From the NBA to Paris : Maxime Lefèvre appointed head coach

Between the NBA and Paris, inspiration now flows both ways.

It’s the story we’ve written. And the one we continue to write together.

Today, that journey reaches another major milestone as Paris Basketball continues to build for the future.

Following the departures of Tuomas Iisalo to the Memphis Grizzlies and Tiago Splitter to the Chicago Bulls, Paris Basketball is proud to announce the appointment of Maxime Lefèvre as its new Head Coach, effective Wednesday, July 22.

At just 39 years old, Lefèvre—who spent the past seven seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves—is set to embark on his first head coaching role, a challenge that perfectly matches both his career path and his immense potential.

Widely regarded as one of the brightest basketball minds within the Timberwolves organization, the native of Lorraine has established himself as one of the most promising young coaches in world basketball. Coach Lefèvre also worked closely with four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert as his personal player development coach.

Pierric Poupet Joins as Associate Head Coach

Fresh off a French league runner-up finish, Paris Basketball remains committed to its philosophy of identifying and developing elite coaching talent before it becomes internationally recognized.

Just as it previously entrusted Julius Thomas —who became the youngest head coach in EuroLeague history—the club once again places its faith in youth, innovation, and excellence.

At Paris Basketball, age has never defined opportunity. What matters is talent, vision, leadership, and an unwavering work ethic—qualities that everyone associates with Maxime Lefèvre.

“Max is one of the most promising young basketball coaches I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” said Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch. “He has a tremendous ability to build strong, trusting relationships with both players and staff. He is a true student of the game, constantly seeking new ideas while understanding the importance of basketball fundamentals. We’re thrilled for him and for this outstanding opportunity, and we’re confident Paris Basketball has found another coaching success.”

Lefèvre will be joined by Pierric Poupet (42) as Associate Head Coach. His extensive experience and deep knowledge of both the Betclic ELITE and the EuroLeague will be invaluable as the club enters this new chapter. Bienvenu Kindoki and Giovanni Spessotto complete the coaching staff.

These appointments once again reflect Paris Basketball’s ambition: to build a forward-looking organization capable of attracting the world’s best coaching talent and establishing Paris as a global basketball destination.

Maxime Lefèvre, Head Coach

“Joining Paris Basketball was an easy decision. From my very first conversation with the club, I felt we shared the same vision—both on and off the court. There are very few opportunities that would have convinced me to leave the NBA, and Paris Basketball was at the very top of that list.

In such a short period of time, the club has established itself as one of the most exciting, innovative, and ambitious projects in European basketball. I’m honored to have the opportunity to build upon the strong foundations that have already been laid.

As soon as this opportunity became real, Pierric was the first person who came to mind. He is universally respected as one of Europe’s top coaches. He understands the game from every perspective—as a player, a highly respected assistant coach, and a head coach. He also brings invaluable knowledge of both the Betclic ELITE and the EuroLeague.

Most importantly, every person I spoke with told me the same thing: he is an exceptional human being. I immediately knew he would be the perfect complement for both me and our coaching staff, and I’m delighted we were able to convince him to join us.”

Pierric Poupet, Associate Head Coach

“Paris Basketball is an ambitious club whose expertise is now widely recognized. Becoming part of this organization and contributing to its success at the highest level of European basketball is an exciting and rewarding challenge—one that I am proud to embrace alongside Max and the rest of the coaching staff.”

David Kahn, President of Paris Basketball

“After an extensive and thorough search, I am convinced we have found the ideal candidate in Maxime Lefèvre. He represents the new generation of French coaches and has experienced the game at every level, from the NCAA to the NBA, with the exception of serving as a head coach.

I have the same conviction I had when we hired Tiago Splitter: Max is ready to become a head coach. His basketball intelligence, humility, and ability to build relationships with both players and coaches make him uniquely qualified for this opportunity. I have complete confidence that he is ready for this challenge.”

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