Playing a basketball game on the hallowed grounds of tennis venue Roland Garros; having a world-famous rapper as a teammate; and the aspirations to be one of the best clubs in Europe. Those are just some of the highlights of Paris Basketball’s brief journey as a young club. And Dustin Sleva has been part of it all.

Sleva is captaining the 7DAYS EuroCup debutant from the French capital in this his fifth season with the club, which is also the club’s fifth season in existence.

"It's definitely exciting to see how the club grew through the five years that I have been here. My first game we might have had a hundred people in the stands and now we’re hoping to sell out an arena for 10,000 people,” said Sleva, referring to a new arena for 10,000 spectators that should open next year and is planned to be used in the 2024 Olympics. “It’s really something to take pride in.”

Paris Basketball is playing in France’s top league for just the second season. It made the jump from the second division in 2021 following its start in that league in 2018. The club has major aspirations of making noise on the European stage. It hired former NBA president of basketball operations David Kahn as president, has a new arena on the horizon and this season secured an invitation to the EuroCup.

"It's definitely exciting to see how the club grew through the five years that I have been here."

"To be a five-year-old club and get a EuroCup bid like this is exciting,” said Sleva, who signed with Paris out of college in the United States and has been there since.

Being in a metropolis such as Paris, club management has had to work hard to increase the team’s popularity among the city’s multi-faceted entertainment landscape - often mixing basketball with other areas of culture to help build a fanbase from scratch.

“You got so many people tugging at the attention in Paris. So to build something that people want to see is remarkable to do in a city like Paris,” Sleva said.

The marketing staff has come up with numerous ways to draw notice to the team, using fashion and a cool brand image on social media as well as a series of unusual events. Famous American rapper Sheck Wes, for example, played with the club in 2020-21 while it was in the second division. And on October 16, Paris hosted EuroLeague side AS Monaco for a French league game at the famed tennis venue Roland Gallos and 10,424 spectators saw Paris lose 95-91 at the home of the French Open.

“It was an amazing experience in front of a great crowd. To play in a historical stadium was an experience of itself. To play in the first-ever basketball game at Roland Garros is a memory that will be remembered forever by myself and my teammates,” Sleva said of the game played on the Philippe Chatrier court.

Paris’ home game against Monaco last season was also historic as the France League attendance record was broken with 8,117 fans coming out to Accor Arena for the contest.

"A lot of people are connecting with the brand that they're building and it continues to grow. That's a major role. That stuff matters because you're going to have higher budgets, you're going to have more money flowing in. You're going to have more visibility and that stuff is important because it makes the game more important and more intriguing to the younger generation,” Sleva said.

All of the work and effort to promote and push the club nearly went for naught last season as Paris was fighting against relegation in its first campaign in the top flight. The club had lost six of its last seven games and needed a win over third-placed Metropolitans 92 in the season finale to stave off relegation. Paris knocked off the local rival 81-65 on the road to secure another season in the top flight.

“Those last three months were probably the most stressful of my life, just trying to help the team in any way I can. I'm happy we got through it, happy about the pride we showed as a team,” Sleva remembered.

Everything turned out okay and now Sleva and Paris are making more history in the EuroCup - with higher goals and aspirations for the future, certainly with more special events as well.

Team captain Sleva has seen it all with Paris Basketball

It will be a battle between two historic names in the 7DAYS EuroCup on Wednesday when Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (0-2) hosts Joventut Badalona (1-1) for a Group A showdown that has its protagonists in a place that few expected.

Cedevita is last in the group having lost its two games this season, the last at U-BT Cluj-Napoca 94-76. Josh Adams, Alen Omic and Aaron Harrison combined for 57 points, but it was not enough for the team to escape Romania with a win. Despite a win in the opener, Joventut fell in Round 2 at Frutti Extra Bursaspor, 81-72. Ante Tomic and Kyle Guy led the losing effort in which 17 turnovers were too big a burden to carry for Joventut.

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Cedevita will need to regroup in order to get its first win of the season. The team seems to be handling the ball well (it has the third-best turnover mark in the league), but it will need better shot selection from the field if it wants to have a chance to win against one of the powerhouses of the competition. The visitors will land in Ljubljana eager to bounce back, but the hosts are a title contender with two losses already. Joventut will have to watch for turnovers and free-throw percentage, which always needs to be in order in case of close finishes.

Cedevita, Joventut want to win again

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v Joventut Badalona (2022-10-26T17:30:00.000Z)

Veolia Towers Hamburg will try for its first home win of the season when it meets winless Slask Wroclaw on Tuesday. After beating Buducnost VOLI Podgorica on the road on opening night, Hamburg fell 83-88 at home to Turk Telekom Ankara in Round 2 in a game that it led through three quarters. Marvin Clark sank 5 three-pointers and scored a team-high 23 points in that game. He is joined by James Woodard (13 ppg.) and Lukas Meisner (11.5 ppg.) as Hamburg’s top scorers this season while Kendale McCullum (9.5 ppg., 8.5 apg.) is second in the EuroCup in assists.

Slask (0-2) led for most of the first three quarters on the road at Gran Canaria in Round 1 before tiring and losing 92-81, but last week it suffered a 58-98 thrashing at the hands of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica that it will try to bounce back from. Guards Jeremiah Martin (16 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and sixth man Lukasz Kolenda (14 ppg.) have been Slask’s most productive players this season.

Three-point shooting is certain to be among the keys to this game as Hamburg leads the EuroCup at 53.5% while Slask is last at 21.9%. The visitors must raise their number and contain Hamburg to have a chance at the road win. Hamburg’s 17.5 turnovers per game are the most in the competition and Coach Raoel Korner’s men need to reduce that number to improve their chances. These teams split home games against each other last season.

Towers and Slask duel for second straight season

Veolia Towers Hamburg v Slask Wroclaw (2022-10-25T17:30:00.000Z)

In a showdown between teams in good spirits, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica takes on Promitheas Patras on Tuesday in the Montenegrin capital. Buducnost (1-1) shattered a host of club records in last week’s 58-98 rout of Slask Wroclaw. Cam Reynolds led the way with 21 points and center Alpha Kaba added 17. It was a good bounce-back performance for both players and the team after losing at home to Veolia Towers Hamburg on opening night.

Promitheas (2-0) is tied for the lead in Group B after holding off Gran Canaria 93-82 in Round 2. Joe Young, who erupted for 34 points last week, leads the competition in scoring with 27 points per game and Arnoldas Kulboka (14.5 ppg., 10 rpg.) is tied for fourth in rebounding.

Buducnost has allowed the fewest points in the EuroCup this season, 65.5 per game, and has dominated the glass by outrebounding opponents by 15.5 per game. Promitheas is one of the hottest shooting teams in the EuroCup; it leads the competition in scoring (91 ppg.) and is third in three-point accuracy. However, it has been outrebounded by 6.5 per game. While Buducnost has committed the second-most turnovers in the EuroCup with 17 per game, Promitheas’s 10.5 are the best in the EuroCup. All those numbers paint the picture of an interesting matchup in Round 3. 

It’s defense vs. offense when Buducnost faces Promitheas

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica v Promitheas Patras (2022-10-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Fresh off its maiden victory in the 7DAYS EuroCup, U-BT Cluj-Napoca will try to make it two in a row when it hosts Umana Reyer Venice in the Round 3 opener on Tuesday. Cluj (1-1) upended Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 94-76 last week behind 24 points from Stefan Bircevic. After nearly beating Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse on opening night, Cluj is off to a fine start in its first season in the competition. Leonardo Meindl (19 ppg., 9 rpg.), Bircevic (18 ppg.) and Karel Guzman (14 ppg.) have been its leaders thus far.

Reyer (0-2) has lost its two games by a total of 7 points and Coach Walter De Raffaele will try to get his charges back on track quickly. Veteran center Mitchell Watt (14.5 ppg., 6 rpg. 2.5 bpg.) and point guard Jayson Granger (11.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.) have been its top performers through two games, while veterans Allerik Freeman (11 ppg.) and Derek Willis continue to adapt. 

Play in the paint could prove decisive in this game, especially with both teams ranking in the bottom half of the EuroCup in three-point accuracy. While Cluj is second among all teams in two-point shooting (61.0%), no one has blocked more shots than Reyer (4.5 bpg.). While Cluj is among the leaders in rebounding (40.5 rpg.), Reyer is third from the bottom (31 rpg.). 

Round 3 begins in Romania where Cluj meets Reyer

U-BT Cluj-Napoca v Umana Reyer Venice (2022-10-25T16:00:00.000Z)

Dolomiti Energia Trento will seek its first win of the season when it hosts Paris Basketball on Tuesday at BLM Group Arena. Trento (0-2) comes off a narrow loss at London Lions where it led for most of the first three quarters before faltering late. Diego Flaccadori (15.5 ppg., 6.0 apg.) and Drew Crawford (15 ppg., 4.5 rpg.) have been Trento’s top performers thus far. While the team has shot well from deep, making 43.1% of its three-point attempts, its 41.2% two-point shooting is last in the competition and must be improved to get on the winning track. 

Paris (1-0) led by as many as 9 in the first quarter before seeing Hapoel Tel Aviv pull away to win 86-100 in the French capital in Round 2. Six players are averaging double figures in scoring so far for Paris led by Kyle Allman (18.5 ppg.) and Tyrone Wallace (15.5 ppg.), while Ismael Kamagate (10 ppg., 8.5 rpg., 3.5 bpg.) has been a force in the paint. Paris has struggled on defense where its 87.5 points per game are fourth-most in the EuroCup this season. 

While it will be imperative for Trento’s Darion Atkins and co. to contain Kamagate, the key matchup in this game could be between combo guards Flaccadori and Allman to control the pace in what promises to be an entertaining game. 

Trento hosts Paris seeking first win

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Paris Basketball (2022-10-25T18:00:00.000Z)

Turk Telekom Ankara will try to make it two wins in a row when it hosts group co-leader Hapoel Tel Aviv on Wednesday evening. Turk Telekom (1-1) blew an early lead at home in losing on opening night before bouncing back with an 83-88 road win at Veolia Hamburg Towers last week behind 25 points from Tony Taylor. Small forward Axel Bouteille (17 ppg.) and center Tyrique Jones (12.5 ppg., 10.5 rpg.) have been the team’s top performers thus far.

Hapoel (2-0) has won its first two games ever in the competition against fellow newcomers London Lions and Paris Basketball and now will face a more-experienced club for the first time. Round 2 co-MVP J’Covan Brown (20 ppg., 9 apg.) sat out of the Israeli League Cup final on Sunday with a sprained ankle and is questionable for this game. Without him, Xavier Munford (11 ppg.) and Bar Timor will have to step up in the backcourt while Chris Horton (12.5 rpg.) and Tomer Ginat (10 ppg.) carry the frontcourt.  

Hapoel has committed the fewest turnovers (10.5 per game) and dished the most assists (20.5 apg.) in the EuroCup this season, grabbed the second most rebounds (46 rpg.) and scored the third-most points (88 ppg.). Those are all areas where Turk Telekom will have to challenge Hapoel while making the most of its home-court advantage if it’s to celebrate a home win for the first time this season.

Turk Telekom hosts Group co-leader Hapoel 

Turk Telekom Ankara v Hapoel Tel Aviv (2022-10-26T17:00:00.000Z)

Group A co-leader Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse will look to keep its hit start going when it faces 7Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys, which is coming off its first win. Bourg (2-0), which held off U-BT Cluj-Napoca in its opener and outlasted Umana Reyer Venice on the road last week, is off to its best-ever start in a EuroCup campaign. Two big reasons for Bourg’s strong start are James Palmer (16.5 ppg., 3.5 spg.) and Isiaha Mike (13.5 ppg., 5.5 rpg.). 

Lietkabelis (1-1) won its home opener last week against ratiopharm Ulm after losing in Round 1 at Promotey Slobozhanske. Coach Nenad Canak’s squad has employed a balanced attack with 7 players averaging at least 7 points per game. Sixth-man Kristian Kullamae (12.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and big man Gabrielius Maldunas (9 ppg., 7 rpg.) have been among Lietkabelis’s top performers so far. 

While Lietkabelis leads the EuroCup in two-point shooting accuracy at 62.3%, it is among the worst three-point shooting teams in the competition (25.5%). Bourg’s 45.2% shooting from behind the arc is the fourth-best this season, though Lietkabelis has held its opponents to a EuroCup-low 21.6% shooting on threes. Three-point shooting could become a deciding factor in this game. 

Bourg looks to keep up hot start when it faces Lietkabelis

Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse v 7Bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys (2022-10-26T17:30:00.000Z)

The early game on Wednesday will see Promotey Slobozhanske take on Group A leader Frutti Extra Bursaspor at Arena Riga in the capital of Latvia. Promotey (1-1) handled 7Bet Lietkabelis Panevezys in its home opener in Round 1 but had a rough time in Italy last week where it fell to Grmani Brescia 104-70. DJ Stephens (14 ppg., 9 rpg.) has stood out for Prometey so far alongside Caleb Agada (13 ppg., 5 apg., 2.5 apg.) and Gian Clavell (13 ppg.). 

Bursaspor (1-1) has fended off some injuries to start the season on the right foot with victories over Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and Joventut Badalona. Help is on the way with the signing of swingman Sindarius Thornwell last week. Onuralp Bitim (17 ppg.), Derek Needham (16 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and Yigitcan Saybir (15 ppg., 5.5 rpg.) have shouldered much of the weight so far this season and Ahmet Duveriolgu (9 ppg., 8 rpg.) has been a force in the paint. 

Among the deciding factors in this game could be Promotey’s three-point shooting and Bursaspor’s rebounding. Promotey is shooting 23.7% from downtown, which is the second-lowest in the EuroCup, and it will need to do better against a Bursaspor defense that has allowed just 72.5 points per game. Bursaspor has outrebounded its opponents by 7 per game so far and Promotey has been outrebounded 6.5; if that trend continues it bodes well for the visitors. 

Promotey and unbeaten Bursaspor to clash in Riga 

Prometey Slobozhanske v Frutti Extra Bursaspor (2022-10-26T16:00:00.000Z)