Théo has already graced the courts of the EuroLeague, we must take a look back at his brief but eventful career.
At the very beginning, his talent was recognized by someone important, giving him the chance to spend time “across the pond,” and now the time has come for his return. Through this text, we will reflect on how it all started and the ways in which fate influenced the path of this still-young Frenchman.
The Beginning, Scholarship, and a Touch of Serbian Basketball
Théo Maledon was born on June 12, 2001, in Rouen, in the Normandy region of France. A French national, Maledon is originally from the French colony of Guadeloupe. Coming from a basketball family, his mother played for the junior national team, while his father competed in the first men’s league (third tier). Théo began playing basketball at the tender age of three in a local club. At the age of 11, the largest club in the area, SPO Rouen, brought him into their ranks as a promising talent. In 2015, he joined the prestigious INSEP Institute in Paris on a scholarship. In the following season, he played three games in the third division of French basketball through the institute’s affiliate and participated in two games for the INSEP U18 team in the EuroLeague’s ANGT tournament. One of those games was against the U18 Mega Leks team. Interestingly, at just 14 years old, Maledon was already competing in France’s third league! Everything for him seemed to progress ahead of schedule, as we’ll see later.
In the next season, he became a starter in the same league and had a standout performance with 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Keep in mind, Maledon was only 15 years old at the time. He once again competed with his Centre Federal team in the ANGT tournament. The first stop was Kaunas, where they topped their group but lost in the final to Žalgiris. Then, in the season’s final tournament, when the club received an invitation, they recorded group-stage victories over CSKA Moscow, Barcelona, and Crvena zvezda. In the final against the well-known Mega team, the French squad emerged victorious. Maledon scored 13 points, grabbed two rebounds, and dished out three assists in the championship game. These performances earned him an invitation to the “Jordan Brand Classic” game, an event organized for the best high school players in America. Maledon, then 16 years old, secured a spot in the “Global Showcase,” featuring players from around the world. In that game, Maledon scored 15 points, and other standouts included Killian Hayes and Karlo Matković.
Maledon’s performance mirrored that of McNeilly, with 15 points on 5/14 shooting. He made three high-arching three-pointers. He also attempted several good long-range shots, though some rimmed out. His ball distribution on offense was excellent, showcasing his court vision and precise passing while drawing defenders to create better opportunities for his teammates. Although he didn’t exhibit dunking or above-the-rim play, he demonstrated the ability to penetrate to the basket, though his finishing still needed improvement. Maledon also recorded four rebounds and four assists alongside his 15 points.
A report summarizing Maledon’s performance after this game read as follows:
ASVEL – The First Stint
On June 16, 2017, a significant turning point occurred in Théo Maledon’s career as he joined ASVEL, one of the biggest basketball clubs in France. However, he initially played for the club’s U21 youth team.
Maledon, like ASVEL president Tony Parker, is also from Normandy and was previously connected with SPO Rouen. “Parker is a role model because of his career and accomplishments,” the young point guard told Le Parisien, expressing his desire to “make it to the NBA.” Considered one of the best European players born in 2001, Maledon also “has a profile suited for the NBA,” according to Tahar Assed-Liégeon, head of the Centre Federal, with whom Maledon won the Junior EuroLeague tournament in May.
These remarks were reported by L’Equipe after ASVEL announced Theo Maledon’s signing.
On September 30, Maledon made his debut in Pro A, France’s top basketball league, in a game against Cholet, becoming the second-youngest player in the club’s history. Shortly after, he made his first appearance in the EuroCup during a match against ratiopharm Ulm. Maledon also participated in another ANGT tournament, which turned out to be his last. His team was eliminated in the group stage in Spain, but in a placement game against Gran Canaria, he saved his best for last. It was his best game to date, scoring 35 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists. By the end of the season, he occasionally played for ASVEL’s senior team but spent most of his time with the youth squad. In the U21 league, he averaged 16 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. Maledon graduated high school at the end of this season.
At the beginning of the 2018/19 season, Maledon established himself as a starter and signed his first professional contract. He recorded the second-highest efficiency rating (22) in Pro A history for a player under 18, second only to Tony Parker. His best EuroCup game came against Zenit, where he tallied 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. He earned a spot in the Pro A All-Star game, becoming the youngest participant in its history. That year, he helped ASVEL win the French Cup and was named MVP of the final. As the crowning achievement of the season, he and the team defeated Monaco in the championship series, and he was recognized as the league’s Best Young Player. His season averages were seven points, two rebounds, and two assists per game.
Setbacks, Pandemic, and the Draft
Théo Maledon entered the 2019/20 campaign as the leading candidate for the EuroLeague Rising Star award, given to the best young player. He made his debut in Europe’s elite competition against Olympiacos, with his best performance coming against Panathinaikos, where he scored 19 points. Earlier that season, Maledon had missed a month of action due to a shoulder injury—his first significant absence. However, as the pandemic affected the entire world, Théo couldn’t further improve his stats ahead of the NBA Draft, for which he had declared.
The dream night for Théo arrived on November 18, as the draft, delayed and held via video conference, finally took place. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 34th pick in the second round. On the same draft night, his compatriot Killian Hayes and Partizan’s Aleksej Pokuševski were also drafted. Shortly after, on December 8, Maledon’s rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The trade sent Al Horford, Théo Maledon’s rights, Serbian national team player Vasilije Micić’s rights, and a 2025 second-round pick to Oklahoma. In return, Philadelphia received Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green, and current Anadolu Efes player Vincent Poirier.
Rebuilding Seasons
After having just a 0.2% chance to make the playoffs in the 2019/20 season (but succeeding nonetheless), Oklahoma underwent a complete roster overhaul the following summer. They traded away all their key players, including Chris Paul, Dennis Schröder, Danilo Gallinari, and Steven Adams. The roster was rebuilt with young players, including Théo Maledon. The coaching staff also changed, with Billy Donovan being replaced by then-G-League affiliate coach Mark Daigneault.
Maledon was the starting point guard in 49 of the 65 games he played that season, taking the reins for much of the campaign. He averaged 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game, albeit with somewhat inconsistent shooting percentages. The Thunder finished the shortened season second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 22-50 record.
Among Maledon’s teammates that season were Aleksej Pokuševski, Gabriel Deck, and Jaylen Hoard, all of whom now play in the EuroLeague.
Oklahoma and GM Sam Presti continued their strategy of accumulating draft picks and absorbing “bad” contracts. The following season played out similarly, with the team finishing with a 24-58 record and again placing second-to-last in the conference. The roster remained mostly unchanged, with the notable addition of sixth-overall draft pick Josh Giddey. It’s worth mentioning that Tre Mann also joined the team, and both he and Giddey played the same position as Maledon.
With increased competition, Maledon saw reduced minutes, which led to slightly lower stats. In the battle for rotation spots between Maledon and Mann, Presti ultimately decided to trade Maledon to the Houston Rockets. The trade sent Derrick Favors, Maurice Harkless, Ty Jerome, and Théo Maledon to Houston in exchange for Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, and David Nwaba.
Years of Wandering
At a time when he needed to prove himself the most, Maledon was shuffled from one team to another. Just ten days after the aforementioned trade, he was waived by the Houston Rockets. Four days later, the Charlotte Hornets claimed him off waivers, signing him to a two-way contract. During the 2022/23 season, he posted numbers similar to his time in Oklahoma: seven points, three rebounds, and three assists in just under 20 minutes per game. These performances were enough to earn a contract extension with Charlotte, but he was released shortly after the start of the next season.
The Phoenix Suns were his next stop, but he appeared in only four official games. By March, he was a free agent again. He then played one more game for the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate, joining their organization shortly after. As the G League expanded, a draft was held where the Phoenix Suns’ affiliate team, newly established that year, selected him. However, Theo didn’t play a single game for them.
And then came the best decision of his career—a call that changed everything. It was time for this Odysseus to return home.
There’s No Place Like Home
In August of this year, specifically on the 14th, the signing of ASVEL’s future starting point guard was made official. After many hardships, our Odysseus returned to the only place he could truly call home. He drew his bow, shot through the hoops, and hit his target dead-on. He paved his path, revived his career, and now it’s time for all of Europe to fear him. Here’s why.
In the first 14 rounds of the elite European competition, the EuroLeague, Théo Maledon has already been named MVP of the round three times—in Rounds 4, 10, and most recently, Round 13. To better understand his talent, let’s highlight his stats from these games. In Round 4, against Baskonia, Maledon grabbed serious attention with 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks for a monstrous performance index rating (PIR) of 36. Moving on to Round 10 against Crvena Zvezda, he recorded 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists for another PIR of 36. Finally, in the incredible victory over Real Madrid in Round 13, he tallied 23 points, two rebounds, seven assists, and two steals with a PIR of 31.
These performances prove he is the team’s best player, someone they trust, and a potential reincarnation of the club’s owner, Tony Parker. Theo is also a popular choice in many fantasy basketball leagues, as he rarely has a poor game. Head coach Pierre-Olivier Pupe gives him maximum freedom, allowing Maledon to shine while also developing his own coaching skills.
For the Homeland
Théo began playing for the French national team at the age of 15, starting with the 2016 U16 European Championship in Radom, Poland. In seven games, he averaged eight points, four rebounds, and two assists, helping France reach the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by Croatia. The following year, in 2017, he competed in the same tournament, this time held in Podgorica, Montenegro. Théo improved his performance, averaging 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists across seven games. Most importantly, he scored 20 points in the tournament final against the host nation, leading his team to win the gold medal. His teammate, Killian Hayes, was named MVP of the tournament.
Théo later became the captain of France’s U17 team ahead of the FIBA U17 World Cup in Argentina in 2018. That year, France reached the final, where they were defeated by the United States. Théo recorded 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the final game. The U.S. team featured notable players such as Scottie Barnes, Isaiah Stewart, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Green, and Jalen Suggs.
Year by year, Maledon continued to improve, and it didn’t go unnoticed. At just 18 years old, he was called up to the French senior national team. He made his debut during the 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, contributing three points and three rebounds in a game against Finland. Unfortunately, he was one of the final players cut from the roster for the tournament due to a shoulder injury.
In 2022, Théo participated in his biggest tournament to date, the European Championship. He appeared in just three games, playing a total of 16 minutes. While France lost in the final to Spain, Théo gained valuable experience from the competition.
