Sylvain Francisco is one of the standout players in the EuroLeague early this season, playing a pivotal role behind Zalgiris' strong 4-1 start. Franciso is aware that his name has also surfaced in Barcelona rumors, and he's pleased to see that smaller guards can also make a significant impact in the EuroLeague.
When I entered the Zalgiris locker room after their fourth win in five EuroLeague games, Sylvain Francisco sat at his locker, scrolling through his phone. The 27-year-old, 1.85m French guard isn't big on social media, but right after games, he checks Instagram to see all the tags he's received. His style of play ensures there are plenty.
Zalgiris Kaunas / Schedule
Zalgiris Kaunas
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade
AS MonacoIn his second EuroLeague season, Francisco is putting up impressive numbers: 13.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and a 16.6 PIR per game – along with a flashy playstyle.
Sometimes, he's simply unstoppable.
In the season opener in Kaunas, Francisco put Alex Abrines, one of the league's better defenders, on skates before draining a ruthless three-pointer. His skill, speed, and handles make him unguardable at times, like when he scored 15 points in the fourth quarter against Final Four-caliber Barcelona.
During a double-game week in Italy, Francisco built a strong first-half lead with 10 points and six assists in Bologna, then followed it up with 12 fourth-quarter points in a historic comeback against Milan, erasing a 27-point deficit late in the game.
"Coach always tells me, 'Nobody can stop you, so why are you stopping yourself? Keep doing the same thing.' I'm the type of guy who doesn't like to play selfishly. So sometimes I'm like, 'Am I playing selfish right now?' And I'm just trying to find my teammates and all that. But I feel like when I play off my instincts, nobody can stop me, and I just find anything that I want," Sylvain Francisco explained in an interview with BasketNews.
It's not just Francisco making an impact in the league from the start. Three guards under 1.85m – Carsen Edwards, TJ Shorts, and Shabazz Napier – are among the top seven scorers after five rounds.
While checking Instagram stories, Francisco also saw on his feed that TJ Shorts just delivered a 28-point, 10-assist performance in a win against Monaco.
Unsurprisingly, all of these names surfaced in Spanish media when Barcelona began searching for a replacement for Nicolas Laprovittola, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Some Spanish reporters created wish lists of players, leading fans to wonder if Barcelona genuinely had a shot at buying out Francisco from Zalgiris or acquiring other top guards from EuroLeague teams.
Francisco has caught wind of this chatter on social media,
