Élie Okobo
A French guard whose explosive scoring and slick playmaking earned him a shot in the NBA before he returned home to become a EuroLeague standout.
Born 1997 (age 29)·French basketball player·Birthday: October 23·Generation Z
Biography
Élie Okobo's basketball journey is a transatlantic tale of skill and adaptation. Hailing from Bordeaux, France, he turned professional at just 16 with Pau-Lacq-Orthez, quickly rising through the ranks with a flashy, score-first style. His breakout season in 2017-18, where he averaged nearly 13 points and 5 assists in the French league, caught the eye of NBA scouts who valued his confidence and ability to create his own shot. The Phoenix Suns selected him in the second round of the 2018 draft, and Okobo spent two seasons navigating the league, showing flashes of his potential as a dynamic ball-handler. Seeking a larger role and more consistent play, he returned to Europe, where his game flourished. A stint with ASVEL in the EuroLeague rebuilt his reputation, leading him to a key role with AS Monaco. Back on familiar ground, Okobo has matured into a complete lead guard, using his NBA experience to orchestrate offenses and take over games in Europe's top competitions, solidifying his status as one of France's premier backcourt talents.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Élie was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Élie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Élie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
- Won the French League (LNB Pro A) championship with ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2021.
- Averaged a career-high 12.9 points and 4.8 assists per game for Pau-Lacq-Orthez in the 2017-18 season, his final year before the NBA.
Did You Know?
He holds both French and Congolese citizenship.
He played for the French national team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
His nickname is 'Eli'.
“I learned to be patient in France, but in the NBA, you must attack.”
