NBA rumors: Euroleague star says he received an offer from the Knicks

Mathias Lessort recently opened up about a missed opportunity to join the NBA and the New York Knicks specifically:

“I had an offer from New York. They were interested, but there was no buyout in my contract with Panathinaikos. It would have been a waste of time to insist. I know that this offer would have been on the table this year, as well as that other teams would have been interested.”

The French center, currently playing for Panathinaikos, emphasized how much playing in the NBA means to him — not only on a personal level, but for what it could represent to the people of Martinique, his homeland.

“I would have paid (like Yabusele) to play in the NBA, because the NBA is a dream for me. I wanted the people in Martinique to see a player from the island on their TV again. To be an example for the kids, bigger than what I am now. We’ll see what the future brings.”

Lessort’s passion and ambition highlight the emotional weight the NBA carries for international players. While the Knicks deal didn’t materialize due to contractual limitations, his dream to make the leap to the NBA remains alive.

NEWS: hoopshype

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