Paris Basketball is one of five newcomers to the 7DAYS EuroCup next season. Founded in 2018, it is a new, ambitious club that is growing every year under president David Kahn's guidance. The club started in the French second division and then claimed its spot in the country's elite by the end of the 2020-21 campaign. The next challenge is for Paris to show its qualities in the EuroCup. Here are four games from Group B that Paris fans can look forward to.
2022-23 Games to watch: Paris Basketball
Round 2: Home opener
History will be made on October 19, as Paris hosts its first EuroCup game at Halle Georges Carpentier. Paris welcomes Hapoel Tel Aviv to the French capital in Round 2 after making its debut on the road against Turk Telekom Ankara, so it will be determined to put on a show in front of its home supporters. This is a never-seen-before showdown in European competition and, with both teams being EuroCup newcomers, there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on this game in the French capital.
Round 4: A familiar face
Gran Canaria visits Paris on November 2, which should be a special game for starting playmaker Andrew Albicy. Born in Sevres, right outside Paris, Albicy started his professional basketball career with another team in the city, Paris Basket Racing. Albicy is a 2018-19 All-EuroCup First Team selection and ranks second all time in assists with 432. With friends and family in the stands, Albicy will be very motivated to perform well in Paris.
Round 9: The Eurotunnel derby
The representatives from Paris and the London Lions were joking about facing each other before the 2022-23 EuroCup Draw in early July, and in the end, they were both drawn in Group B. Both Paris and London are exciting EuroCup newcomers located in two of the best cities in the world, and this could be a first step in an interesting sports rivalry. It will be fascinating to see which team can win the bragging rights after their first meeting at Copper Box Arena in London on December 21.
Round 16: Finishing strong
If Paris keeps its playoffs options alive, the last three games are likely to be critical. Paris plays two of its last three matches at home, and its Round 16 showdown against Slask Wroclaw should be especially important. Slask, the Polish League champion, ranked eighth in Group A last season, so grabbing a victory could see Paris all but secure its place in the elimination rounds. Paris then plays against Promitheas Patras in Greece before finishing the regular season at home against London.