French basketball is a turning point. Long praised for its ability to train young talents, with an equivocal slogan (“reveal French basketball”), the LNB sees its model undermined by an in full mutation. Thanks to the Nile (Name, Image and Likeness) and to total freedom on transfers, the North American university championship is increasingly attracting French prospects. The trend is already well underway, and the consequences for three -color clubs could be major.
The Nile Revolution: millions for students-athletes
Until 2021, the NCAA prohibited its athletes from being paid. But since then everything has changed. Students can now take advantage of their name, image and resemblance (Nile), with commercial deals that can reach several million dollars. This system, combined with the total flexibility offered by the transfer portaltransformed the NCAA into a real Eldorado for young players. And this, without European clubs, nor even the NBA or the FIBA, being able to intervene legally.
A simple example: Yohan Traoré has evolved in three different universities in three seasons. This kind of course illustrates the fluidity of the American system, much more flexible than the European contractual environment, often rigid and weakly remunerative at this stage of career.
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A massive exodus from the LNB towards the NCAA
The phenomenon accelerates. In 2025, the list of departures already acted towards the United States made it dizzy:
And the wave could continue with departures envisaged for:
Clubs can do nothing about it. The NCAA, not affiliated with the FIBA, does not request a letter of exit to qualify a player, even if it is under contract. Result: French training clubs lose their best elements for free.
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Agents, a logical role in a favorable dynamic
In this context, agents play their role fully. Their mission being to best serve the interests of their customers, it is perfectly coherent that they guide young people towards opportunities as attractive as those offered by NCAA. Especially since the Nile system is also advantageous for them, with commissions oscillating between 10 and 20 %, more than the 8 to 10 % generally practiced in Europe (and still, in the absence of foreign intermediaries). An ecosystem that naturally encourages representatives to push their prospects to the United States.
Towards a questioning of the French training model
This tidal wave could push LNB clubs to review their copy. Why invest in training if talents go before they even contribute to the sports project? The risk is clear: offer at a discount, inexpensive, because not profitable in the long term. A trend that could ultimately also impact the LFB, if the female NCAA follows the same evolution.
The NBA draft also impacted
The phenomenon also has repercussions on the NBA draft. In 2025, alone 106 players registered in early entrythe lowest figure since 2015, against 363 in 2021. Students stay longer at university, well paid and well surrounded, instead of trying the professional adventure in precarious conditions.
NCAA thus becomes a royal way, not only for development, but also for enrichment. A well surrounded player, good on the field and active on the networks can sign deals with Nike, Amazon or T-Mobile. So much so that a late pick NBA could earn less than a star player from Kentucky or Texas.
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What can the LNB do? Not much … alone
Faced with this surge, the LNB is helpless. No contractual clause, no training indemnity, no legal appeal can slow down this movement. Unless the NBA, seeing part of its pool stabilized in NCAA instead of arriving prematurely in its league, decides to intervene in turn.
Because today, NCAA is no longer this amateur sanctuary of the time. It is a full -fledged market, with its codes, its agents, its millions. And France, an ex-leader in basketball training in Europe, may well be just a simple supplier, without retention power.
