.jpg) Francisco withŽalgiris Kaunas in 2025 | |
| No. 3 – Žalgiris Kaunas | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | LKL EuroLeague |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1997-10-10)10 October 1997 (age 27) Créteil, France |
| Nationality | French / American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1.25 in (1.86 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| NBA draft | 2019:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2017–present |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | Metropolitans 92 |
| 2018–2020 | Paris Basketball |
| 2020–2021 | Chorale Roanne |
| 2021–2022 | Manresa |
| 2022–2023 | Peristeri |
| 2023–2024 | Bayern Munich |
| 2024–present | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Sylvain Francisco (born 10 October 1997) is a French professionalbasketball player forŽalgiris Kaunas of theLithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and theEuroLeague. He also represents theFrench national team in international competition. Francisco holds both French and American citizenship.[1][2]
Sylvain Francisco is of Angolan ethnicity, as his parents are fromAngola. They left the country and moved toFrance, due to thecountry's civil war. Francisco, who was born inCréteil, France, grew up in theParis area, along with eight siblings. He playedyouth club basketball withParis Basket Racing, Villemomble Sports, and AL Roche-la-Molière.
He then pursued his secondary education inFlorida, in theUSA, in 2014. He played high school basketball at the Elev8 Sports Institute, inDelray Beach, during the 2014–15 season. He also played high school basketball with Liberty Christian Preparatory School, inTavares, during the 2015–16 season, and at West Oaks Academy, inOrlando, during the 2016–17 season. After high school, Francisco got some offers to playcollege basketball from someNCAA Division I programs, but he opted instead to return to France to play professionally.
Francisco began his proclub career withLevallois Metropolitans in theFrench men's basketball first division. At the end of the 2017–2018 season, he signed his first professional contract with the Levallois club. However, wanting to join theG-League and eventually theNBA, he did not show up to the club's training the following summer.[3] He finally signed withParis Basketball in theLNB Pro B in December 2018.[4] After two seasons with Paris Basketball, he returned to theFrench first division by signing with theChorale Roanne for the 2020–2021 season.[5]
Francisco left Roanne in June 2021,[6] and signed with the Spanish clubManresa inLiga Endesa, end of August 2022.[7] In the summer of 2022, he participated in theNBA Summer League with theMilwaukee Bucks.[8]
For the 2022–2023 season, Francisco signed withPeristeri of theGreek Basket League.[9] In 31 Greek national domestic league games, he averaged 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.7 turnovers, playing around 28 minutes per contest. He also averaged 16.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, in 9 games played in the European-wide secondary levelFIBA Champions League's2022–2023 season. On 29 June 2023, he parted ways with the Greek club.
On July 20, 2023, he signed withBayern Munich of the GermanBasketball Bundesliga (BBL) andEuroLeague.[10] On February 18, 2024, he won theBBL-Pokal with Bayern following a win in the final overRatiopharm Ulm. Francisco was named the Final Four MVP.[11]
On July 1, 2024, Francisco signed a two-year (1+1) deal withŽalgiris Kaunas of theLithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and theEuroLeague.[12]
On March 1, 2025, he was named a Euroleague Round 27 MVP, sharing the honor withCarlik Jones. He had 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.[13]
On March 11, 2025, Francisco signed a contract extension with the team until the 2026/2027 season, with a clause allowing him to leave in the summer of 2026 for a buyout.[14]
Francisco was a member of the junior French national teams. He played with France's junior national team at the2016 FIBA U20 European Championship. On 24 February 2022, Francisco landed his first selection with the seniorFrench national team, for the2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.[15] He also represented France at the2023 FIBA World Cup.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance Index Rating |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Bayern Munich | 33 | 0 | 19.3 | .387 | .354 | .814 | 1.7 | 3.2 | .7 | — | 10.6 | 10.7 |
| Career | 33 | 0 | 19.3 | .387 | .354 | .814 | 1.7 | 3.2 | .7 | — | 10.6 | 10.7 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Metropolitans 92 | 10 | 2 | 16.6 | .591 | .500 | .727 | 1.5 | 1.6 | .4 | .1 | 7.2 | 7.0 |
| Career | 10 | 2 | 16.6 | .591 | .500 | .727 | 1.5 | 1.6 | .4 | .1 | 7.2 | 7.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Manresa | 16 | 1 | 19.9 | .390 | .311 | .844 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 1.1 | .1 | 11.7 |
| 2022–23 | Peristeri | 9 | 5 | 31.5 | .447 | .344 | .780 | 2.1 | 5.8 | 1.8 | .2 | 16.2 |
| Career | 25 | 6 | 24.0 | .412 | .324 | .808 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 1.4 | .1 | 13.4 | |
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 |  Metropolitans 92 | Pro A | 24 | 12.7 | .280 | .212 | 1.000 | 1.1 | 1.9 | .4 | .1 | 3.5 |
| 2018–19 | Paris | Pro B | 26 | 23.5 | .386 | .353 | .738 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.5 | .1 | 9.6 |
| 2019–20 | Paris | Pro B | 23 | 30.6 | .386 | .321 | .716 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 1.9 | .2 | 13.1 |
| 2020–21 | Chorale Roanne | LNB Élite | 32 | 30.3 | .425 | .284 | .707 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 1.9 | .2 | 14.7 |
| 2021–22 |  Manresa | ACB | 30 | 18.1 | .402 | .342 | .730 | 1.2 | 3.3 | .9 | .2 | 10.7 |
| 2022–23 |  Peristeri | HEBA A1 | 31 | 27.7 | .409 | .298 | .690 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 1.5 | .1 | 12.6 |
| 2023–24 |  Bayern Munich | BBL | 33 | 18.1 | .467 | .397 | .794 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 1.1 | — | 11.7 |