Nancy

SLUC Nancy Basket

	Foundation	1967
	Arena	Palais des sports Jean-Weille
	Championships	Betclic ÉLITE
	Coach	Sylvain Lautié
	Famous players who have played for the club	Nicolas Batum / Florent Piétrus / Tariq Kirksay

Player to watch : Landers Nolley II

Virtually unknown in France just a few months ago, Landers Nolley II is now emerging as one of the top dark horses in the race for MVP. The former Virginia Tech standout made his mark during the preseason. And yet, this NCAA standout (averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 2022–2023) has had a rather unique career path.

He played in the G-League, then in Venezuela, before moving on to Greece, Lebanon, and finally Taiwan – all in a single season! Landers Nolley II arrives in Nancy with the goal of establishing himself permanently on the European scene. Like any good wing player, the American has a more than reliable shot from beyond the arc. But to limit him to just that would be a mistake. A natural swingman, handling the ball and even creating plays is no problem for him. His excellent court vision, combined with his physicality, is the source of his versatility both with and without the ball.

At 25, Landers Nolley II is still just at the beginning of his career.

Playing Style

Pragmatism and teamwork are the order of the day in Nancy. Former SLUC player Sylvain Lautié took over as head coach in 2021 after leading three teams to the First Division. It’s a winning formula, replicated step by step with the Cougars.

On defense, Nancy favors a zone defense that is as structured as it is demanding. Their main anchor is a physical interior presence designed to dominate the paint. And once they regain possession, the Cougars launch lightning-fast fast breaks. In set plays, individual heroics take a backseat to the execution of team plays. A fluid style of play that supports the tactical flexibility championed by Sylvain Lautié.

Club history

Thanks to its merger with ‘Vaillante Saint Fiacre’ in 1967, Stade Lorrain Université Club Nancy Basket did not begin its history in the lower reaches of the regional leagues. The club quickly left its ‘university’ roots behind to enter the professional world. And just four years after its creation, the Nancy side was competing in the top flight of French basketball. This meteoric rise soon came to a halt. The year 1974 marked the beginning of the end for the Cougars.

Having climbed too high too fast, Nancy suffered a brutal fall. Eventually, under the presidency of the legendary Jean-Jacques Eisenbach, SLUC gradually climbed back up. In 1985, the club returned to Division 2, then broke into the top four in the late 1990s, before winning the championship in 1994. Olivier Veyrat’s side struggled to build on this success, hampered by significant squad issues. But the Lorraine side managed to stay up and even reached the LNB play-offs in 1996 under Hervé Dubuisson. A fine season that earned them a ticket to Europe.

From 1987 to 2001, Nancy cemented its reputation with three league play-off appearances, alongside a place in the 1997 Coupe de France final against ASVEL (67–58). At the same time, the club performed well on the continental stage. This steady progress was rewarded one spring evening in 2002 with victory in the Korac Cup (C3) final against Lokomotiv Rostov (98-72/74-95). As well as winning the final edition of this legendary competition, the Cougars lifted the first major trophy in their history.

This rise continued with the arrival of Christian France as head coach. Nancy won its first national trophy at the 2005 Semaine des AS before reaching its first Pro A finals. This marked the start of a disappointing run of three lost French championship finals. Their debut in the EuroCup (C2), though encouraging, did little to ease the accumulated frustration. But fourth time’s the charm! After knocking out ASVEL in Game 5, SLUC dominated Roanne and finally lifted the Pro A title in 2008.

In the following EuroLeague (C1) campaign, the Cougars narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Top 16 in the ‘Group of Death’. Back in France, the Nancy machine continued to run smoothly, reaching the 2009 French Cup final and the semi-finals of the play-offs. A transitional year followed before the surprise season. Finishing second in the regular season, Nancy defied all the odds and reached the final. With three seconds remaining, John Linehan sank the winning basket against Cholet (76-74), securing second place in Pro A for SLUC.

Back in the EuroLeague (C1), Nancy once again missed out on the Top 16 despite having Nicolas Batum in the squad. It was a season in which Jean-Luc Monschau’s men were fighting for survival! Fortunately, the emergence at the highest level of the Falker-Piétrus centre duo put Nancy back in the title race. Semi-finals in 2014 – semi-finals in 2015 – 16th in 2016… and relegation in 2017.

Having only just been relegated to Pro B, SLUC set their sights on promotion. Having fallen just short in their first season in the second tier, Nancy got their 2018–2019 campaign off to a flying start. But a cruel buzzer-beater dashed Nancy’s hopes. It was a devastating elimination that the club struggled to come to terms with. On the brink of disappearing, the Cougars bounce back once and for all in 2022. Thanks to a massive run of 13 consecutive wins, the Lorraine side return to the top flight, five years after leaving it.

Although Nancy only just managed to stay up in 2023, the team continued to improve. With two consecutive play-in qualifications, SLUC is gradually regaining the status it enjoyed over the past decade.

palmarès

	Korać Cup	2002
	French Champion	2010
	AS Week	2005

Spotlight : SLUC E-Gaming

Nancy also has a foothold… in the NBA! Indeed, the Cougars have an esports division called ‘SLUC E-Gaming’, dedicated to the game NBA 2K. Their squad is particularly strong. They actively participate in the biggest regional, national and even continental tournaments. Through this initiative, SLUC aims to fly the flag for the Nancy club at the very highest level of NBA 2K virtual competition.