By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
The France occupies an ever more important place in the NBA, and the French language too. Rayan Rupert practices it in the Blazers locker room, which clearly doesn’t go down well with some teammates. Paranoia reigns in Oregon.
Unsurprisingly, the Blazers are one of the worst teams in NBAthey who are still in full reconstruction. By recovering Scoot Henderson during the 2023 Draft, only two places behind Victor Wembanyama, the managers thought they were recruiting a leader capable of carrying the franchise in the long term… But with what he is showing at the moment, it will undoubtedly be necessary to review the plans.
The good news for French basketball is that young Rayan Rupert inherits some playing time in this slump. He spends an average of 11 minutes on the floor per game, for 4.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.7 steals. We will particularly highlight his great performance against the Thunder with his 14 points, a career record for the guard.
Rayan Rupert cash on the French language in the locker room
In Oregon, he had the chance to meet another French speaker in the person of Toumani Camara. The 24-year-old Belgian is now in the starting 5, and the two have a good relationship on and off the pitch. Passing by the microphone of Rémi Reverchon for beIN SportsRayan Rupert spoke about their agreement:
With Toumani we speak French, but especially on the pitch, so the opponents don’t understand us. Afterwards, when we speak French in the locker room, it can annoy some teammates a little because they don’t understand and they are afraid that we will talk over them. Most of the time, when we’re both together, it’s in French, and if there are people around in English. It feels good to speak French.
Speaking French in an NBA locker room is obviously not the best way to gain the trust of your teammates. In Portland, Rayan Rupert and Toumani Camara arouse the paranoia of Jerami Grant and company as soon as they use the language of Molière. Finally, in the future, the full-back wants to honor France on the pitch more than in the locker room:
I did some training before the Olympic Games with the selection. So the French team is a goal for me, the Euro is also in the back of my mind, even if for the moment I am focused on my season. I will do everything to be part of the teams in the coming summers. I hope Freddy Fauthoux wants to come to Portland to talk.
Having passed through the NBL before the Draft, Rayan Rupert has been an expatriate for several years now. Speaking French in the Blazers locker room makes him feel good, even if his teammates don’t all agree.
