Valéry Demory is back in the fold! Passed by Lattes-Montpellier from 2007 to 2017, the barely 58-year-old coach returns to Hérault, where he is committed for the next four years. Not retained by Lyon-ASVEL at the end of last season, a club he had coached since 2017 and with whom he had won the title of champion of France in 2019, the native of Denain comes to replace Stéphane Leite at short notice, sacked on September 8 without having led any official match, he who had replaced Thibaut Petit in the offseason, in office since 2018.

The latter had been chosen by sports director Edwige Lawson-Wade last winter, but the former French international was also disembarked on May 1. “A former French international leader, Valéry has technical background and impressive basketball expertise that he can pass on to his entire team.

A seasoned manager, he requires the ideal profile to support the major players in the workforce but also young shoots from the Training Center. A hard worker, he will be able to surround himself with an unchanged technical staff who already have their bearings (Ahmed Mbombo Njoya – Assistant coach; Clémence Hallard – Physiotherapist; Hugo Lambart – Physical trainer) ”, specifies the Hérault club on its website.

Start of season on October 3

With the BLMA, Valéry Demory won two French championship titles (2014 and 2016) and four French Cups (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016). Vice-champion of France in 2021, Lattes-Montpellier will want to do at least as well during the LFB season which will start on October 3 with the reception of Charleville-Mézières in a rematch of the last final of the Coupe de France won by Lattes-Montpellier.

Then it will be the start of the Euroleague three days later, a competition where the BLMA is making a comeback after having given up participating last year for financial reasons. The new coach therefore has only two weeks to prepare his team.