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Théo Maledon

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Théo Louis Maledon (French: [teo malɛdɔ̃];[1] born 12 June 2001) is a French professional basketball player for LDLC ASVEL of the LNB Élite and the EuroLeague. He plays the point guard position.

Théo Maledon
Maledon with ASVEL in 2018
No. 6 – LDLC ASVEL
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLNB Élite
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2001-06-12) 12 June 2001 (age 23)
Rouen, France
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2020: 2nd round, 34th overall pick
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2020ASVEL
2020–2022Oklahoma City Thunder
2021–2022→Oklahoma City Blue
2022–2023Charlotte Hornets
2022–2023→Greensboro Swarm
2023–2024Phoenix Suns
2024Sioux Falls Skyforce
2024–presentASVEL
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  France
EuroBasket
Silver medal – second place 2022 Germany
FIBA Under-17 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2018 Argentina Team
FIBA U16 European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2017 Montenegro Team

Born in Rouen, Maledon played youth basketball for French sports institute INSEP before joining the youth ranks of ASVEL at age 16. One year later, at the senior level, he became the youngest LNB All-Star in history and won the LNB Pro A Best Young Player award. He helped ASVEL win Pro A and French Cup titles, while being named French Cup Final Most Valuable Player (MVP).

At the youth international level, Maledon won a gold medal with France at the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship and a silver medal at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup. He has also played for the senior national team.

Early life and career

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Maledon was born on 12 June 2001 in Rouen in Normandy, France.[2] He is of Guadeloupean descent.[3] At age three, Maledon began playing basketball with his local club Mesnil-Esnard in Seine-Maritime.[4] After reaching the under-11 age group, he moved to SPO Rouen, the most prominent club in his area.[5] In 2015, at age 14, Maledon joined the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP), a sports institute in Paris, on a scholarship.[6][7] In the 2015–16 season, he played three games for INSEP-affiliated team Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball in the Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1), the amateur third-tier division of French basketball, and two games for INSEP's under-18 team in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT).[8]

In 2016–17, Maledon became a regular starter with Centre Fédéral in the NM1, where he averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 25.6 minutes per game.[9] He scored a season-best 20 points, along with five rebounds and four assists, in a 23 April 2017 loss to Union Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrénées [fr].[10] In the same month, Maledon took part in the Jordan Brand Classic Global Showcase at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where he scored 15 points.[11]

Professional career

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ASVEL (2017–2020)

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2017–18 season

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On 16 June 2017, Maledon joined the junior team of LNB Pro A club ASVEL that played in the LNB Espoirs [fr], the French U21 league.[6] In his season debut on 24 September 2017, he recorded 10 points and five assists in a 71–61 win over Espoirs Limoges.[12] Maledon made his Pro A debut for the senior team on 30 September at age 16, playing one minute versus Cholet.[13] He became the second youngest debutant in club history.[14] On 17 October, he made his first appearance in the EuroCup against ratiopharm Ulm.[15] In January 2018, Maledon played for ASVEL's under-18 team at the ANGT in L'Hospitalet.[9] He recorded 35 points and 11 assists on 7 January to help defeat the junior team of Gran Canaria in his final game in the tournament.[16] On 12 May 2018, Maledon scored 26 points against Espoirs Monaco, his season-high in the LNB Espoirs.[17] Through 33 Espoirs games, he averaged 15.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.[9] During summer 2018, he graduated high school one year in advance with major in science.[18]

2018–19 season

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Maledon (left) defends Le Portel's Benoît Mangin in December 2018.

On 13 August 2018, Maledon signed his first professional contract, agreeing to remain with ASVEL for three years.[19] In the 2018–19 season, he assumed a greater role for the senior team and frequently made its starting lineup.[9] On 6 October, Maledon recorded 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists, making six of seven field goal attempts, in an 88–64 victory over Fos Provence.[20] His ranking [fr] of 22 in the game was the most by a Pro A player under age 18 since Tony Parker recorded a ranking of 24 against BCM Gravelines in 1999.[21][22] On 3 November, Maledon recorded a career-high 16 points, four rebounds, and two steals against JDA Dijon.[23] He eclipsed his career high on 18 November versus Le Mans Sarthe, when he recorded 20 points, four assists, and two steals.[24]

On 18 December 2018, against Zenit Saint Petersburg, Maledon had 13 points, along with seven rebounds and three assists, for his best scoring effort in the EuroCup.[25] He recorded 18 points, five assists, two steals, and a career-best ranking of 26, against Levallois on 26 December.[26] Maledon played in the LNB All-Star Game on 29 December, and at age 17 and a half, became the youngest All-Star since the event was created in 1987.[27] On 12 May 2019, he scored a team-high 13 points in a 70–61 win over Le Mans in the French Cup championship and was named Final MVP.[28] He was the youngest to ever win this award at age 17. Maledon was named LNB Pro A Best Young Player at the end of the season.[29] In June 2019, he helped ASVEL win the Pro A finals over Monaco.[30] In a total of 62 games in the season, Maledon averaged seven points, 2.1 rebounds, and two assists in 17.3 minutes per game.[9]

2019–20 season

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Entering the 2019–20 season, Maledon was considered the favorite to win the EuroLeague Rising Star award by the league's website.[31] In his season opener, a Pro A win over Limoges on 22 September 2019, he recorded six points and eight assists in 19 minutes.[32] On 4 October, Maledon made his EuroLeague debut, playing nine minutes in a victory over Olympiacos. In his subsequent game, two days later against Cholet, he suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to miss over one month of action.[33] On 17 January 2020, Maledon recorded a career-high 10 assists, along with five points and six rebounds, in a 101–74 loss to Anadolu Efes.[34] One week later, he scored 19 points, his best mark in the EuroLeague, in a 100–88 loss to Panathinaikos.[35] On 14 February, Maledon matched his career high in scoring with 20 points in an 88–59 victory over Metropolitans 92 at the LNB Pro A Leaders Cup semifinals.[36] On 5 April, while the basketball season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[7] Maledon finished the season averaging 7.3 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game, through 46 combined appearances in the EuroLeague, Pro A and Leaders Cup.[9]

Oklahoma City Thunder (2020–2022)

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Maledon was selected with the 34th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020 NBA draft.[37] On 8 December 2020, Maledon's draft rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder,[38] and the next day, he signed a contract.[39]

On 30 September 2022 Maledon was traded, along with Derrick Favors, Ty Jerome, Maurice Harkless, and a future second-round pick, to the Houston Rockets in exchange for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, and Marquese Chriss.[40] On 11 October he was waived.[41]

Charlotte Hornets (2022–2023)

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On 15 October 2022, Maledon signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets.[42]

On 29 September 2023, Maledon re-signed with the Hornets on another two-way contract,[43] but was waived on 14 December.[44]

Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)

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On 17 December 2023, Maledon signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns.[45][46] However, he did not make his debut with the team until 8 February 2024, playing in only a minute and 14 seconds left of the Suns' 129–115 win over the Utah Jazz.[47] Maledon then recorded 5 points and one rebound for the Suns six days later on Valentine's Day during nearly 10 minutes of playing time in a 116–100 win over the Detroit Pistons.[48]

Maledon was waived on 4 March 2024 after playing in four games with the Suns.[49]

Sioux Falls Skyforce (2024)

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On 11 March 2024, Maledon joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce.[50]

On 13 June 2024, Maledon was selected by the Valley Suns in the 2024 NBA G League expansion draft.[51] However, he never played for them.

Return to ASVEL (2024–present)

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On 14 August 2024, Maledon returned to LDLC ASVEL.[52]

National team career

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French junior national team

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Maledon made his youth debut for France at the 2016 FIBA Under-16 European Championship in Radom, Poland. Through seven games, he averaged 8.4 points, four rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.[53] Maledon played for the French team at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 European Championship in Podgorica, Montenegro.[54] He averaged 14.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game through seven contests, scoring 20 points in the final against Montenegro to help France win the gold medal.[55][56] Maledon was named captain for France at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Argentina.[57] Through seven games, he averaged 11.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as France finished in second place.[58]

French senior national team

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On 24 February 2019, Maledon debuted for the French senior national team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification stage. He played 15 minutes, recording three points and three rebounds, in a 76–69 loss to Finland.[59] On 7 August, Maledon scored 14 points, making 4–of–5 field goal attempts, in a 94–56 victory over Tunisia in preparation for the World Cup.[60] He was among the final cuts from France's World Cup roster, in part due to a shoulder injury.[61]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA

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Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020–21 Oklahoma City 65 49 27.4 .368 .335 .748 3.2 3.5 .9 .2 10.1
2021–22 Oklahoma City 51 7 17.8 .375 .293 .790 2.6 2.2 .6 .2 7.1
2022–23 Charlotte 44 7 19.4 .402 .295 .851 2.8 3.5 .8 .3 6.7
2023–24 Charlotte 13 1 15.4 .288 .167 .917 1.8 2.2 .5 .0 4.2
Phoenix 4 0 3.3 .250 — 1.000 .3 .0 .0 .0 1.3
Career 177 64 21.2 .372 .310 .793 2.8 2.9 .7 .2 7.8

EuroCup

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19[62] ASVEL 18 12 17.8 .409 .351 .826 2.4 2.1 .4 .2 7.1

EuroLeague

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2019–20 ASVEL 22 12 17.7 .456 .367 .689 1.8 3.1 .3 .1 7.4 6.6
Career 22 12 17.7 .456 .367 .689 1.8 3.1 .7 .1 7.4 6.6

Personal life

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Both of Maledon's parents played basketball: his mother, Sylvie, with the French junior national team, and his father, Claude, in the NM1.[5] His uncle, Dominique Guéret, was an assistant coach for LNB Pro B club ALM Évreux. His older sister, Lena, plays college basketball in the United States and his younger brother Matys plays in Montville, France.[2][5]

References

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  1. ^ "Focus on: Theo Maledon, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne". Euroleague Basketball. 20 February 2020. Event occurs at 00:26. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Talents du Parisien. Basket : Théo Maledon comme une évidence". Le Parisien (in French). 15 June 2017. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Le basketteur Théo Maledon candidat à la draft NBA". guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr. 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ Callier, Sylvie (25 August 2017). "Le basketteur rouennais Théo Maledon part pour l'ASVEL (Villeurbanne)" (in French). France 3 Normandie. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Pantel-Jouve, Gabriel (9 February 2017). "Théo Malédon, the Next Episode" (in French). BeBasket. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Théo Maledon à l'Asvel". L'Équipe. 17 June 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  7. ^ a b Givony, Jonathan (5 April 2020). "French guard Theo Maledon files to enter NBA draft". ESPN. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Theo Maledon Game Logs". RealGM. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Theo Maledon Player Profile". RealGM. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Apr 23, 2017 – Centre Federal Du Basket-Ball 61, Union Tarbes Lourdes Pyrennes Basket 82". RealGM. 23 April 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
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  21. ^ Franck, Robin (8 October 2018). "Du jamais vu depuis Tony Parker pour Théo Maledon" (in French). Parlons Basket. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  22. ^ Lacoste, Alexandre (7 October 2018). "Maledon, un mineur à plus de 20 d'évalution en Jeep Élite : du jamais-vu depuis Tony Parker!" (in French). BeBasket. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
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  24. ^ "Théo Maledon superstar face au Mans" (in French). Ligue nationale de basket. 18 November 2018. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  25. ^ Vuković, Časlav (18 December 2018). "Partizane, Sad Sve Držiš U Svojim Rukama Asvel Pobedio Zenit Posle Produžetka I Ostavio Crno-bele U Igri Za Top 16 Fazu". Blic (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  26. ^ "Levallois – Lyon-Villeurbanne" (in French). Ligue nationale de basket. 26 December 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  27. ^ Lecomte, Arnaud (29 December 2018). "Théo Maledon, prodige de l'ASVEL et attraction du All-Star Game français". L'Équipe (in French). Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  28. ^ "ASVEL Villeurbanne wins French Cup, first since 2008". EuroHoops. 12 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  29. ^ "Théo Maledon (ASVEL) élu meilleur jeune". L'Équipe (in French). 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  30. ^ Bouranis, Yiannis (26 June 2019). "ASVEL Villeurbanne is the 2019 French League champion". TalkBasket. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  31. ^ "Top 10 EuroLeague Rising Stars". EuroLeague. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  32. ^ "Sep 22, 2019 – CSP Limoges 84, ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne 94". RealGM. 22 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  33. ^ "ASVEL's Theo Maledon out for a month with shoulder injury". EuroHoops. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  34. ^ Greer, Jeff (17 January 2020). "Theo Maledon working his way into the NBA and out of the shadow of his mentor Tony Parker in France". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  35. ^ "Panathinaikos overpowers ASVEL". EuroHoops. 24 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  36. ^ Borghesan, Ennio Terrasi (14 February 2020). "Asvel, Theo Maledon dà spettacolo in Coppa: 20 punti contro Strasburgo". Sportando (in Italian). Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  37. ^ Noriega, Edith (18 November 2020). "NBA draft 2020: Five things to know about international prospect Theo Maledon". USA Today. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  38. ^ "Thunder Acquires Al Horford, the Draft Rights to Théo Maledon and Vasilije Micić, and 2025 First-Round Draft Pick". NBA.com. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  39. ^ "Thunder Signs Théo Maledon". NBA.com. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  40. ^ Peery, Hannah (30 September 2022). "Rockets Complete Trade with Oklahoma City". NBA.com. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  41. ^ Binkley, Lachard (11 October 2022). "Rockets cut Moe Harkless, Theo Maledon, sign Darius Days". The Dream Shake. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  42. ^ "Hornets Sign Theo Maledon To Two-Way Contract". NBA.com. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  43. ^ "Charlotte Hornets Re-Sign Théo Maledon". NBA.com. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Hornets Waive Theo Maledon". NBA.com. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  45. ^ Phoenix Suns [@Suns] (17 December 2023). "Welcome to The Valley, Théo! 🏜️" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  46. ^ Gauruder, Dana (17 December 2023). "Suns Claim Theo Maledon Off Waivers". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  47. ^ "Utah Jazz vs Phoenix Suns - Box Score". NBA.com. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  48. ^ "Detroit Pistons at Phoenix Suns Box Score, February 14, 2024". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  49. ^ "SUNS SIGN FORWARD ISH WAINRIGHT". NBA.com. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  50. ^ "Theo Maledon Release". NBA.com. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  51. ^ "2024-25 NBA G League Expansion Draft". NBA.com. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  52. ^ "Théo Maledon est de retour!". LDLCASVEL.com (in French). 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  53. ^ "Theo Maledon's profile". FIBA. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  54. ^ "Group C Preview: France want third title; Italy and Russia hungry to end droughts". FIBA. 9 August 2017. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  55. ^ "Theo Maledon's profile". FIBA. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  56. ^ "France fend off Montenegro for third U16 European title". FIBA. 20 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  57. ^ "France's new Three Musketeer heroes: Hayes, Cazalon, Maledon". FIBA. 7 July 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  58. ^ "Théo Maledon (FRA)'s profile". FIBA. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  59. ^ "French teen phenom Theo Maledon debuts as millennials shine". FIBA. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  60. ^ Djordjevic, Stefan (7 August 2019). "Fournier, Maledon lead France to convincing win over Tunisia". EuroHoops. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  61. ^ Djordjevic, Stefan (27 August 2019). "France presents the final World Cup squad". EuroHoops. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  62. ^ "Maledon, Theo – Welcome to 7DAYS EuroCup". EuroCup. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
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