French guard Marine Johannes wows crowd with no-look passes and off-balance 3's

PARIS (AP) — Marine Johannes has been sensational for France, wowing the crowd nearly every time she touches the basketball.

Whether it's making an off-balance, one-legged 3-pointer or throwing a pinpoint no-look pass for a easy lay-in, France's star guard has been incredible so far in the women's Olympic basketball tournament.

She helped the host nation reach the medal round in Paris, scoring 24 points in the quarterfinal victory over Germany on Wednesday.

“It never gets old, never gets old,” French teammate Gabby Williams said of watching Johannes play. “Even though I’ve seen it so many times. I know she’s capable and I’m the first one to tell her she’s capable of it. Still, like, you don’t believe it when you see it.”

Johannes and France seem to be playing their best when they are having fun.

“We were just happy, we knew that we can do something special today,” she said.

While Johannes is flashy on the court, she is quite shy off the court. She’s from a town of less than 750 people in France’s northern region.

“I know my family and friends were out here,” Johannes said. “It's something special here in Paris.”

WNBA fans are familiar with the 29-year-old Johannes' talents. She excelled for the New York Liberty the last few seasons since returning to the team in 2022. She helped them win the Commissioner's Cup last year.

Johannes wasn't able to play this year because of the league's prioritization rule, which required veteran players to return to the U.S. for training camp or be suspended for the season.

She plans on being in New York next year.

“I hope so,” she said, smiling.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games