“Watching him play is a bit like looking at a picture.” Marine Johannes, the French basketball star, will follow the Olympics

Villeurbanne, December 12, 2023: Asvel Women take on Fenerbahçe Turks, unbeaten in 51 matches, tonight at the Astroballe Stadium. It’s time for the presentation of the two teams, the announcer lists the names of the players. When suddenly, in the stands, the applause gets louder. “Number 23: Marine Johannes.” The French football player appears. It is a pleasure for the public, who finally sees him again in the jersey of his French club. Two months ago, she was still playing in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) Finals, her sport’s most intense rivalry, with the New York Liberty. Although the basketball player lost, she managed to make a name for herself on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, where her sport is a religion. Videos of his exploits went viral on social media, with American basketball star LeBron James even commenting: “I saw this when I woke up at 6 in the morning, I didn’t expect it at all. Got a lot of messages from my loved ones. It was funny. Anyway, it does, I’m very inspired by the NBA,” says Marine Johannes modestly.

Unique game

The football player does not have an impressive figure. The rather slender blonde, who hails from Calvados, is less than 1.80m tall when some of his teammates are around 2m. But, by all accounts, his style of play remains unique. As noted by BeIn Sports basketball reporter Mary Patroux. “Technically, he achieves incredible things, it’s a constant threat. He can bring us the spark we need during the game. He represents modernity in basketball today. She is someone who has evolved in a way that few girls have, she has been inspired by male role models. We have never seen that in France.” His offensive range, his three-point shooting, his touch of madness when he attempts passes that no one expects but his teammates, or even the way he handles the ball, is dazzling. He also wears the number 23 in honor of Michael Jordan, whose gestures he tries to reproduce in each of his games.

Huge popularity

“He’s doing well in ASVEL, he’s in a big American franchise, he likes the American media. It attracts a certain audience and new people who were not interested in basketball before,” Mary Patroux analyzes. Like Lilas, the literature and history teacher who discovered it in detention. “I didn’t know much about this sport. It moved me to see it, it’s an art form, we feel a little like when we look at a picture,” confides he, who decided to create an X account (formerly Twitter) dedicated to his idol, Out. Context Marine Johannes. ASVEL Women’s Vice President Marie-Sophie Obama brings up the comparison. “Marine is very spectacular, she is a basketball artist with all her sensitivity. He’s an aesthete, he brings something we haven’t seen before. He’s been there for five years, his popularity remains huge. He sells the most jerseys at the club, including the boys. He is the new face of our sport, without a doubt.”

Model player

Proof of his popularity, he is also invited on the sets NBA extra, The show presented by Mary Patreux. “It shows this new French enthusiasm for women’s basketball. On our show, which is heavily marked by the NBA and therefore men’s sports, we now welcome women like Marine and Sandrine Gruda. They are personalities in their own way,” the journalist explains. He also serves as a role model for a whole generation of young players. His name is heard in the academy created by Tony Parker in Lyon. Actress Lana Meiland’s eyes light up when she talks about her idol. At just 16 years old, he draws a lot of inspiration from it. “He makes me dream, we all want to be like him. When I look at him, I get the impression that everything is easy, although I know that it is not so,” he smiles. For his part, Justin Muyokolo, who had the opportunity to spend several matches with Marine in the colors of ASVEL, can no longer count the number of times he is asked how it feels to play next to the “star of French basketball”.

Raise the crowds

For nearly ten years, and especially since the Brakus’ epic run to the 2012 Olympic finals, women’s basketball has continued to evolve. Sandrine Gruda, the teammate of Marine Iohannis in ASVEL and the best scorer in the history of the French national team, was already present in London. “Marine is an atypical player. He is the first French player who managed to gather people because of his style of play. I felt it in 2016 when he appeared in the French team. I have seen many generations and players come and go, and he is the only one who has this style of play,” he assures. Also very publicized, the axis wants to emphasize that social networks have contributed to the development of its sport. This is confirmed by the figures of the French Basketball Federation. The number of licensees has almost doubled in ten years, from 450,000 in 2010 to 725,000 today. The trend is such that clubs turn away thousands of registrations every year due to lack of places. “There is a greater increase among girls than among boys, although the majority of graduates are boys. Today, 36 percent are girls,” says Jean-Pierre Ciutat, its president.

Promote sportswomen

Budgets have also increased. They have doubled in ten years, from 1.2 million to 2.5 million in 2023. Clubs no longer hesitate to rely on private partners for development. And the proliferation of sports channels and platforms such as L’Équipe TV, BeIn Sports or even Skweek allow greater visibility. The arrival of Tony Parker in the 2017 Women’s ASVEL is also a significant turning point. He intends to move the lines, defends equal pay for men and women. Because the gap remains significant. According to the data of the federation, the average salary of female players is around 6,233 euros gross, and for men – around 17,000 euros. Until five years ago, women’s wages were below €5,000 gross. “Toni is doing a lot for French women’s basketball with the desire to take us forward. This is why I decided to join his club five years ago. He made our sport develop, and it made other clubs develop as well,” comments Marine Johannes.

A dream come true

Does he feel this excitement? “I’m learning a little bit more about it every day because I get a lot of messages on social media telling me, I was there, I was a fan too,” he replies. If the commentators defend her modesty, then everyone agrees, Marine Johannes is an icon of this sport today. And he intends to leave a mark. “I would like people to preserve my image as a player who was able to develop French women’s basketball. I want to commit to continuing to talk about it.” A bronze medalist in Tokyo in 2020, his focus is on Paris 2024. If last summer there was a dispute about his not being selected for the French team during the European Championship, then the page seems to have turned. “This summer I will focus on the French national team, I want to be present from the first day of preparation. This is an event not to be missed. The title in Paris, in my country, in front of my friends and family, would be a dream,” he admits. That evening, however, in front of a conquered Astroballe, his team ended the Turkish curse by winning on their floor. Satisfaction for the basketball player, but her head is already elsewhere. To this Olympic medal, which he is looking forward to.