us collegeS vs “centres de formation”

I get why people across Europe, get nervous when young players decide to head to the U.S. for college ball. But let’s be real about what the system actually looks like.

In France, if you’re in a training center (centre de formation), you’re basically making pocket change, maybe a thousand euros a month at best. Your education takes a back seat, because if the pro team calls you up for practice, school doesn’t matter anymore. And if you check the grades of most guys coming out of those programs, the academic level is honestly scary.

On the court, it’s not much better. Very few of those kids ever get real minutes with the pro team. They spend years practicing with the senior squad, playing only with the juniors, and when their trainee contract is up, most get told, “Thanks, but we’re moving on.” Only a tiny percentage actually make the jump.

In Switzerland, the basketball system is even smaller. There are no real training centers like in France, no NCAA-style universities like in the U.S. The pro league is limited, and it’s hard to balance serious basketball with serious academics. The schools are excellent, yes, but if you want to truly chase basketball, you almost always have to leave the country. Switzerland simply doesn’t offer the same opportunities to develop as either France or the U.S.

Now look at the U.S. It’s a whole different game. At the big schools, some players are making serious money off their name and image, sometimes close to a million dollars. Even at smaller programs, guys are still pulling in six figures. On top of that, your tuition, housing, and everything else is covered by scholarship. You get to live the full college athlete experience, and at the end of it, you walk away with a degree. Then, if you come back to Europe, you still count as a locally trained player. No penalty, no problem.

Sure, it’s not for everybody. You’ve got to have the grades to qualify, and the schedule is brutal, morning workouts, classes, games, travel, late nights, exams. Finals week will hit you hard if you’re not disciplined. But at least in the U.S. system, you’re given two real chances: one in basketball, and one in life after basketball.

Meanwhile in Europe, clubs say they’re “investing in player development.” Okay, fine. But let’s be honest: if the kid doesn’t make it as a pro, what’s next? What’s the plan for him? That’s the question nobody wants to answer.

Look, I won’t lie to you. Going to the U.S. as a student-athlete isn’t easy. You’re far from home, you’re adapting to a new culture, a new language, and you don’t have your family there to lean on. The schedule is brutal, early mornings, long practices, endless travel, and classes on top of it all. And don’t think it’s guaranteed you’ll play. Coaches recruit new guys every year, and if you’re not producing, you can end up riding the bench.

And yeah, people talk about NIL money, those million-dollar image deals. The truth? Only a small percentage of players get that. Most internationals live on their scholarship, which is still a great deal, but you’re not automatically becoming rich.

So yes, there are sacrifices. There are risks. There are nights when you’ll feel homesick, and exams that will push you to your limits.

But here’s the thing: even with all those challenges, it’s still a better option than what most kids get in France. Because in the U.S., your education actually counts. If basketball doesn’t work out, you leave with a degree that means something. You build discipline. You grow as a person. You play in front of scouts, you get exposure that’s hard to find in France. And the network you build in America, teammates, coaches, alumni, that follows you for life.

Meanwhile, in France, the reality is harsh: you might spend years in a training center, earn next to nothing, neglect school, and when your contract ends, the club just says goodbye. No degree, no real backup plan. That’s the truth.

So yeah, the U.S. isn’t perfect. It’s tough, it’s demanding, it’s not made for everybody. But if you’re willing to grind, if you’re serious about both basketball and your future, it gives you something France almost never does: a second chance. A chance in basketball, and a chance in life after basketball.