Latest news with #TidjaneSalaun
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tidjane Salaun's Grit Is Starting to Pay Off in Charlotte
Tidjane Salaun's Grit Is Starting to Pay Off in Charlotte originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season, Tidjane Salaun looked more like a long-term project than a polished NBA player. His rookie campaign was filled with multiple growing pains that included shooting slumps and defensive lapses that left many questioning if Charlotte's sixth overall pick was ready for the big stage. Now, just months later, the tone around the French forward is starting to shift. Advertisement 'He's working hard, working hard on his body,' Hornets assistant coach Chris Jent said. 'He's going to bring the intensity.' And that intensity is exactly what Charlotte fans have been desperate to see. Raw, But Not Done Statistically, Salaun's rookie season was a struggle. His 41.7% effective field goal percentage and 56% shooting at the rim ranked near the bottom of the league, according to Cleaning the Glass. His block and steal rates, which ranked in the fifth and 29th percentile respectively, did little to change the perception that he wasn't ready for NBA speed or strength. But Charlotte didn't draft Salaun for his rookie numbers, they drafted him for his ceiling. Advertisement Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) drives in as he is defended by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half at the Spectrum Center.@Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images A Summer of Transformation With a full offseason under head coach Charles Lee, Salaun is attacking the game, and his body differently. Focused on strength and conditioning work, defensive communication drills, and situational film study have become daily rituals. 'Tidjane just has to not want everything now,' Jent added. 'Let the game come to him.' It will be interesting to see if that message begins to resonate. Early reports from one-on-one workouts say Salaun has added noticeable upper-body strength, and continues to work on attacking the rim. There's still a long way to go, but the game no longer seems too fast for him. Advertisement The Long View What Hornets fans saw in 2024-25 was a young man thrown into chaos. With injuries to key rotation players and no clear system in place, Salaun was asked to do too much, too soon. Now, he's being developed the way he should have been from day one, with patience. The goal was never instant stardom. It was to mold a raw, fiery teenager into a two-way weapon. If this summer is any indication, that vision is still alive, and gaining momentum. Related: Charlotte Hornets Turn Heads with Offseason Moves This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement '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. (VIDEO: Charlotte Hornets unveil Black Excellence Jersey to honor community impact)
