Sylvain Francisco Reveals How Chicago Bulls Opportunity Fell Through Before Panathinaikos Move
French guard Sylvain Francisco has revealed that he came surprisingly close to making the jump to the NBA this summer, with the Chicago Bulls among the teams interested in signing him.
Speaking to L’Équipe, Francisco explained that his complicated offseason ultimately ended with a move to Panathinaikos, after both his NBA hopes and his initial plans with ASVEL collapsed.
Several NBA Teams Showed Interest
Francisco said there were opportunities with at least five or six NBA teams, with several discussions involving guaranteed two-year contracts.
The Chicago Bulls were one of those teams. However, the potential move depended on another transaction that never materialised in time.
According to Francisco, the Bulls were waiting for a trade to happen before completing their move for him. At the same time, several NBA teams were waiting for LeBron James to decide his next destination.
That timing ultimately proved decisive.
LeBron James Decision Came Too Late
Francisco had an NBA-out clause in his ASVEL contract, but his deadline to activate it was July 20.
LeBron James eventually announced his move to Philadelphia four days later, according to Francisco.
By then, Francisco’s window to make the move had effectively closed.
He admitted that the situation left him frustrated, particularly because several NBA teams subsequently became much more active in the trade market once James had made his decision.
“I Was a Little Angry”
Francisco acknowledged that missing the NBA opportunity was difficult.
He had spent the previous season establishing himself as one of Europe’s best guards with Žalgiris Kaunas, averaging around 16.5 points and 6.5 assists per game in the EuroLeague. His performances naturally increased interest from NBA teams.
Despite his disappointment, Francisco ultimately chose to view the situation positively.
He suggested that staying in Europe could turn out to be “a blessing in disguise”, particularly after joining one of the continent’s biggest clubs.
ASVEL Situation Also Changed His Plans
Francisco’s NBA opportunity wasn’t the only thing that changed during the summer.
He had originally signed with ASVEL, which was planning an ambitious project under Tony Parker. The club initially projected a budget of around €59 million, but financial issues surrounding a proposed investor forced the budget to be dramatically reduced.
Francisco said that once it became clear the club’s budget process would take too long, he told his agents that it was time to find another solution.
He eventually left ASVEL without playing an official game for the club.
Panathinaikos Became the Destination
The situation opened the door for Panathinaikos, who moved quickly to bring Francisco to Athens.
The French guard has now joined the EuroLeague powerhouse and will enter the 2026–27 season with a team that has major ambitions in European basketball.
For Francisco, it is a different path from the one he imagined at the beginning of the summer—but still one that keeps him at the highest level of European basketball.
The Bottom Line
Sylvain Francisco’s NBA dream came remarkably close to reality. The Chicago Bulls were interested, several other NBA teams reportedly discussed guaranteed contracts, and Francisco had a clear path to making the move.
But his July 20 deadline arrived before LeBron James made his decision, and the resulting delay prevented the Bulls opportunity from materialising.
Now, Francisco will try to turn the disappointment into motivation with Panathinaikos, where he has another chance to establish himself as one of Europe’s elite guards.