At the end of October, the day of a victory against the Red Star of Belgrade, he had arrived like a hair in the soup in the Principality, coming to reinforce an already bloated workforce. A kind of luxury joker, used only for EuroLeague parties. And the first Monegasque weeks of Dwayne Bacon were not successful. Archetypal NBA player, very focused on the individual game, his discovery of Europe was not easy: particularly irregular, he seems to have been one of the first to get tired of Zvezdan Mitrovic’s speech.
But for him, as for many, the arrival of Sasa Obradovic changed everything. Having become an AS Monaco executive (only one evening below the 25-minute mark), he went from 10.6 points on average, under the Mitrovic era, to 14 since Obradovic took power. Above all, the Floridian has erased his inconstancy. He only missed once, certainly in the big widths (3 points at 1/6 and -2 evaluation in Berlin), and stands out as one of the most intriguing players in the whole of Europe. EuroLeague. In a style that clashes with the standards of continental competition, the man with 207 NBA appearances imposes his physical qualities to dominate anyone in one-on-one. Particularly valuable in the Roca Team’s rise to the Top 8, he comes out of a monstrous week with 21 points at 8/15 and 6 rebounds at Astroballe on Tuesday then 20 units at 8/16 and 6 rebounds in Saint Petersburg Thursday.
Of course, the collective dimension of the game may still seem to him an abstract concept (7 assists in total) but Dwayne Bacon had become so essential that the choice not to qualify him for Betclic ELITE was less and less tenable. In fact, the ASM has thus decided to award him his 16th and last LNB contract.
“From my point of view, there are several reasons”, explains Oleksiy Yefimov, the sporting director. “First, the player should know that we are counting on him in both competitions. Then it will be easier to stay in shape. It will also help us rest players who are overused, like Will Thomas for example. Finally, and above all, he has a very big talent and it would not be fair not to use it in our quest for the title. »
“Sometimes impressive to watch”
But this turnaround bears the mark of one man above all: Sasa Obradovic. Under the spell of his winger, the coach weighed his weight with his management in order to be able to rely on the former player of Charlotte and Orlando in Betclic ELITE. Asked after winning, the Belgradois could hardly be more rave about his protege, one of the strongest players on the continent in his eyes. The Monegasque game relying more and more on its ability to make a difference in isolation, it was now logical to play the LNB continuity card.
“I think it would have been such a shame for the French championship not to see someone like Dwayne Bacon. We are talking about one of the most dominant players in Europe in his position. He has such athletic qualities and with all the range of what he can do on the court, it is sometimes impressive to watch honestly. He has incredible qualities and he is really improving. He can shoot as well as use his body, as he is physical. I haven’t seen anyone able to stop him yet… Bigger matches will come, we’ll see the tactics that will be put in place against him, maybe more athletic players will consider his case. Especially since it’s not necessarily easy to help him since we have very good shooters nearby. In the last two games, we had excellent percentages, perhaps because the opposing teams were scared by the qualities of Mike James or Dwayne Bacon in one-on-one. Otherwise, he is still adjusting to our collective strategy, especially from a defensive point of view. He is improving in this area. In Saint Petersburg, for example, he did a very good job on the low-post. I can see he’s trying and he’s not being targeted as the worst defender. Better, when he wants, he can really be very good. »
Dwayne Bacon in civilian clothes for the French championship, it’s over
(photo : GPJ)
Either a nice puzzle in perspective for Germain Castano and Orléans who will be the first to face the phenomenon this Saturday in Betclic ÉLITE. And less migraines in sight for the Monegasque leaders concerning a possible change of workforce for the championship since the 16 contracts have been used. “We have enough players, I’m not worried about it,” sweeps Sasa Obradovic. And for good reason, the 16 professional players are all currently at his disposal. Sometimes disappointing in the first part of the season, one of the most impressive squads in the history of the championship is now in working order. And with an extra slice of Bacon, the objective is clear: overthrow ASVEL and offer AS Monaco the first title in its history.
