Hoopvan : Roadtrip d’un passionné de basket, 8 mois à parcourir l’Europe !

Octobre 2022, après plus d’un an de préparation, je pars à l’aventure ! L’objectif : suivre la saison d’Euroleague au plus près de ses acteurs, faire des rencontres, voyager et partager ma passion. J’étais encore loin de m’imaginer tout ce qui allait se passer au cours de ces huit mois. Ce mini-reportage retrace cette incroyable expérience, le rêve d’un basketteur passionné.

Tout d’abord un grand merci à l’Euroleague de m’avoir accompagnée dans ce projet, j’en garderai un souvenir fantastique ! Merci de m’avoir fait confiance même si j’ai bien conscience qu’entre le projet proposé et sa réalisation il y a deux mondes qui se rejoignent dans l’amour du basket.

Merci aux personnes qui m’ont ouvert des portes sur ce projet, qui l’ont soutenu malgré toutes les difficultés rencontrées où qui sont passées me voir. Merci à Clément Carton, Evan Planchon, Romain Hanskens, Cesare Milanti, ma famille et mes potes !

Merci à tous ceux avec qui j’ai pu jouer au basket dans tous ces pays. Oui, on me voit toujours seul sur les playgrounds mais c’est parce que je n’ai jamais osé mettre la caméra quand je jouais avec du monde. Que cela soit dans le noir, sous la pluie, par des températures négatives, le basket ne s’arrête jamais et c’est toujours cool de partager une bonne partie de basket !

Une petite dédicace à Srđan avec qui j’ai vu les matchs du Partizan et qui m’envoie toutes les semaines une petite vidéo depuis les tribunes de la Stark pour me rappeler à quel point ce club est magique !

Pour terminer, je pense que vous l’avez compris, j’ai kiffé ce roadtrip ! Je rêve de pouvoir repartir avec le van pour des séjours basket un peu partout en Europe.

Enfin, cette aventure a fait naître un nouveau projet tout aussi motivant : construire un beau lieu de basket. J’aimerais pouvoir partager ma passion autour d’un beau playground, créer des événements, animer le lieu par des soirées, des rencontres, des matchs… Et surtout rendre le basket accessible à tout le monde dans de bonnes conditions. Oui, j’aimerais faire vivre un lieu autour du basket.

J’espère vous avoir partagé un petit bout de ma passion, le basket est vraiment le meilleur sport au monde.

On se retrouve sur les playgrounds ou en salle !

Hoopvan, Adrien Cassaigne 🏀

Contact : hoopvan.vw@gmail.com
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00:00:00 Intro
00:02:30 Partie en van
00:10:35 Partie en sac à dos
00:33:45 Partie en vélo
00:55:01 Partie en 4L
01:07:28 Conclusion & Futur
01:11:48 Outro
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Alright, here we go. A short video to recap this road trip across Europe for the 2023/2024 basketball season. Throughout this video, I’m going to share my entire experience with you, get you excited about traveling to watch basketball games, fill up the arenas, and get you hyped up, right?

And show you things we’re not used to seeing here in France. In this video, you won’t see the best or the worst moments. I preferred to just enjoy the moment rather than having to pull out my camera or phone to film it all. So, you won’t see the buzzer-beater shot by

Sergio Llull over Moustapha Fall in the Euroleague final or the “Horto Magiko” vibe at the Panathinaikos arena. I was caught up singing, you know? And of course, you won’t see when the van breaks down or the not-so-great moments. I kept those to myself, but there are still plenty of stories to share.

Don’t worry. Just enjoy the video, that’s all. Off we go. The main goal of the project was to be able to play basketball anywhere, at any time, with anyone, meet new people, and bring basketball to places where it’s not usually seen. That was the idea behind hitting the road with the van,

To be completely self-sufficient and able to stop anywhere, play, meet people, and share my love for basketball. Beginning of the van adventure. I gotta say, the start of a dream when you hit the road with the van, the basketball hoop in the back, the ball in the van, stopping anywhere for

Lunch, and then chilling by the sea in the evening. Honestly, when I set off, it was pure bliss I thought, “I’m never coming back.” I set off with the van, totally self-sufficient since I had water, a kitchen, toilet inside the van I had rewired all the electricity, and all that… First game,

First arena, Valencia. Alright, here we go, the season has begun. I’m starting to find my groove. my fridge wasn’t working very well yet. So, daily groceries, cooking, washing dishes… I find my rhythm, I schedule my basketball games, I find spots to sleep at night I find playgrounds to play during the day.

Beginning of van life. and it’s really cool. After Valencia, we’re off to Barcelona next. Starting out with the van, the plan is to hit up Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, Vitoria. Then, loop back through France to head towards Italy. And there, first little letdown.

Looking back, I think it’s the start of the season, and for most early-season games, there’s a lot of adjusting. I didn’t catch the best games, so a bit bummed. In terms of vibe, I was expecting more and then my brother, who played a playoff game there against Kaunas,

Said there was way more buzz. So, early season, don’t expect the best games in the arena. There’s better. Then after Barcelona, I made a pit stop in Zaragoza for a Spanish league game, over the weekend where I got to see this up-and-coming Spanish player

That some are saying is the next Victor Wembanyama, Aday Mara, a real giant (7’3″). And from there, it’s straight to Madrid. And next up was Baskonia. Baskonia, it was a league game. Didn’t line up with their Euroleague schedule, but we started feeling the the atmosphere ramping up

With the first brass bands in the stands, always a vibe. And then, there it was. A little indulgence I had with the van. because the parking is right by the arena, and by pure chance, I parked between the basketball court and the club’s bar.

So folks coming from the bar went straight to the court behind me, and I got to play with quite a few of them, that was a sweet moment with the van in the parking lot. So the plan after that was to head back to France before going to Italy, and swing by home

Just in case there were some things to sort out with the van or based on my usage over the last month, to see if there were any repairs or tweaks needed. And then, off to Lyon, off to Asvel. And well, you all know what went down next. Had a bit of a drive,

I think I had about 100 kilometers left before reaching Lyon, slept right in the middle of a forest, next to a lake. And then, when I woke up, I start the van. And then, I hear this weird noise, check the oil level, and it’s too low. And so,

I probably drove the last 20 kilometers like that without enough oil. I ended up hitchhiking to get some oil and come back to the van, but it was too late, engine kaput, so that’s the end of the van adventure. So, I head back home to Landes, So, I notice Vans

At a garage nearby. Figured we need to get a new engine and then get it fitted into the van. In the meantime, I’ll go backpacking continue my journey. And the plan is to come back first after Italy and then at Christmas, once the van’s sorted, to hit the road again

For the Final Four, which, we found out, will be in Kaunas in Lithuania. So, off I go backpacking. Second stage, Backpack mode, so it’s trains, buses, crashing at youth hostels and my pack weighing in just under 20kg. 17 with my basketball shoes, the basketball. Let’s not forget, always ready for basketball!

That’s the basics. So, I’m off to Milan again. First stop Milan with the backpack. I’m taking the train to Milan. And I’m here for the Italian derby: Milan vs. Bologna and the first big surprise! You step into the arena, at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan,

And guess who’s making all the noise? The Bologna fans. The Milan fans? Silent. But those Bologna fans? All 200 of them in the corner, turning up the heat from tip-off to the buzzer. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Got me thinking, can’t wait to see what’s cooking in Bologna.

Plus, Milan’s been off to a rocky start this season, they’re struggling, while Bologna? They’ve got that team chemistry on lock, and you can just see it on the court. They’re a tight unit. And they can go far. Could be a dark horse in the Euroleague.

We’re not talking Final Four aspirations, but playoffs? Why not? After that, it’s off to the double-header Euroleague week. One game in Bologna, one in Milan. Touching down in Bologna, a quaint little town, just my vibe Turns out Bologna’s got two arenas, news to me: The PalaDozza and the Virtus Segafredo Arena.

I figured they’d be playing at the Virtus Segafredo Arena, Like all the games I’ve caught since the beginning of the year. I get there when the gates open, eager to soak up the basketball vibes, so I come as soon as the gates open to see the players train, I see the warm-up routines,

I go around, the arena is closed everywhere, no guards. Turns out the game’s at PalaDozza, I’m on foot, so a bus and off to the arena. Didn’t make it an hour before tip-off, but caught the player entrances, the arena packed to the rafters, flags waving, and man, what an atmosphere! I was surprised,

I didn’t expect it to be this lively. Definitely the highlight of the trip. Bologna, when it comes to basketball, it’s an underrated gem in European hoops. Close enough to France, easy to get to, and basketball-wise, it’s worth catching a game there. Even the local courts are bustling with activity.

Truly a great experience in Bologna. I’d highly recommend it. A must-visit destination, one to add to your Euroleague itinerary this year. After the double-header week, we’re now into late November, and December’s looking jam-packed! Off to Serbia we go. From Italy onwards, it’s all countries I’ve never been to before. Pretty exciting stuff.

Next stop, Serbia. To catch the first clash: Partizan vs. Red Star. Then onto Greece for the heated derby: Olympiacos vs. Panathinaikos And in between, catching a few games here and there. This is the month I’ve been looking forward to the most in my entire road trip. We’re off, train, bus, bus

Passing through little Slovenia, Zoran Dragic’s Playground. Arriving in Belgrade First time for me. If there’s one destination where you can say you won’t know what it’s like until you’ve been there, it’s Belgrade. It’s incredible. Basketball-wise, it’s the ultimate destination. You’ve got Playgrounds in Belgrade Fortress,

Two iconic European basketball teams, Partizan and Red Star. It doesn’t get much better than that. And on top of that, they’re making a comeback on the European scene. So yeah, nothing more you could ask for. I must have caught 7 or 8 games in Belgrade,

3 at the Pionir and 4 at the Stark. Pionir, the best arena in Europe. You’ve got two walls facing each other. It’s packed. There are more people than seats. The arena may be smaller in terms of capacity but in terms of vibe, it’s incredible. You step out of the arena,

The silence is eerie. Incredible experience at Pionir. And then, the Stark Arena, where I caught the best Euroleague games this year, this year, this season, in my entire life… Stark Arena packed on Euroleague game days. The big difference, but again, you have to experience it to see the intensity, the vibe. But it’s

A solid 3 hours because an hour before tip-off, the place is already buzzing, and you won’t sit down once during the game. You’re standing, chanting, vibing for the game like never before. It’s truly incredible, I can’t wait to go back or experience this vibe in France. That’s European basketball at its finest.

And now, we’re here for the most anticipated game of the season: Partizan vs Red Star, at home (Partizan), been sold out for ages. I’ve got the ticket on my phone, and I’m not losing that. I arrive at the arena, no need for words, just watch the footage. You’ll see how incredible it was.

Bringing together Red Star and Partizan fans for a Euroleague game was next-level intense. Incredible game, top-notch players, just what you hope for. The best game of the season that I saw that day. Of course, if you ever get the chance, go for it.

Good luck getting a seat, it’s very tricky, but you won’t regret it. Seriously, top of the list for must-see games. And after that magical moment in Belgrade, I head towards Greece. Gotta keep the momentum going! When it’s basketball time, there’s no dilly-dallying, so off to Athens we go,

For some top-notch basketball action in Europe, between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, we’re in for a treat. So, mid-December rolls around, and I’m spending the holidays with family in Greece. Taking a little tour… And we wrap it all up with the Athens derby, Panathinaikos vs. Olympiakos. Now, the big question is:

Will it be even better than the Belgrade derby? Or will it be on par? As a basketball fan, you can’t help but compare the two. So, just like before, doors open 3 hours in advance, and the arena’s nearly full an hour before tip-off. The atmosphere is just as electric

In Athens as it is in Belgrade. But this season, there’s a big gap in quality between Olympiacos and Pana. So, the on-court spectacle isn’t quite the same. By the end of the third quarter, the game’s pretty much decided. Fans start heading home, things get heated in the stands because Pana’s losing.

Tough ending to the game. We would’ve hoped for a different outcome. But hey, that’s basketball for you… So, it falls a notch below the Belgrade derby this season with the summer transfers, next year’s shaping up to be intense. We’ll see how it goes. But yeah, it’s not far off from Belgrade either.

I stick around in Athens afterward to catch the Women’s Euroleague and Olympiacos in action. Against Bourges. And I end up outside the arena, it’s closed shut, the entrances where I went through are sealed off. Start looking around, turns out you enter through the VIP area.

So, I find myself courtside at the Peace and Friendship Stadium to catch the game. Bourges, they’re my favorite of the Women’s Euroleague season. Really good game, Bourges takes the win. On my birthday too, which was awesome! And after that, we head to wrap things up in Southern Europe, in Turkey.

So, Turkey, but mainly Istanbul. And it’s another big basketball city, with eight clubs just in Istanbul alone. Between men’s basketball, women’s basketball. So when I’m planning my schedule and listing the games to catch, there’s a game every day to see. Transportation in Istanbul isn’t the easiest, it takes time. Luckily, I’m on vacation.

I’ve got nearly an hour of public transit each time to get from one side of the city to the other. We check out Fener, Galatasaray, Darussafaka Efes… You see a lot of soccer fans in the basketball arenas. You can tell by the jerseys, and there’s a lot of whistling.

I don’t know if I’ve heard louder whistles than the ones in Turkey on the last possessions or on bad plays or referee decisions. There’s a level to it. It’s truly a unique destination in Europe worth experiencing. Whether it’s for the culture, food scene, or basketball, there’s plenty of cool stuff to do.

So yeah, always recommend it. Back from Turkey, backpacking adventure done. Now on the hunt for an engine, and I think once I have an engine, I can hit the road again, and I return once it’s fitted into the van. Found an engine, brought it back to the garage, and then I think

Now I’m off again. Backpacking was cool, but you’re not very mobile, you only hit the cities, the big cities. And then I’m thinking, why not try biking? I wanted a little physical, sporty challenge. Feeling pumped up, there’s a thrill to chase! But well, I think that and I start checking the Euroleague schedule

And then I think if I want to catch Asvel, Monaco and then head back to Northern Europe, to Germany, Lithuania, I can’t be late. The schedule means I have a game in Monaco a week later. I should have about 9 days and I don’t have a bike yet, I’m not equipped.

So I head to Bordeaux, visit several shops to see what’s available in terms of bike stock, what’s possible and what I need. I figure I’ll at least make it to Berlin and then, depending on whether the van is repaired or not, I’ll either head back to France or continue straight to Lithuania.

Finally, I got a bike, got all my gear set: panniers, sleeping bag, tent… Of course, I take the ball and shoes. They take up space and add weight, and I’m off. On my bike, I have 2 front panniers, 2 rear panniers, and a handlebar bag. That’s where all my papers are,

I’ve got the essentials, wallet, papers… in my two front panniers, one has rain gear, and my gear for when I stop: a light jacket, a beanie… Because I’m leaving in March. You’ll understand later. In the left pannier, I put all my food, food planned for the day.

And then, on my two rear panniers, one has my clothes: city clothes, my laptop, all my cables and my books. And in the other pannier, I’ll have all the bike stuff. three cyclists, three T-shirts, towel, toiletries too. And the pannier that’s on top, spanning the 2 rear panniers

Where I have a tent, sleeping bag, basketball shoes and basketball. And there we go! I have four days left to get to Monaco. So, it’s impossible to go from Landes to Monaco, it’s too far. So the plan is to take a train to Marseille,

And then I have 3 days to get to Monaco. After that, the schedule shows: the German derby Munich vs Berlin in Munich, and then, Berlin vs Efes in Berlin. And beyond that, we’ll play it by ear. I set off, on the first day, there’s a train delay.

I was taking the train with my bike, heading to Marseille, and then I had 60km to cover on the first day to reach my host’s place. Around Marseille (60km away), things never go as planned, otherwise it would be too easy. So, due to a train delay, instead of arriving late morning,

I get to Marseille at 6 pm with 60km still ahead of me on the bike. First day of cycling! It’s tough! I arrive exhausted. It’s almost 10 pm. It took me nearly 5 hours to cover the 60 kilometers, with quite a lot of uphill stretches. I hadn’t checked the route beforehand.

After arriving, I cook something, set up my tent, and hit the sack, ready for the next day. On the second day, I won’t go into detail about each day, but the first days, as I have to hurry to get to Monaco, I need to average about 80km per day.

So, I spend my days mostly on the bike. The scenery is breathtaking, it’s really nice. As I approach Nice, I follow the coastline all the way to Monaco. And in Monaco, the terrain becomes quite steep! I hadn’t realized this before, but camping isn’t an option in Monaco.

So, I opt for an Airbnb at the highest point of the rock. Monaco is essentially a rocky outcrop. So pedaling uphill is quite a challenge. But I make it to Monaco and I’m here for the game, albeit feeling exhausted. An interesting anecdote: the Monaco arena is situated downhill,

Close to the sea, below the stadium, so I have descend 450 steps reach it from my Airbnb. This proves to be quite challenging, especially with a sore heel, possibly indicating the onset of tendinitis. So on both heels every time I go down a step, it hurts like crazy.

I make it to the game on time. However, I realize that I’ll need to take it easier in the days ahead, otherwise, my body won’t hold up. Monaco, may have a small arena, but it’s very comfortable, which suited me very well

Because after 3 days of cycling, you start to have a sore butt. Those who have done cycling will understand. I attend the Monaco vs. Pana game, although it’s not the most exciting game. Having ticked Monaco off the list, I’m ready to continue my journey. Next stop: Munich. So, I set off again,

Taking it a bit slower on the bike to give my heels a chance to recover. But I still need to make good progress, as I must make it to Mucich in ten days. I cycle all the way up the Italian coast, stunning scenery along the way.

However, I soon realized it was not going to work out. Either my body will give up, or I need to take a short break. So, I decide to take another train to keep moving forward. I cross all of Italy and reach Trento, nestled at the foot of the mountains.

I have to cross the Alps through Austria to get to Munich. Trento-Munich, the best bike path I’ve ever experienced, no bumps, the road’s perfect, no cars next to you. Bike path amidst the mountains. So, a typical day on the bike starts around 8 or 9 a.m.

It takes about an hour to get up and pack everything before hitting the road. Then, it’s off on the bike around 9 a.m. The goal is to cover most of the day’s distance before noon, so there’s time to stop, eat, rest, and maybe even take a nap, before continuing leisurely in the afternoon.

We’re looking at about 5 hours of cycling, not counting breaks, of course. I’ve never eaten so many fruit bars or cereal bars! It’s so physically demanding! I was eating it, it felt like I was constantly stopping to eat some. It gave you a boost, and you’d be off again right after,

Like a little magic potion. It’s early March, so it’s not very warm, especially when I reach Austria to cross the Alps, passing through the ski resorts. When I arrive, it’s still very much winter. There’s snow everywhere, and the ski lifts are in operation. Meanwhile, I’m out there with my tent

And sleeping bag, rated for 10 degrees Celsius. Let me tell you, those nights are freezing! If I manage to sleep at all… The stages are all mountainous, with almost… and when I weighed my gear later on, it was around 37 kilos. Keep in mind, I had already shed 2 kilos in Munich.

So, I was lugging around 40 kilos to tackle the Alps. It was quite the athletic challenge, to say the least. But it was really rewarding because I regained the autonomy I had with the van. I could stop wherever and whenever I wanted, discovering charming spots, taking lesser-known routes, and enjoying top-notch bike paths.

We’re talking long days of cycling, about 6 hours on the bike, plus all the little breaks in between, and then camping in the evening to refill water supplies and charge my phone. It’s really enjoyable. Physically demanding, sure, but totally worth it. The route is fantastic.

Plus, I’ve been lucky with the weather—not much rain, just cold, but once you’re on the bike, you don’t really feel the chill. It’s cool. On the downside, I hardly get to play basketball because both ankles are acting up, and my knee is a bit shaky. So, I’m not pushing it.

There was this one time I tried to shoot some hoops in Austria, let me tell you, I managed maybe ten shots at most before calling it quits because I couldn’t jump without pain. It was rough. Physically, it’s tough, but it’s such a thrill to be back on the bike, to be self-sufficient again.

And then, I’m just rolling through my journey, living my life. I pass through Austria, through the mountains, then it gets a bit flatter, a bit easier, as I descend, making my way to Munich for the German derby between Munich and Berlin. And let me tell you, physically, it’s a challenge.

What you need to understand is that at night, in the mountains, it drops to -10 degrees Celsius. And there I am, with my sleeping bag rated for 10 degrees Celsius. So, I’d doze off around 2 a.m., then wake up at 6 or 7 a.m. It was freezing cold.

I had on my lycra, a t-shirt, two sweaters, a beanie, gloves, leggings, jogging pants, ski socks— I’m wrapped up tight in my sleeping bag, still shivering. Too cold to sleep. Not just cold, but bone-chilling to catch some sleep, jolting me awake. Plus, I’d fill up two bike bottles with hot water

From the campground restroom to use as makeshift hot water bottles. Even then, when it hit -10°C, it wasn’t enough. Finally make it to Munich. I buy a new sleeping bag for better nights in the tent. I arrive utterly exhausted. The game’s alright, but when you’re dead on your feet,

Struggling to keep your eyes open during the game, it’s not a good sign. It’s between Munich and Berlin, that I finally start sleeping well, able to extend my bike rides. I’m doing about 75 km on average, with a 550m climb, so that’s about 5 hours a day on the saddle.

Since it’s an average, some days, if my ankles or knee were acting up, I’d ease up a bit. Other days, I’d push harder. Hit 115 km one day! So, it all evens out. I also discovered the wind upon arriving in Germany. One day, I set off for just over 80 km.

Noon rolls around, 60 km down, 20 to go. I stopped perfectly on time, and then the wind picked up. I didn’t see it coming, but there were gusts at 70-80 km/h head-on. I was faster walking than riding. It took me 3/4 hours to cover those last 20 km; it was a nightmare,

Especially after clocking 60 km already. Still, I love the independence of biking, being able to stop wherever. I make it to Berlin. My first time there; I’d never been to Germany before. I found a top-quality playground in Berlin, covered, with new hoops, nets, the most enjoyable surface—I’m talking three courts.

I think it’s one of the best playgrounds in terms of quality that I’ve come across on this whole road trip. So, if you’re looking for the spot for the F4, hit it up! And it’s my first time at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, the future venue for the F4.

No doubt, it’s going to be a top-notch venue for that event. The game against Efes, who can’t afford to lose if they want to make the playoffs, is intense, and I’m seated right behind Efes’s bench. Perfect spot. I’m loving the game— Efes gets trounced, makes a comeback,

But you could tell they were beaten. A real nail-biter. Van’s getting its engine back in, so I’m not heading to Kaunas; I’m heading back to France to reunite with the van. I catch a train to get closer. Hop on another train to Ulm. Stopover in Ulm, catch a Bundesliga game over the weekend.

Great vibe in Ulm, with loads of little flags waving. Juan Núñez, whom you might’ve seen during the World Cup (this summer), plays a solid game too, then I hit the road again on my bike, this time for Switzerland, crossing through the Rousses resort, biking down the slopes.

In the snow, of course—can’t make it too easy. I’ve got to take this path, see?—it descends and leads to the road. Pretty neat, huh? I make it to Lyon, a marked date for the Eurocup Women’s final, with Asvel handing Galatasaray a beating. It’s such a blowout that even the return leg

Doesn’t need to be played; they’re almost champs at home already. Great game, real team effort from Asvel. A joy to watch! And off we go, heading back to the Landes. First stop, Toulouse to see my little sister, then to the Landes to catch up with family,

And finally, I arrive at my parents’ place. But, as nothing ever goes as planned, the van isn’t fixed, the mechanic ultimately refuses to rebuild the engine. It’s too time-consuming, too much labor, and he’s not confident he can do it. So, he backs out.

Now it’s too late to hit the road with the van. I don’t have time to find another mechanic to fix it up and get back on the road. The bike? It’s got 3000 km on it, but it’s too late now, less than a month left to get to Kaunas, so that’s out.

So, I’m left with either going backpacking, and then my brother reminds me we’ve got the 4L in the garage, the one we used for the 4L Trophy back in 2018, that we lent to some friends for a trip. I’ve got a week to fix it up and head to Kaunas.

I give it the basic repairs, oil change, air filter replacement, and it runs like a charm. Back on the road. First stop, Cholet, my hometown club, for the Fiba Europe Cup final against Wroclawek, a Polish club. I roll into Cholet with the 4L.

I plan to spend one night in the 4L, one-night camping, which lets me recharge electricity and water when camping, because I don’t have toilets or showers in the 4L. I alternate between a night at a campsite and a night on my own in the 4L. After the Cholet match,

It’s off to Kaunas for the Final4. Germany, here I come, I’ve cycled through here before, had a good tour. I pass through Berlin again and hit the coast. Figured I’d take the northern coast of Poland. Then I’ll head inland to Lithuania. That’s the plan, it’s not hot, it’s not cold.

Things are going well, playing basketball in Poland. Always nice. One noon, I’m with the 4L, still in Poland, I check Google Maps for a nice spot to stop. I find one, a little mountain by a lake. The perfect spot. I notice a car following me, strange. It’s a forest trail, not paved…

I reach the spot, which is somewhat known. The car stops, and they come over to me. Two Poles. One starts talking to me in English. And guess who I meet? The mayor of the town. That’s the kind of unexpected encounters you have on a trip like this. The mayor of a Polish town,

Who liked the car and wanted to take a photo with it. Just goes to show, the 4L doesn’t go unnoticed. If there were any doubts. I reach the east of Poland, Now it’s really getting nice. Scenic landscapes, lots of small lakes,

Good spots to chill with the 4L, some basketball courts, it’s all good. I’ve got to be there 10 days before the F4 in Lithuania. It’s the LKL playoffs, the Lithuanian league. So, I’m doing a little tour. Starting with Vilnius, the capital, and then there are four quarterfinals in four different cities.

For the four quarterfinals, Basketball Country: There’s no other definition for Lithuania, really! Quality courts, I’ve never seen anything like it. And everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, whenever there’s a spot, a lake, a basketball court nearby, so really awesome. I settle in, I play, lots of people on all the courts,

So it’s the same for playing, no problem, whether it’s 9 a.m. or 6 p.m., anywhere, there are people. So, I’m having a blast, I’m playing a playoff game, playground, playoff game, playground, playoff game, playground, playoff game… I arrive for my first F4 in Kaunas, No better destination to experience this.

This F4 is like the cherry on top, courtside too. That’s the little extra. I figure I might never do it again. I’ve had a basketball year, might as well end it well and enjoy it to the fullest. And then we’ll see how it goes.

I arrive on Tuesday, I have the whole week there just to really enjoy it and have time to play there. Enjoy the atmosphere, have a blast, continue what I’ve been doing since October! We’re in for four days of basketball, really full-on. It starts on Thursday, with the ANGT, the Euroleague Youth Tournament,

With the future prospects. Some big names have passed through here. Thursday, it’s supposed to start at 9 a.m. / 9:30 a.m., 4 games one after the other. We continue on Friday morning, still watching the ANGT pool games and then we move on to the Euroleague semifinals

All afternoon at the arena, I think it opened 2 hours before. So, I arrive 2 hours before the start of the game. I enjoy all the little “extras” of courtside: the buffet, I enter the arena, I’m face-to-face with the players.

I have Sergio Llull passing by me, I have Walter Tavares warming up next to me. You see the basketball up close. I’m 1.88m tall, I’m almost small compared to all those around me. And you see just how much they really are athletes, physical monsters.

I step onto the court, I’m not pushing anyone away. A true Courtside experience, On the court, you stand up, you’re on the court. Next to me, I have Mike Batiste, I’m in good company, A real joy. The semifinals go really well. We see some beautiful basketball, it’s playing well, I’m just enjoying it.

Friday night, I receive an email because among the courtsides, you could be randomly selected to play a game at the Zalgirio Arena. There was a mistake in the emails, and I receive my summons for the next day at noon to go play a match on the F4 court

Just like in a real game. So, I roll up to the arena in my 4L, find a spot in the parking lot. Once inside, they take care of you. There were two teams, chosen from among the courtsides. We were in the Real Madrid locker room.

The walls were covered in posters of the players. I had Sergio Llull’s locker with his jersey hanging, plus the little F4 brochure and a towel—felt like a real pro. After changing, it’s time to hit the court. Big screens everywhere, with Adrien Cassaigne on the jumbotron. Teams ready, announcer hyping it up, videos playing.

You’ve got guys rebounding for you during warmups, getting you in the zone for the Final Four game conditions. It’s two ten-minute halves we play. It’s not so much about the basketball, it’s all about the experience. It’s too cool! Absolutely incredible. Incredible! To give you an idea of how awesome it is,

I got fouled by Joe Arlauckas while he was defending me, So, I got two free throws. The first free throw, you know the cameras are filming, and I brick it hard. Even though it’s all about having fun, there’s zero pressure, nothing at all. It’s super relaxed, everyone’s cracking jokes,

Looking up and seeing yourself on the jumbotron in a 20,000-seat arena, You get into the vibe. I was blown away by the whole experience. I remember bricking that first free throw hard. On Sunday, the final day, Olympiacos fans were everywhere in Kaunas,

You could hear them and you see them all over the place. Monaco snagged the win in the third-place game, always nice. The climax of this Euroleague, Olympiacos vs Real Madrid final live from courtside. What a blast as a spectator. A different way to watch the game, but we enjoyed every minute.

Then came the trophy ceremony, medals handed out, I’m on the court amidst the journalists, This final was top-notch! and that’s how the road trip wraps up. After that, I hop back into the 4L and head home, that’s it! Seventh take! Now, for a quick recap, Best basketball destination, Belgrade hands down.

Best tourist destination, I’d say Greece, especially Athens. And for the best of both worlds, Lithuania is unbeatable for playing ball and soaking up the atmosphere. It’s truly a fantastic combination. And if you’re up for something completely different, a new culture… Honestly, Istanbul is a must-visit, so much to explore.

And if there’s one thing I’d recommend to basketball fans, it’s to hit the court when you’re traveling abroad. Speaking of courts, The best ones are those dedicated solely to basketball. When you see what’s been done in Lithuania, it’s everywhere and everyone’s playing. You meet people all the time.

That’s what’s so great about it—not those little city courts that pop up here and there, which, in my opinion, are just a way of saying we wanted to put basketball somewhere but won’t help its development. Wherever I’ve made connections, where people kept coming back to the courts, it’s always been quality playgrounds

Where people come to play basketball for fun with friends. So really, it’s by building beautiful basketball facilities where it’s enjoyable to play, that we can develop basketball and make it even more accessible and make people want to play it. If there’s someone who’s understood that, it’s the PlaygroundTime association,

Check them out on social media. They’ve got it all figured out. When I saw what was happening in Lithuania, it’s exactly what they’re aiming for. If we can do the same thing in France or anywhere else, that’d be great. So, get out there, hit the court, and meet people.

That’s the best, especially if you’re a hoops fan. And then, I completely forgot to mention a few encounters. First off, there’s Cesare Milanti, an Italian basketball journalist, he’s doing an extraordinary job. Give him a follow on socials, you’ll get basketball news, little insights, especially about Italy,

And European basketball in general. Seriously top-notch stuff. Then there’s this completely random encounter Romain (Hanskens) in Istanbul. It was nice of him to show me around the Fenerbahçe arena, gave me a peek behind the scenes… really cool experience! And finally, the highlight of this adventure, Clément Carton.

We had been in touch before I set out on this journey. He’s a journalist at BasketEurope I had been in contact with, I had sent them a little dossier about what I was going to do and he was very enthusiastic about the project,

He followed that up, and I was able to meet him again in Lyon and at the F4. To keep up with the basketball scene, check out what he’s doing on BasketEurope. They’re always dropping fresh articles, always top-notch, So don’t miss out! I paused the van’s engine

Once I realized Lithuania wasn’t happening. While I searched for a new job, working on the video, I had several projects pending. But now, I’m back on it, looking for a mechanic who’s up for the challenge of fixing up the van because that little hoop on the van was pretty cool!

If it could get back on the road, have a little weekend getaway in Athens or Belgrade, or even Bologna… But yeah, gotta take care of it now, and find someone patient enough and willing to handle all the repairs, little flaws we may find on the van as the repairs progress.

We’re reaching the end. What’s next? Do I still have sneakers? Of course! I have plenty of ideas, I’ve kept one in the back of my mind, I have a little project that would make me happy! We’ll see if it ever comes to fruition. It involves setting up a sweet little playground

With a small snack bar, pizza, where I can work and hang out. And right next to it, a court for some balling. Put up a big jumbotron for basketball nights, whether it’s Euroleague, NBA, French championship… Anything, it’s all about sharing the love for the game and making connections. Building a vibrant basketball community.

But well, we’re not there yet, there’s still time. I hope I’ve inspired you to travel, and got you itching to catch some hoops. The season is about to start (been going on for a while now!) Mark your calendars and hit up some games.

It’s worth it! You won’t be disappointed. There’s top-level basketball in the Euroleague! And there will be some beautiful basketball. So, enjoy yourselves and see you in the arenas. And that’s a wrap!