Top 10 all-time best players in the French basketball league

In over 100 years of history, the French basketball championship has been home to a plethora of talent. From Robert Busnel to Nadir Hifi and Tony Parker, it is difficult to rank players across generations.

However, as with the EuroLeague, we will attempt to answer this existential question of who is the GOAT based on five criteria listed in order of importance: impact on the game, presence in big moments, intrinsic talent, leadership and statistics.

10) Ed Murphy : The forward is an anomaly in the French championship landscape. His arrival at Limoges CSP in 1981 was synonymous with a tidal wave never before seen for a foreign player. So yes, we’re only talking about four seasons… but what seasons! He was the top scorer every time with an average of 34.1 points, accompanied by three National 1 titles and three foreign MVP awards (co-holder of this record). Ahead of his time, his scoring talent, his shooting, his timing, his off-ball play… Once he got going, it was simple: no one could stop him. A few more years in France and he would have been in the Top 5 of this ranking.

9) John Linehan : A defensive stalwart, John Linehan is your favourite scorer’s worst nightmare. The highest-ranked foreign player in this ranking, the guard is surely the best off-ball player in the history of our league. And unlike most Americans, he has maintained an elite level of performance throughout his nine seasons in France. John Linehan has one MVP award from the 2011 finals, two championships with two different teams (Cholet and Nancy), but above all, three DPOY awards. His track record perfectly reflects his style of play, characterised by speed, intensity and a knack for positioning, which is the source of his series of interceptions. Add to that his outstanding leadership, and only his lack of offensive responsibility keeps him from a higher ranking than this impressive ninth place.

8) Laurent Sciarra : Some would call him a virtuoso, others the ideal playmaker. In reality, Laurent Sciarra is all of these things at once. It’s hard to be more complete offensively when you’re in the Top 30 of the league’s most prolific scorers, rebounders and passers. And among all these skills, the point guard particularly excelled at distributing caviar, as evidenced by his all-time record for assists in the championship (2,894). Eight times named best player in the league, the Nice native also has two MVP titles to his name. A popcorn player par excellence, his single championship win in 1997 nevertheless works against him at such a high level.

7) Cyril Julian : When power meets… power, you get Cyril Julian! With three MVP titles and three championships under his belt, Mr Double-Double was the boss of all the rackets in the territory. No matter the opposition, the centre dominated. He was capable of securing a rebound or letting loose with a big dunk before finishing cleanly on the other side of the court. He could force his opponents into fouls with his wingspan and then turn into a passer after setting a big screen. Few centres are as complete as the Tarnais native. Here too, however, his rather timid shooting and lack of real offensive responsibility weigh heavily in the balance.

6) Laurent Foirest : Winning again and again. That’s how you could sum up the career of the man who won six championships with three different clubs: Laurent Foirest. An achievement accomplished by only three other players. This collective record alone illustrates the leadership skills of the combo guard. With his Olympian calm, the Marseille native knew how to keep a cool head in heated moments. Renowned for his versatility, his basketball IQ allowed him to play point guard, drive as a shooting guard and shoot superbly as a small forward. All this while being a serious defender capable of adapting to opposing match-ups. However, the two-time MVP finds himself on the edge of the Top 5 due to increased competition.

5) Antoine Rigaudeau : Few players have dominated the French league as much as he did. With five MVP titles in six seasons (an all-time record), no one could contain Antoine Rigaudeau in the 1990s. A legend of Les Bleus, ‘Le Roi’ is surely the most complete point guard of his generation. With the ball in his hands, the Choletais player could do it all: dunk, drive, distribute, create, organise… And he always did it with his elegant and unique style. French champion in 1996, Antoine Rigaudeau chose to continue his exploits on the other side of the Alps after 10 seasons in the top flight. The point guard is more of a legend in European basketball than in French basketball. A few more seasons in France, and the podium would have been his.

4) Jim Bilba : Having played for the biggest teams in the country (Cholet, Limoges and ASVEL), Jim Bilba dominated the league for nearly 18 seasons, punctuated by 12 All-Star Games. This tactically flexible forward enjoyed an impressive longevity. No matter how he was used, he performed well almost every time thanks to his very high base stats. He combined intense defence, rebounding, accurate passing and clutch play. The only player to have won two MVP awards and one DPOY award, Jim Bilba nevertheless has a negative record in championship finals (two wins in six attempts).

3) Hervé Dubuisson : He revolutionised Pro A with his scoring prowess. Officially the second highest scorer in the history of the championship, but unofficially the highest (official statistics only begin from the 1982–1983 season), Hervé Dubuisson is the first great French three-point scorer. ‘The finest pure striker French basketball has ever seen,’ according to Jacques Monclar, he has eight league scoring titles to his name. But it would be a mistake to sum up the guard’s talent solely in terms of scoring. Hervé Dubuisson is also in the Top 30 of the league’s best passers (969), proof of his high-level playmaking skills. However, the two Nationale 1 titles won by the 1984 MVP contrast with his talent.

2) Stéphane Ostrowski : Here he is, our all-time leading scorer (9,348) and rebounder (3,623)! Wherever he played, Stéphane Ostrowski established himself as an indispensable member of the starting five, from Limoges to Cholet via Le Mans. The highest-ranked interior player in this ranking, the eight-time All-Star and four-time MVP has victory in his blood. At the same time, it’s hard to be more complete. In addition to excelling in scoring and rebounding, Ostro is among the top five most prolific passers in the league (1,658). A power forward capable of playing centre, his physical strength and reading of the game also allowed him to reign supreme in the paint. His individual performances served the team well, as evidenced by his four championships. But as in our EuroLeague ranking, in the end it is offensive creativity that counts.

1) Alain Gilles : The most important thing in basketball is winning. And in that game, Alain Gilles is undisputedly the best. With eight titles under his belt playing for ASVEL, ‘Mr Basket’ has the most championships to his name. A key player in Villeurbanne’s golden generation, the point guard could rack up seasons with an average of over 25 points. And if the MVP title had existed in his day, he would certainly have added another record to his list of achievements, as he was the best player on the best team in the country. Voted the best French basketball player of the 20th century by a panel of players, coaches and journalists, Alain Gilles was a step ahead of the competition. Creating opportunities for himself or his teammates was no problem for him. Accustomed to constantly anticipating the play, his ability to read the game coupled with his technical skills made him unstoppable. When individual talent is combined with collective performance, you get the GOAT !