Ratiopharm Ulm secures young forward Armel Traoré
Ratiopharm Ulm announced on July 1 2024 the signing of 23‑year‑old French forward Armel Traoré to broaden its offensive options and add defensive presence in the paint. The 2.05 m athlete arrives after stints in the NBA and EuroLeague and aims for a larger role in Ulm.
What experience does Traoré bring?
Traoré already earned gold medals with France’s youth national teams, most recently at the U20 European Championship 2023. In the 2022 NBA Summer League he impressed enough for a two‑way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in nine regular‑season games alongside LeBron James and averaging 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds. He then played EuroLeague basketball for ASVEL Lyon‑Villeurbanne, posting 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assist over 12 games.
Why move to Ulm?
The move to Ulm is a deliberate choice to gain more minutes and develop further on the court. Ulm’s system emphasizes fast pick‑and‑roll actions and aggressive perimeter defense – exactly the environment that can sharpen his versatile forward skill set. Head coach Johannes Strasser notes that Traoré’s athleticism and basketball IQ will see him integrated into the rotation immediately.
French reinforcement on the Orange Campus
Together with Mohamed Diakité, Meissa Faye and Adam Atamna, Traoré forms a small French contingent intended to boost team chemistry. The quartet is expected to contribute not only inside the paint but also from beyond the arc, strengthening low‑post defense. In early practices Traoré already displayed good timing on blocking drives and posted a solid 38 % three‑point rate in scrimmages.
What does this mean for the upcoming season?
Ratiopharm Ulm targets a playoff spot in the BBL, and adding a player with NBA experience could stabilize the squad in tight quarter‑ and end‑game situations. If Traoré can lift his EuroLeague average of 5.3 points to at least eight per game, he may become a decisive factor in the race for the upper table positions.