Nathan Soliman is heading to the adidas NextGen EuroLeague Final with a clear goal: to help the INSEP team clinch the 2025-26 continental title and overcome the painful memory of their championship game loss in 2024.
Soliman delivered an MVP-caliber performance, leading INSEP to first place in the Belgrade qualifiers for the EuroLeague NextGen, thereby securing their spot in the Final in Athens this May.
“It was a great tournament,” Nathan Soliman commented. “We came to win, and we did. Now we need to do even better for the Final.” Soliman excelled with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, achieving a performance index rating (PIR) of 35, in INSEP’s convincing 95-73 victory over Crvena Zvezda Belgrade U18 in the final.
Born in 2009, Soliman, despite being a year younger than most competitors, concluded the tournament with impressive averages: 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, for a PIR of 23.0. He stood out, ranking ninth in scoring, sixth in rebounding, seventh in assists, third in blocks, and fourth in overall PIR.
“I am truly grateful,” said Soliman, now in his third NextGen season. “Winning the MVP title proves that I have improved every single day.”
The Vichy native’s first NextGen journey concluded with INSEP, with Soliman then only 15, reaching the 2024 championship final in Berlin against Real Madrid U18. It was INSEP’s first final since their second title in 2017, and a memorable game ensued, with Real Madrid winning 85-84 in overtime.
While Egor Demin, Hugo Gonzalez, and Mitar Bosnjakovic combined for 67 points for Real Madrid, Jonas Boulefaa led INSEP’s five double-digit scorers with 23 points. Among them, Soliman contributed 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal in nearly 21 minutes off the bench.
“It was undoubtedly the craziest basketball game I’ve ever played,” confessed Soliman, who had just turned 15 weeks before the competition. “Of course, I remember it. I look back on it with sadness, because I think I could have done much better to help my team win. It still hurts a lot when I think about it. I learned a great deal from that game, and I believe I’ve progressed a lot because of it. That’s life.” He continued: “It’s in the past, and I have to move forward. I have many regrets, but I must keep pushing and improving.”
Soliman was also part of the INSEP team that won the Belgrade qualifiers last year, earning a spot in the NextGen Final in Abu Dhabi. There, the French team lost to eventual U18 champions Žalgiris Kaunas, as well as Real Madrid, finishing second in their group.
This chapter is now closed for Soliman, who has made significant strides in his development this season. Playing in the French third division with the INSEP academy against adult players, he averaged 15.6 points, 7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. In mid-February, his transfer to Nantes, in the Elite 2 division, was announced. In his three games with Nantes since his arrival, Soliman has averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks.
“The intensity is much greater. The game is much faster. The players are more talented,” Soliman stated regarding his experience with his new team. “And that’s probably why I was named MVP in Belgrade: I worked on my game. I had to defend against tougher opponents, which allowed me to become stronger and better.”
He nonetheless expressed his enthusiasm about returning to INSEP to prepare for the Belgrade event.
“It was great to come back,” he said. “My teammates are really nice, so I’m super happy to be back here and to have won this tournament with them. Nothing has changed, except my physical abilities and my experience. I try to pass that on to my teammates, and that’s probably partly why we won.”
But the work isn’t over yet for Soliman and his team.
“I’m really happy. I want a ring. I lost once, and last year was very tough. I’m here to change that and finally win,” he stated. “We’re trying to win this year, because this year means more than the last two.”
When asked about his expectations for Athens in May, he replied: “Winning, nothing else.”
And to finally put the demons of 2024 to rest.
