Passing the Torch: Boris Diaw’s Success and his Mother’s Influence in French Basketball

By Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Sports journalist

A true legend of French basketball, Boris Diaw undoubtedly owes part of this success to his mother, who also had a brilliant career on the court. The ex-captain of the Blues also spoke about this unique handover.

Passion for basketball is regularly passed down through genes. The NBA is the perfect example, since many stars who have passed through its ranks grew up admiring the prowess of their basketball parents. This was particularly the case for Stephen Curry, but also Victor Wembanyama. Another French icon can also be placed in this category, namely Boris Diaw.

Boris Diaw cash on his mother’s basketball education

Raised in a single-parent family by his mother, Diaw was therefore logically inspired by her, which led him to the courts. Because before giving birth to her, the woman named Élisabeth Riffiod had no less than 247 caps for the French women’s team. However, she preferred to distance herself from the orange ball for the good of her son, as the latter recounted in an interview for TNT :

Boris Diaw: I never had the opportunity to see her play because she stopped her career when I was born. Truth be told, I’m the reason she stopped it.

Despite this radical life choice, the former kingpin did not seek to live through her son’s exploits. On the contrary, according to Babac’s statements about him in the columns of New York Times :

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That said, Riffiod did indeed pass on his love of basketball to the ex-captain of the Blues through somewhat unbalanced 1-vs-1s. She would also have known how to put an end to it early enough:

Boris Diaw: She beat me very easily when I was still little. But as soon as I started to grow up, get a little faster and found myself able to beat her, she stopped playing against me.

Full of clairvoyance, the President’s mother left him in the hands of his trainers before he took over her. A decision which in any case did not prevent her son from joining the NBA in 2003. A consecration that she had never actually considered, as she honestly admitted to Sports Illustrated :

Élisabeth Riffiod: I never saw that as a real goal for him. The NBA was so selective towards French players at the time, I didn’t dare imagine it.

After playing a significant role in his training, Boris Diaw’s mother knew how to let him stand on his own two feet at the right time. This, without putting any pressure on his shoulders, which undoubtedly contributed to his success.

2024-06-23 14:20:00
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