Joffrey Lauvergne
A versatile French big man who carved out a global career, bouncing from the NBA to become a star in European leagues.
Born 1991 (age 35)·French basketball player·Birthday: September 30·Millennials
Biography
Joffrey Lauvergne represents the modern international basketball journeyman. Drafted by the NBA in 2013, the French forward/center brought a high-energy, physical style and a reliable mid-range shot to a league increasingly valuing stretch big men. His NBA stint was a tour of several teams, including Denver, Oklahoma City, and Chicago, where he provided valuable minutes off the bench. Rather than clinging to the periphery of the NBA, Lauvergne pivoted decisively back to Europe, where his game flourished. He became a central figure for top clubs like Fenerbahçe and Žalgiris Kaunas, winning league titles and embracing a larger role. His career arc is a successful blueprint for adapting one's talents to different basketball cultures, finding major success on his own continent after testing himself at the highest level.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Joffrey was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joffrey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Joffrey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Turkish Basketball Super League championship and the Turkish President's Cup with Fenerbahçe in 2022.
- Captured the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) championship with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2020.
- Represented the French national team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
- Played parts of four seasons in the NBA for five different franchises.
Did You Know?
He was drafted 55th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013 but was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets.
His brother, Leo, is also a professional basketball player.
He played for Kuwait SC in Kuwait after his tenure with Fenerbahçe.
“You have to be ready when your number is called.”
