12 hours ago
‘Whole different ballgame': Hornets players share bond through French connection
Tidjane Salaun is a prime example of the rich pipeline that continues to bring the best of the best from Europe to the NBA -- the rising sophomore is one of two Frenchmen on the Charlotte Hornets roster, alongside Moussa Diabate.
Salaun and Diabate both grew up in Paris, and they even played for the same program, a few years apart. But they never actually met until they both signed with Charlotte.
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Diabate told Channel 9's DaShawn Brown he was only 14 when he moved to the United States.
'Personally for me, just how different people can be, culturally, the environment -- I think it's just a whole different ballgame,' Diabate said.
The 19-year-old Salaun spent summers in Texas for four years. Last summer, the Hornets drafted him sixth overall.
'I think the first time I saw him, we just started speaking in French. I was like, oh yeah, where are you from, you know, just regular stuff.'
It's the perfect time for the two worlds to converge now. The two Frenchmen, though a few years apart, are both critical pieces in the Hornets' future. Moussa was recently rewarded a multi-year deal from a two-way contract.
'That's something I really respect, to put in the effort, the work in ... just put in all the effort to be better, and that's what he does,' Salaun said.
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'When I see a guy like Tidjane, he has a routine, he knows what he's doing. You can just tell he has huge potential, and like I said, he plays hard. That's really the biggest talent in the NBA: hard-working players,' Diabate said.
Between their value on hard work, this bond is only strengthened by a taste of home.
'Paris is ... yeah, the food is fire, like not typical French food, you've got to go for the African food, something like tiep, it would be nice, you know,' the pair said.
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