Sylvain Francisco: 'Spanoulis and I have the same mentality' / News - Basketnews.com

Peristeri Athens' star guard Sylvain Francisco shares with BasketNews the elements that make Vassilis Spanoulis the ideal coach for him, compares his current team to Manresa, names his career-best performance, and has no doubt about Victor Wembanyama's future.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Sylvain Francisco has been an undersized perimeter threat for every team facing Peristeri Athens this season. The French point guard crossed his country's borders last season when he made a splash with BAXI Manresa in Spain, reaching the Basketball Champions League title game against Lenovo Tenerife.

Free throws this season

72%15,1Points made:15,1Accuracy:72,3%Place in standings:10Record max:26Record min:11Most made FTs:Miro BilanTeamBCLStatisticsSchedule

The Catalan side came up short and was reduced to the runner-up spot, but Francisco, 24 at the time, had made his point.

Although his debut in European competitions had come way earlier, back in 2017-18 with Boulogne Levallois, the Frenchman flourished under coach Pedro Martinez. Francisco averaged 11.8 points and 3.2 assists in the BCL, becoming a steady force for the competition's surprise team.

That's when he registered what he's still calling his career-best game. It was on January 9, 2022, when the 1.78m guard scored 25 points in a 96-95 win over FC Barcelona.

Many would argue that Francisco managed to top that performance with a 33-point game against AEK Athens in the Greek Cup semis on Saturday afternoon. The 25-year-old caught fire in the closing quarter, scoring 11 straight points, and handed Peristeri a historic win and the chance to fight for their first title ever. Francisco went 8/12 from the field, and netted all 13 of his free throws, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists.

"I was really happy that my shots were falling and I was able to be aggressive on defense on the same team," he told BasketNews. "33 points? One of my best games, yes."

Francisco thinks Peristeri are going through its best timing after experiencing several ups and downs during the season, including a disappointing BCL finale.

"We lost in the BCL and didn't make it to the TOP 16, which was one of our main goals. But now, everyone's excited. We're all happy with the situation we're in and how the staff is working with us," he continues.

Sylvain Francisco

MIN:31.45PTS:16.22 (54.17%)REB:2.11As:5.78ST:1.78BL:0.22TO:3GM:9ProfileBCL2022/2023

We have many new players and our chemistry was weird at the beginning. We didn't play together for a long time. Since we've been working so hard, we deserve to be in the final."

Making a comparison between Manresa and Peristeri, the only similarity he can point to is how well he's been able to play with both teams.

"In terms of the season I had individually, you can say there's a connection. But as a team, Manresa were way better,' he argues.

"Of course, all teams are unique. For me, being at Peristeri is a different experience. You're playing in the ACB in Manresa, so it's a higher level."

That didn't affect Francisco's decision to move to Greece and join a team with a significantly lower budget than Manresa's. However, when Peristeri hired Vassilis Spanoulis, everything changed. The club's ambitions had to match those of the EuroLeague legend who had agreed to guide the squad.

"It's his first year as a coach," Francisco notes. "So, we all have the ambition to reach the playoffs and win as much as possible."

The Florida-born point guard is confident that Spanoulis, 40, is the right man in the right place for all the young players that aspire to take the next step in their careers- and Francisco falls under that category.

"Spanoulis is going to make us better for our next teams," he points out. "We don't know where we're going next. If we stay here, that's it. But if we don't, he thinks about our future as well- which is pretty good."

Francisco thinks Peristeri have assimilated Vassilis Spanoulis' winning character and philosophy that made him a standout among the European players' elite. So, what does it mean to be a player's coach in his case?

"I think Spanoulis and I have the same mentality. He gives me a lot of confidence. He knows the game so well as an ex-point guard that any time I ask him how and why I should or shouldn't do certain things, he's always there," Francisco reveals.

It's no secret that 'Kill Bill' is a demanding person, always starting with himself and then extending his perfectionism to his associates. There's no way his players could have been excluded from the list.

"Sometimes, he's going to yell at me because I'm not doing the right thing. But he's still encouraging you, like, 'You're not doing good, but keep doing the same thing. Don't worry about that.'

For me, that's special. He was one of the best players in Europe. Being coached by him is a big thing. I'm happy to be here, for real," Francisco admits.

Credit FIBA

One of the latest additions to the French national team has no doubt thatthis season bring him to a higher level.

"Of course, especially with Spanoulis. For me, it's another step to try to go somewhere where I can achieve my goals," he says.

Those goals are somewhat connected with his frequentvisits to the Peace and Friendship Stadium, where one of his close friends is playing.

"I've been watching a lot of EuroLeague games. I know Olympiacos have beaten Panathinaikos eleven times in a row since my guy Moustapha Fall went over there," Francisco accurately observes.

Whether a move to a EuroLeague team is on the cards remains to be seen, but for the remainder of February, Francisco has a dual task: competing in the Greek Cup final and helping France rack up two more wins in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.

To everyone's excitement, the top NBA prospect will also be there. Francisco has gone through Metropolitans 92 system and knows that the club's structure is ideal forVictor Wembanyama to grow and be ready for his overseas leap.

"He doesn't need to play 2-3 games a week. It's better to play one time. He's with one of the best coaches in Europe, Vincent Collet," he comments.

"I know Victor since he was 14 years old. Especially this past summer, he worked really hard. For me, he's going to be No.1 in the Draft. He's ready for the NBA," Peristeri's guard confirms the commonly held view.

And even though he goes on to say that it doesn't make any difference where Wembanyama will end up, Francisco is sure about one thing.

"People who're not going to pick him up, are going to regret it."

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