LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

Player to watch : Thomas Heurtel

A member of the ‘golden generation’ of 2013, Thomas Heurtel returns to ASVEL four years after his first spell with the club. The multiple medallist with Les Bleus does, however, raise some questions. What is his true level following three seasons away from European competition (Zenit Saint Petersburg and then Leyma Coruña)?

For before leaving the continent, Thomas Heurtel was a benchmark in his position. At his peak, the point guard was ranked among the very best pick-and-roll players in the world of basketball. Whilst his physical condition is surely not what it once was, his talent remains very much intact. His basketball IQ, among the highest in the league, gives him a rare tactical flexibility.

Add to that his composure and outstanding leadership, and Thomas Heurtel is surely the X-factor for ASVEL in the 2025–2026 season.

Playing style

A former point guard, Pierric Poupet now brings his balanced approach to the game to the ASVEL dugout. In a context off the court that is not always easy to manage, he focuses above all on developing the team’s play. Promoted to head coach in early 2024, the Normandy native quickly made his mark on a Villeurbanne side in search of a true identity.

This style, characterised by composure, tactical precision and clear-headedness, strikes the perfect balance between experience and passion. With one of the oldest squads in the league, defensive discipline is paramount. Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, ASVEL consistently takes the time to build its attacks on a very solid collective foundation.

An approach that is as unconventional as it is effective in modern basketball.

Club history

It would be hard to imagine a more successful start. Founded in 1948 following the merger of Éveil sportif Sainte-Marie de La Guillotière in Lyon, ASVEL won its first French championship title the very following year. Better still, the club achieved back-to-back titles. This momentum continued into the 1950s with no fewer than five victories in seven finals contested. Under the presidency of Pierre Millet, the André Buffière generation also won two Federation Cups (1953 and 1957), before going through six consecutive trophy-less seasons.

In the midst of this barren spell, Raphaël de Barros took charge of the club and immediately recruited Alain Gilles in 1965. Under the leadership of a playmaker capable of averaging 25.5 points over a full season, ASVEL went on a winning streak. From 1964 to 1969, the Villeurbanne side won one trophy a year, claiming four league titles and two Federation Cups. This was followed by another back-to-back run, plus two further National 1 titles. But the Green Team’s 1970s were above all synonymous with Europe, with semi-final appearances in the Latin Cup (C4), the Korać Cup (C3) and, above all, the European Champions Cup (C1). This era of success came to an end in 1981, the year of their last league title before a drought lasting more than 20 years.

But the ‘Gilou Years’ didn’t stop there. With his influence on the court waning, Alain Gilles took on the role of player-coach from 1980 onwards. And whilst ASVEL may have been less prominent on the national stage, the Lyon side came very close to achieving a historic feat in Europe. After knocking out Den Bosch in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners’ Cup (C2), the Greens lost in the final to Scavolini Pesaro (111-99). Just a whisker away from a major achievement, the Auvergnats reached two further semi-finals of the Saporta Cup (C2), picking up the 1984 Federation Cup along the way. 

Twenty-three years after joining the club, ‘Gilou’ left Villeurbanne for good. This marked the start of a descent into the abyss unlike anything seen before. ASVEL narrowly avoided bankruptcy thanks to the takeover plan initiated by Marc Lefebvre and Francis Allimant in the early 1990s. Meanwhile, the first team continued to qualify for the play-offs without ever achieving a major triumph.

Once the storm had passed, ASVEL decided to focus on young talent to rebuild the team. Under the guidance of Greg Beugnot, Delaney Rudd and Ron Curry joined rising star Alain Digbeu in a Green Team brimming with enthusiasm. This initiative paid off, as by 1996, the Villeurbanne side were back in the Betclic ÉLITE finals, the semi-finals of the Korać Cup (C3) and won the Coupe de France. The Rhône-based team continued to make progress, as demonstrated by their run to the 1997 EuroLeague Final Four. 

The league title, however, slipped through their fingers, thanks to their nemesis Pau-Orthez. A run of bad luck that came to an end in 2002 with a 2-0 victory in a final they controlled from start to finish. Apart from a second-place finish in Pro A, for six years ASVEL chased trophies. The wait gave way to a clean sweep. From 2008 to 2015, the Villeurbanne side won one French Cup (2008), one league title (2009) and one Semaine des AS (2010).

Under the influence of Tony Parker – the club’s new majority shareholder – ASVEL returned to its former glory: four league titles coupled with two French Cups in seven years. But since 2023, the club has managed only three Betclic ÉLITE semi-finals, one Leaders Cup, and, most notably, no top-10 finishes in the EuroLeague for six consecutive seasons.

Spotlight : Tony Parker

In 2009, a very special shareholder acquired a 10% stake in ASVEL: none other than the greatest French basketball player in history, Tony Parker. Already the undisputed leader of the French national team and a two-time NBA champion with the Spurs, TP acquired a further 10% that same year before officially taking over as president in 2014.

Under his leadership, ASVEL returned to the forefront: a naming deal with LDLC, a return to the EuroLeague, the construction of the Tony Parker Adéquat Academy, and the move to the LDLC Arena… TP wanted to restore Villeurbanne to its former glory. An ambition that resulted in four French championships, but one devoid of any European success.

As both sporting and off-court problems mount, rumours suggest that Tony Parker wishes to sell his shares. This has been confirmed by the man himself, though the deal has not gone through for contractual reasons. The four-time NBA champion nevertheless remains determined to stay on as club president.

The Number : 21

That is the number of French championships won by ASVEL – a record in France.

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LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

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