"My house? It's the boat. And the house is in Polynesia for the moment. It moves and it continues to move regularly", has fun with AFP Boris Diaw, present in Le Havre to kick off on Sunday of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

The basketball player is passionate about the sea. As a kid, he loved to walk towards the dune of Pilat, on the Atlantic coast, where he went by boat.

After fourteen years on the floors of the American franchises of the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs, he has answered the call of the open sea.

The French Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs) tries to block the shot of LeBron James (Miami Heat), during the 5th game of the NBA Finals, June 16, 2013 in San Antonio FREDERIC J. BROWN AFP / Archives

"It was really at the time of my sports retirement that I said to myself that I would like to travel. And since I had the time, I might as well do it by sail! I'm in no hurry, I decided to do a round the world trip in stages, over several years. Sometimes I'm on the boat, sometimes I come back to France and the United States. And I also go to Malta, an island that I love very much and where I go diving "says Diaw.

The 2013 European champion has found his mark.

"It rocks"

"The sea, the boat, it really represents tranquility for me. It's already non-stressful in nature, you know when you are leaving but you never know when you will arrive. And then the water of course it calms down. I am on the boat I have the impression of being at home, of being at peace. It rocks, it's really an element that I adore ".

Diaw acquired a boat in 2018, a catamaran 23 m long and 11 m wide (77 feet) - whose construction he followed from start to finish - on the advice of his ex-basketball friend, Vincent Masingue.

"For large riders, a catamaran is more spacious!"

Former French basketball team captain and NBA player Boris Diaw poses in the port of Le Havre on November 6, 2021, on the eve of the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre LOIC VENANCE AFP

The 2.05m giant is not too cramped in his floating house, with the exception of the shower stall, which had to be adapted.

"With the shower head coming down, I did not go under it. As we could not really raise the shower, we dug the shower tray, it allows me to come in and be comfortable everywhere in the boat! ”he laughs again.

Former captain of the French basketball team and former NBA player Boris Diaw visiting the port of Le Havre on November 6, 2021, on the eve of the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre LOIC VENANCE AFP

As soon as the sailboat baptized Babac (his nickname) was launched, Diaw quickly embarked with a crew to begin his round-the-world trip.

Departing from Bordeaux, he spent six months in the Mediterranean Sea before making his first crossing of the Atlantic, reaching the US Virgin Islands in eighteen days.

To land with happiness in the Caribbean for two years.

Ocean love

This year, he resumed navigation to cross the Panama Canal and sign his first transpacific to Papeete, that is to say 35 days at sea. "At the end, we were still happy to arrive!", Launches the sailor happily. , still active in basketball with his duties as general manager of the France team.

He admits that he does not yet feel ready for the turmoil of the southern seas.

"It was in June, just before the start of preparation for the Olympic Games with the France team. Besides, I could have arrived a little late, luckily I had good wind! allowed me to arrive on time, to start the preparation, to make the Olympic Games ", remembers the Blue with mischief.

French winger Guerschon Yabusélé is supported by the general manager of the France team, Boris Diaw, after being injured in the group match against the United States, on June 25, 2021 at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to Saitama Thomas COEX AFP / Archives

The former competitor looks with a touch of envy at the 158 skippers ready to fight in the Transat Jacques Vabre, the double-handed offshore race.

"I clearly don't have time today to prepare myself, you can't improvise yourself for this kind of epic. But why not one day because it's something that I like, I have a lot respect for those who do that, I will not be able to do it today ".

"For the moment, I am not in the search of the stopwatch or the race but of the pleasure, of the sail, and of taking its time. All the sailors have this relation to the ocean, at the same time a respect and a love of the ocean, "he slips.

© 2021 AFP