Tidjane Salaun should look to bounce back next season after a less-than-ideal rookie campaign. If he needs additional motivation, he doesn't have to look far, as his older sister, Janelle, should give him enough inspiration to prove his worth in the NBA.
In fact, the Charlotte Hornets youngster could benefit from feeling pressure due to her recent impressive performance as a rookie with the Golden State Valkyries. Janelle Salaun recently registered her finest game in the WNBA so far, putting up 21 points and eight rebounds on 7-11 shooting from the field and 3-4 from 3-point land.
She has proven to be a key piece of the Valkyries' lineup, starting in all of her first eight appearances this season and averaging 11.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.0 3-pointers (which leads all WNBA rookies) per contest. Her stint in the league will have to take a pause, though, as she is set to play for the French national team at FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025.
Tidjane isn't even the most impactful pro hoopster in the family
It's safe to say Tidjane Salaun is proud of her big sister. However, the way it's turning out, Janelle is projected to have a more meaningful basketball career.
Perhaps what's more impressive is that she wasn't even drafted, starting her WNBA tenure as a training camp invite before locking up a roster spot and proving worthy of starting for the first-year WNBA franchise. The 23-year-old forward also looks like she's going to be a mainstay for Les Bleues, having represented the flag since she was 16 years old and helping the squad take home the silver medal in the 2024 Olympics.
On the other hand, Tidjane Salaun was selected No. 6 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft but has yet to show he deserves to be chosen that early. Some redrafts likely don't even have him going off the board in the first round. That might not be a fair assessment of the young prospect because he did put up some decent stats, although he was incredibly inefficient from the field and looked like a deer in the headlights on most nights.
The incoming second-year pro has to treat next season with urgency, as another disappointing campaign could earn him the dreaded bust label and push him off the Hornets' rotation in the following seasons.
There are obstacles, though, including the possibility that the organization could acquire players who would give him tough competition for minutes. Tidjane must understand that his fate is in his hands. He has to show significant improvement on both ends of the floor to warrant being a key piece of the rotation.
Maybe making the leap in his sophomore campaign could also secure him a long-term spot with the French men's national basketball team. Such a feat would allow Tidjane and Janelle to be one of the rare sets of brother-sister duos to compete in international hoops simultaneously.
Of course, Charlotte will also benefit from the 19-year-old coming along nicely, as it needs more players who can contribute on the floor and bolster its depth.