{{Short description|French basketball player (born 1999)}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Yves Pons | image = Yves Pons Tennessee (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Pons with [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee]] in 2020 | position = [[Small forward]] / [[power forward]] | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lbs = 215 | league = [[Liga ACB]] | team = MoraBanc Andorra | number = 35 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1999|5|7}} | birth_place = [[Port-au-Prince]], Haiti | nationality = Haitian / French | high_school = [[INSEP]]<br>([[Paris|Paris, France]]) | college = [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee]] (2017–2021) | draft_year = 2021 | career_start = 2021 | years1 = {{nbay|2021|full=y}} | team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | years2 = [[2021–22 NBA G League season|2021–2022]] | team2 = →[[Memphis Hustle]] | years3 = 2022–2023 | team3 = [[ASVEL Basket|ASVEL Villeurbanne]] | years4 = 2023–2025 | team4 = [[Bàsquet Girona]] | years5 = 2025–present | team5 = [[BC Andorra|MoraBanc Andorra]] | highlights = * [[LNB Pro A Leaders Cup]] winner (2023) * [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] Defensive Player of the Year (2020) * 2× SEC All-Defensive Team (2020, 2021) | medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}} {{MedalCountry|{{bk|FRA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA U16 European Championship]]}} {{MedalGold|[[2014 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship|2014 Latvia]]|[[France national under-17 basketball team|Team]]}} }} '''Yves Pons''' (born 7 May 1999) is a Haitian-born French professional [[basketball]] player for [[MoraBanc Andorra]] of the [[Liga ACB]]. He played [[college basketball]] for the [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee Volunteers]].
==Early life and career== Pons was born in [[Port-au-Prince]], Haiti and spent three and a half years with his biological mom. He was born in Port-au-Prince, which is the capital, but his hometown was Cité Soleil.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} It's one of the biggest areas in Haiti and is also the poorest part of Haiti.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} His mom, by law, had to send him to the orphanage because she couldn't take care of him, and he was pretty sick at the time.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
After close to a year in the orphanage, Yves was taken in by his adopted parents, Babeth and Jean-Claude Pons, who lived in France.<ref name="hein">{{cite web |last1=Hein |first1=David |title=Spectacular Pons loud on the court, reserved off the hardwood |url=https://www.heinnews.com/basketball/nba/spectacular-pons-loud-on-the-court-reserved-off-the-hardwood/ |website=heinnews |access-date=16 November 2019 |date=17 January 2017}}</ref> Pons attended French sports institute [[INSEP]], in [[Paris]], and played for its affiliated club [[Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball]] in the [[Nationale Masculine 1]] (NM1), the amateur [[French basketball league system|third-tier division]] of French basketball.<ref name="hein2">{{cite web |last1=Hein |first1=David |title=How reliable is Yves Pons? French ace injured again |url=https://www.heinnews.com/basketball/nba/how-reliable-is-yves-pons-french-ace-injured-again/ |website=heinnews |access-date=17 November 2019 |date=22 March 2017}}</ref>
===Recruiting=== Pons decided to play [[college basketball]] in the United States for [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee]] under head coach [[Rick Barnes]], after being recruited by assistant coach Michael Schwartz. He chose the Volunteers over offers from [[Florida Gators men's basketball|Florida]] and [[Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball|Texas Tech]].<ref name="ramey">{{cite web |last1=Ramey |first1=Grant |title=The story behind Tennessee landing Yves Pons |url=https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/Article/The-story-behind-Tennessee-Vols-basketball-going-to-France-and-landing-Yves-Pons-52284119/ |website=[[247Sports.com|247Sports]] |access-date=16 November 2019 |date=13 April 2017}}</ref> He became the first four-star [[college recruiting|recruit]] to play for Barnes at Tennessee and the first French men's basketball player in school history.<ref name="calhoun">{{Cite web |last=Calhoun |first=Caleb |date=28 February 2017 |title=Tennessee Basketball Recruiting: Four-Star Forward from France Yves Pons Commits to Vols |url=https://allfortennessee.com/2017/02/28/tennessee-basketball-yves-pons-recruiting-commit/ |access-date=17 November 2019 |website=All For Tennessee|via=FanSided}}</ref>
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|40=no|collapse=no|year=2017}} {{College Athlete Recruit Entry | recruit = Yves Pons | position = [[Small forward|SF]] | hometown = [[Fuveau|Fuveau, France]] | highschool = [[INSEP]] (France) | feet = 6 | inches = 6 | weight = 215 | 40 = | commitdate = 28 February 2017 |scout stars = |rivals stars = 4 |247 stars = 4 |espn stars = |espn grade = }} {{College Athlete Recruit End | year = 2017 | 247 overall = 63 | access-date = 24 November 2019 | bball = yes }}
==College career== [[File:Yves Pons.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Pons in January 2019]] Pons suffered an ankle injury in his Tennessee debut, a win over [[Presbyterian Blue Hose men's basketball|Presbyterian]], and was limited to four minutes.<ref name="megargee">{{cite web |last1=Megargee |first1=Steve |title=Vols capitalize on 28-0 run to trounce Presbyterian 88-53 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2017/11/10/vols-capitalize-on-28-0-run-to-trounce-presbyterian-88-53/107545936/ |website=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=21 November 2019 |date=10 November 2017}}</ref> In his freshman season, he played 24 games off the bench and averaged 5.2 minutes per game. As a sophomore, Pons scored a season-high 10 points against [[Eastern Kentucky Colonels men's basketball|Eastern Kentucky]] in his first career start.<ref name="provostheron">{{cite web |last1=Provost-Heron |first1=Troy |title=Yves Pons kickstarts Vols in win over Eastern Kentucky |url=https://www.thedailytimes.com/sports/yves-pons-kickstarts-vols-in-win-over-eastern-kentucky/article_d47c814f-815e-5c5e-aa60-459e087e15d2.html |website=The Daily Times |access-date=21 November 2019 |date=28 November 2018}}</ref> In February 2019, Pons suffered a facial fracture in a collision in practice and underwent a corrective procedure.<ref name="kaplan">{{cite web |last1=Kaplan |first1=Phil |title=UT Vols' Yves Pons wears mask, plays briefly, after suffering facial injury |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/mens-basketball/2019/02/13/ut-vols-yves-pons-wearing-mask-after-suffering-facial-injury/2824001002/ |website=[[Knoxville News Sentinel]] |access-date=21 November 2019 |date=13 February 2019}}</ref> Pons averaged 2.2 points per game as a sophomore, but put in a lot of work on his game after the season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramey |first1=Grant |title=Is this the new normal for Yves Pons? |url=https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/Article/Tennessee-Vols-Basketball-Yves-Pons-138793233/ |access-date=November 22, 2019 |work=247 Sports |date=November 18, 2019}}</ref> He saw considerable improvement as a junior, scoring a career-high 15 points in his season debut versus [[UNC Asheville Bulldogs men's basketball|UNC Asheville]] and eclipsing that mark in his next game after scoring 19 versus [[Murray State Racers men's basketball|Murray State]].<ref name="henley">{{cite web |last1=Henley |first1=Gene |title=Vols forward Yves Pons has made tremendous progress since last season |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2019/nov/19/vols-forward-yves-pons-hmade-tremendous-progr/508706/ |website=[[Chattanooga Times Free Press]] |access-date=21 November 2019 |date=19 November 2019}}</ref> At the conclusion of the regular season, Pons was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.<ref name="SEC awards">{{cite press release|url=https://www.secsports.com/article/28877731/sec-announces-2020-men-basketball-awards |title=SEC announces 2020 Men's Basketball Awards |publisher=Southeastern Conference |date=March 10, 2020 |access-date=March 10, 2020}}</ref> As a junior, Pons averaged 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tsoukalas |first1=Tony |title=How to watch: Alabama basketball vs Tennessee in the SEC Tournament |url=https://alabama.rivals.com/news/how-to-watch-alabama-basketball-vs-tennessee-in-the-sec-tournament |website=Rivals.com |date=11 March 2020 |access-date=March 22, 2020}}</ref> Following the season, he declared for the [[2020 NBA draft]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Martin |first1=Brandon |title=Report: Yves Pons Declares for NBA Draft |url=https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/report-pons-declares |access-date=April 30, 2020 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=April 25, 2020}}</ref> On August 3, Pons announced he was returning to Tennessee for his senior season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Mike |title=Yves Pons returning to Tennessee basketball for senior season |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/mens-basketball/2020/08/03/yves-pons-tennessee-basketball-nba-draft-vols/5460006002/ |access-date=August 4, 2020 |work=[[Knoxville News Sentinel]] |date=August 3, 2020}}</ref>
==Professional career==
===Memphis Grizzlies (2021–2022)=== After going undrafted in the [[2021 NBA draft]], Pons joined the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] for the [[2021 NBA Summer League]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Memphis Grizzlies announce 2021 Salt Lake City Summer League roster|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-announce-2021-salt-lake-city-summer-league-roster-210802|website=NBA.com|date=August 2, 2021|access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> On August 10, 2021, he signed an [[NBA salary cap#Exhibit 10|Exhibit 10]] contract with the Grizzlies,<ref>{{cite web|title=Memphis Grizzlies sign Yves Pons|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-sign-yves-pons-210810|website=NBA.com|date=August 10, 2021|access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> which was subsequently turned into a [[two-way contract]]. Under the terms of the deal, he split time with the Grizzlies and their [[NBA G League]] affiliate, the [[Memphis Hustle]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Memphis Grizzlies announce 2021 training camp roster|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-announce-2021-training-camp-roster-210923|website=NBA.com|date=September 23, 2021|access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> Pons was transferred to the Hustle on January 30, 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Grizzlies' Yves Pons: Transferred to G League |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/grizzlies-yves-pons-transferred-to-g-league/ |access-date=February 12, 2022 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=January 30, 2022}}</ref> On February 6, he was ruled out due to a thigh injury, and missed several games.<ref>{{cite news |title=Grizzlies' Yves Pons: Out of action |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/grizzlies-yves-pons-out-of-action/ |access-date=February 12, 2022 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=February 6, 2022}}</ref>
===ASVEL (2022–2023)=== Pons joined the [[Brooklyn Nets]] for the [[2022 NBA Summer League]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brooklyn Nets 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League Roster |url=https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2022/vegas/team/1610612751/nets |access-date=July 5, 2022 |website=NBA.com}}</ref> On July 26, 2022, Pons signed a two-year contract with [[ASVEL Basket]] of the French [[LNB Pro A]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Asvel signs Yves Pons until 2024 |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/pons-returns-to-europe-to-play-with-asvel/ |access-date=July 26, 2022 |website=Sportando|date=26 July 2022 |last1=Skerletic |first1=Dario }}</ref> On July 25, 2023, Pons was released from the French club.<ref name=a>{{cite web|title=Yves Pons parts ways with ASVEL and joins Girona|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1533011/yves-pons-and-asvel-part-ways/|website=Eurohoops|date=25 July 2023|accessdate=15 January 2024}}</ref>
===Bàsquet Girona (2023–2025)=== On 25 July 2023, Pons signed with [[Bàsquet Girona]] of the Spanish [[Liga ACB]].<ref name=a/><ref>{{cite web|title=Girona tabs Yves Pons |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Spain/news/820796/Girona-tabs-Yves-Pons|website=Eurobasket|date=26 July 2023|accessdate=15 January 2024}}</ref> On July 17, 2025, Girona announced Pons was leaving the team, after two seasons playing for the Catalans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gràcies, Yves Pons |url=https://basquetgirona.com/noticia/gracies-yves-pons/|website=basquetgirona.com|date=17 July 2025|accessdate=17 July 2025|language=ca}}</ref>
==National team career== Pons won a gold medal with [[France national under-17 basketball team|France]] at the [[2014 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship]] in Latvia, after averaging 3.8 points per game.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barnes Announces Signing of Yves Pons |url=https://utsports.com/news/2017/4/12/Barnes_Announces_Signing_of_Yves_Pons.aspx |publisher=University of Tennessee Athletics |access-date=17 November 2019 |date=12 April 2017}}</ref> He averaged 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game at the [[2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship]] in [[Zaragoza]], Spain, as his team finished in sixth place.<ref name="sparks">{{cite web |last1=Sparks |first1=Adam |title=Myth of Yves Pons grows before Vols debut |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/ut/2017/10/18/tennessee-basketball-yves-pons-vols-rick-barnes-sec-media-days-france-fiba-world-championships/774455001/ |website=[[The Tennessean]] |access-date=17 November 2019 |date=18 October 2017}}</ref> In 2019, Pons joined [[France national under-19 basketball team|France]] at the [[2019 FIBA U20 European Championship|FIBA U20 European Championship]] in [[Tel Aviv]], Israel, where he averaged 2.6 points per game for the fourth-place team.<ref name="ramey2">{{cite web |last1=Ramey |first1=Grant |title=Yves Pons spending summer playing for France U20 national team |url=https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/Article/Tennessee-Vols-Basketball-Yves-Pons-spending-summer-playing-for-France-U20-national-team-132909807/ |website=[[247Sports.com|247Sports]] |access-date=17 November 2019 |date=16 June 2019}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}}
===NBA=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2021}} | style="text-align:left;"| [[2021–22 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]] | 12 || 0 || 5.9 || .313 || .333 || .000 || 1.0 || .1 || .1 || .3 || 1.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 12 || 0 || 5.9 || .313 || .333 || .000 || 1.0 || .1 || .1 || .3 || 1.1 {{S-end}}
===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2017–18]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2017–18 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team|Tennessee]] | 24 || 0 || 5.2 || .500 || '''.667''' || .500 || .6 || .2 || .1 || .1 || .7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2018–19]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2018–19 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team|Tennessee]] | '''35''' || 13 || 11.7 || '''.516''' || .280 || .400 || 1.8 || .5 || .3 || .4 || 2.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2019–20]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2019–20 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team|Tennessee]] | 31 || '''31''' || '''33.9''' || .489 || .349 || .638 || '''5.4''' || '''1.1''' || .4 || '''2.4''' || '''10.8''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2020–21]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[2020–21 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team|Tennessee]] | 26 || 26 || 28.5 || .466 || .274 || '''.789''' || 5.3 || .7 || '''.7''' || 1.8 || 8.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 116 || 70 || 20.1 || .484 || .318 || .653 || 3.3 || .6 || .4 || 1.2 || 5.7 {{S-end}}
===EuroLeague=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| [[2022–23 EuroLeague|2022–23]] | style="text-align:left;"| [[ASVEL Basket|ASVEL]] | 30 || 3 || 14.4 || .494 || .324 || .462 || 1.8 || .3 || .5 || .4 || 3.7 || 3.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career | 30 || 3 || 14.4 || .494 || .324 || .462 || 1.8 || .3 || .5 || .4 || 3.7 || 3.1 {{S-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/65117/yves-pons Proballers.com profile] *[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Yves-Pons/Summary/77640 RealGM profile] *[https://utsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/yves-pons/10295 Tennessee Volunteers bio]
{{BC Andorra current roster}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pons, Yves}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1999 births]] [[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]] [[Category:ASVEL Basket players]] [[Category:Bàsquet Girona players]] [[Category:BC Andorra players]] [[Category:Black French sportspeople]] [[Category:Centre Fédéral de Basket-ball players]] [[Category:French expatriate basketball people in Spain]] [[Category:French expatriate basketball people in the United States]] [[Category:French men's basketball players]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Haitian descent]] [[Category:Liga ACB players]] [[Category:Memphis Grizzlies players]] [[Category:Memphis Hustle players]] [[Category:NBA players from France]] [[Category:Power forwards]] [[Category:Small forwards]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Bouches-du-Rhône]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Port-au-Prince]] [[Category:Tennessee Volunteers basketball players]] [[Category:Undrafted NBA players]]