Michael Young, ‘the arm of God’, who secured Europe for CSP Limoges

Published on July 1, 2026 7 min. reading

There are American reinforcements who spend a season here, cash their cheque and leave without a trace. Michael Young, however, has written an entire chapter in the history of French basketball. Having arrived in Limoges after narrowly missing out on college glory in Houston, this left-handed forward with a silky shot became the driving force behind the greatest achievement ever by a French club. European champion in 1993, an elite scorer, the darling of the Beaublanc: here’s why a lad from Texas is a legend in Limoges.

Discover Paris Basketball

Michael Young’s career : from Houston to the top of Europe

Houston and ‘Phi Slama Jama’ : college glory without the title

Michael Young was born on 2 January 1961 in Houston, Texas. It was in his home city that he made a name for himself in university basketball, playing for the Houston Cougars (1980–1984).

And not just any team. Young was part of the legendary “Phi Slama Jama”, the dunking fraternity that boasted two future NBA Hall of Famers: Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. A spectacle-making machine, feared throughout the NCAA.

Fate, however, was cruel. Houston reached three consecutive Final Fours, but never clinched the title. In 1983, they lost the final 54–52 to NC State thanks to a last-second dunk by Lorenzo Charles. In 1984, it was Georgetown and Patrick Ewing who stood in their way. So close to the top, yet never quite there. A frustration that Young would eventually overcome elsewhere.

His time in the NBA and Europe : years of wandering

Drafted in 1984 as the 24th overall pick by the Boston Celtics, Young never managed to establish himself in the NBA for any length of time. Sources mention brief spells (Phoenix, Philadelphia, the Clippers in 1989–90) and a detour via the CBA, where he was named MVP. The talent was there, but a place in the NBA was not.

Europe then became his playground. He played in Spain and, most notably, in Italy, for Viola Reggio di Calabria. It was there that a French club came calling. The right club, at the right time.

Limoges : the top scorer of a European dynasty

In 1992, Michael Young joined CSP Limoges, then a powerhouse of European basketball, managed by the Yugoslavian maestro Bozidar Maljkovic. Alongside the French players Jim Bilba and Richard Dacoury, he immediately became the team’s number one offensive weapon.

The evidence was undeniable: Young was Limoges’ top scorer and one of the very best in the French league, with a standout season averaging 20.7 points (the league’s third-highest scorer) and a three-point shooting percentage of around 44 per cent. A left-hander with a pure shot, capable of scoring from anywhere, and with unshakeable confidence.

The peak came quickly. Very quickly.

Limoges 1993 : European champions – the feat of the century

On 15 April 1993, in the final of the European Champions Cup (the predecessor to the EuroLeague), CSP Limoges defeated Benetton Treviso 59-55.

Young was instrumental: 18 points and 7 rebounds in 35 minutes. A few days earlier, in the semi-final, he had already scored 20 points against Real Madrid. It was the first – and still the only – major European title won by a French club. A feat regularly cited as one of the greatest in the history of French sport.

In the wake of this, Limoges went on to win the 1993 French championship. Young was voted the league’s foreign MVP. A perfect season.

A long period of dominance, followed by an abrupt end

The CSP’s success didn’t stop there. Young did it again in 1994: a second French league title and a second consecutive Foreign MVP award. On the continental stage, he reached new scoring heights, averaging over 23 points per game in the Euroleague (1994) and establishing himself as one of the continent’s very best scorers.

The machine ground to a halt due to injury. A knee ligament injury brought his career to an abrupt end in the mid-1990s. His time in Limoges came to an end, but the mark he left behind is indelible.

Life after a career : back to his Texan roots

Once he’d retired from the court, Young returned home. He became involved with his alma mater, the University of Houston, where his shirt was retired (December 2007) – a tribute to one of the greatest Cougars in history. Later, he can be found on the Texas bench. He is also the father of Joseph Young, who played for the Oregon Ducks and in the NBA. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Michael Young’s playing style: a pure left-handed scorer

Let’s be frank: Young was a scorer, a proper one. Not a low-key role player, not a defender working behind the scenes. A man whose job was to put the ball in the basket, and who did it better than almost anyone else in France.

His trademark? A left-handed shot of rare purity, reliable from both long range and mid-range. A long-range accuracy of around 44 per cent made him a nightmare to defend against. The nickname ‘Arm of God’ was by no means undeserved.

But to reduce him to just his shooting would be unfair. Young was also a strong rebounder – averaging around 5.9 rebounds per game, Limoges’ top rebounder – and a ball-stealer, with his defensive output (nearly 1.8 steals per game) rounding off the picture. A complete forward, not just a one-trick pony.

The right word to describe him? An elite scorer with unshakeable confidence. The sort of player who wants the ball in crunch time. Limoges needed him. Limoges got him.

Closer to the game…

Closer to the light !

Why Michael Young left his mark on French basketball

Because he was at the heart of the greatest achievement ever by a French club. Limoges’ European triumph in 1993 remains, to this day, the only major continental title won by a French club. Young was the top scorer, proving decisive in the final. For that alone, his name is etched in history.

Because he redefined what an American could be in France. Not a passing mercenary, but a leader who settled in, who carried a team over the long term, who won. Three full seasons, two national titles, two Foreign MVP awards: Young set the standard.

And because he symbolises Limoges’ golden age. Alongside Bilba and Dacoury, he turned the Beaublanc into a cauldron feared throughout Europe. French basketball had long lived in the shadow of Italy, Spain and Yugoslavia. For a spring in 1993, thanks to men like Young, it reigned supreme. It is moments like these that take a sport into a whole new dimension.

Michael Young’s statistics, honours and achievements

It remains difficult to compile entirely reliable individual statistics for a player from the 1990s. Here, we have prioritised verifiable achievements and dated records, whilst noting where figures require confirmation from the archives.

Career highlights

– Date of birth : 2 January 1961, Houston (Texas)

– Position / height : Small forward, approx. 2.00 m

– University : Houston Cougars (1980–1984), “Phi Slama Jama”

– NBA Draft : 1984, 24th pick, Boston Celtics

– Arrived in Limoges : 1992

– End of career : mid-1990s (knee ligament injury)

Key statistics

– Points per game: 20.7 = 3rd-highest scorer in the French league (reference season)

– 3-point shooting accuracy: ~44% = reference season at Limoges

– Rebounds per game: 5.9 = Limoges’ top rebounder

– Steals per game: ~1.8 = amongst the best in the league

– EuroLeague scoring: ~23 pts/game (1994) = amongst the continent’s top scorers

– 1993 EuroLeague Final: 18 pts, 7 rbds (35 mins) = 59–55 victory over Benetton Treviso

– 1993 EuroLeague semi-final: 20 pts = vs Real Madrid

Club honours and awards

– Retired shirt : No. 42 with the University of Houston = 2007

– European Champions Cup (EuroLeague) : European Champion with Limoges CSP = 1993

– French Championship : Champion with Limoges CSP = 1993 and 1994

– French League Foreign MVP : Awarded whilst at Limoges CSP = 1993 and 1994

– French Cup (Robert Busnel) : Winner with Limoges CSP = 1990s (exact years to be confirmed)

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par DAZN France (@daznfr)

Article by alexis gallot

Latest items

Joueuse de légende

Buy tickets