Lauvergne intrigued by Zalgiris playoff chances and Mudiay's EuroLeague potential / News - Basketnews.com

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Zalgiris Kaunas center Joffrey Lauvergne is a die-hard history fan. So it didn't take long for him to read a book about 1000 years of the Lithuanian history. However, he's seeking advice on what to read next. In French, preferably.

Emmanuel Mudiay

Team:Zalgiris KaunasPosition:PGAge:25Height:196 cmWeight:91 kgBirth place:Kinshasa, Congo (Republic of the)ProfileNewsStatistics

"I'm trying to find some books in French, but there aren't many Lithuanian history books in that language. If you have some advice, let me know," JoJo smiles.

A 29-year-old Frenchman will have two more reasons to speak in his native language here in Kaunas this season. Former Tony Parker's advisor at ASVEL Francois Lamy joined the Lithuanian powerhouse as an assistant general manager. Also, Zalgiris signed the former NBA point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.

"He speaks a little bit French because his family is from Congo. But I remember his brother was speaking much better than him," Lauvergne smiled in an interview to BasketNews. "It's really funny to play with him again in Europe, in Zalgiris."

They were pick-and-roll partners six years ago. Lauvergne and Mudiay both played for the Denver Nuggets in season 2015-16.

Mudiay averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 assists per game in his NBA rookie season. Meanwhile, the sophomore Lauvergne added 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.

"Yes, we were not too bad, not too bad," Lauvergne laughed when he was asked about their on-court chemistry. "At that time, Denver was not so good (laughs). But I think our pick-and-roll connection will be even better (in Zalgiris)."

"I think he can help us a lot. He's definitely a good player. It's also his first experience in Europe, but I believe it's a good fit for him to come here. Because of his style and the style of the coaching staff. Mudiay is a good guy. He can be a big plus for sure."

Lauvergne came to an interview with a broad smile on his face.

It's not easy not to smile when you have Zalgiris veterans Paulius Jankunas, Arturas Milaknis, and Mantas Kalnietis joking next to you in the corner of the gym. French center found a connection with pillars of Zalgiris locker room the last year and calls them the team's heart.

It's also not easy to stop smiling after seeing your friends and fellow French NT teammates winning the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

"Their first game against Team USA really surprised everybody. They started it from there and did a great job," Lauvergne told BasketNews. "We have a lot of very good players, still for now and for the future. It's been like that for many years. French NT was one of the best teams in Europe for years. It seems like it's going to continue."

And it's definitely hard to stop smiling after coming back to the team where the basketball became a joy once again. Lauvergne went through a tough period but finally felt himself in Kaunas.

"To be honest, the last season was amazing. I didn't have the season in which I enjoyed playing basketball that much since my Partizan years. It was super nice," Lauvergne explained. "A lot depends on the results of the team, but also on how I'm working and how I'm proud of what I'm doing. I will give my best. Then we'll see if we're winning the same or even more than last year. If not, I will have to find a way to be happy anyway."

It was so good that midway through the season 2020-21 Lauvergne approached Zalgiris with the intention to sign an extension. His new contract runs through 2023.

Lauvergne averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in less than 21 minutes of the EuroLeague action. Zalgiris finished 11th after chasing the playoffs until the last moment.

Don't expect his level to drop since he worked out 4-5 times per week during the off-season. He came back ready for another EuroLeague campaign in great shape.

"I think we have a team to make the playoffs. But we also have a team to be far from reaching it. It will depend on how well we will fit together," Lauvergne said. "The front office did a great job again. The other problem is to change so many players every year. We could build on what we have done the last year, but this is not possible.

I think we have everything to have a good season again. We will work hard, and we will fight. It should be good. I'm super excited about this season, and I can't wait to see how good we're going to do."

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