Jean-Aimé Toupane (born 12 January 1958) is a Senegalese-French professional basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach of the French women's national team. He was also the head coach of the French men's national under-20 team from 2009 to 2021.

Jean-Aimé Toupane
Personal information
Born (1958-01-12) 12 January 1958 (age 66)
Kaolack, Senegal
NationalitySenegalese / French
PositionHead coach
Coaching career1998–present
Career history
As player:
?–1980JA Dakar
1980–1982BAC Mirande
1982–1984Villeneuve-sur-Lot BC
1984–1988AS Monaco
1988–1991FC Mulhouse
1991–1993BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque
1993–1994FC Mulhouse
1994–1995CRO Lyon
1995–1998Toulouse Spacer's
As coach:
1998–1999Spacer's Toulouse
1999–2001RC Toulouse
2001–2008Stade Clermontois
2008Élan Béarnais
2012–2013HTV
2013Olympique Antibes
2014–2021Centre Fédéral
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As head coach:

  • Pro B champion (2004)
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Senegal
AfroBasket
Gold medal – first place 1980 Morocco
Head coach for  France
FIBA U20 EuroBasket
Gold medal – first place 2010 Croatia
Silver medal – second place 2009 Greece
Silver medal – second place 2012 Slovenia
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Spain
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Greece
Women's basketball
Head coach for  France
EuroBasket Women
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Israel/Slovenia

Playing career

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Toupane, who took part in the 1978 World Championship in Manila with the Senegal national team (6.4 points per World Cup game),[1] played at club level in his native country until 1980 for the Jeanne d'Arc Dakar team. In 1980 he moved from Senegal to France and played for the lower-class club BAC Mirande until 1982.[2]

After two years (1982 to 1984) with the French second division club Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Toupane played for three teams in the top French league between 1984 and 1993: AS Monaco (1984 to 1988), FC Mulhouse (1989 to 1991), BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque (1991 to 1993). In 1993/94 Toupane was back in the service of Mulhouse, now in the second division. In 1994/95 he played for the first division club CRO Lyon and from 1995 to 1998 with Toulouse Spacer's (the first two years in the second division, 1997/98 in the first division as player-coach).[2]

Coaching career

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After a year as player-coach in Toulouse, Toupane devoted himself entirely to coaching at the club and held the position until 2001. In 2001, Toupane began working as a coach in Clermont-Ferrand.[2] He led Stade Clermontois from the third to the second division and in 2004 to promotion to the first division, where they competed until 2006. Toupane remained in office in Clermont-Ferrand until 2008. At the EuroBasket 2005, Toupane was assistant coach of the French men's national team, which won bronze at the tournament.[3] He remained in this position for the national team until 2007.[4]

At the start of the 2008/09 season, Toupane was coach of the first division club Élan Béarnais, but in mid-November 2008, he was sacked after six defeats in a row.[5]

In 2012/13 Toupane coached the second division club HTV.[2] In 2013, he took over as coach of the first division club Olympique Antibes. The collaboration ended in early December 2013 after the team had previously won only one of nine games under Toupane's leadership.[6]

National team coaching career

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In addition to his duties in the club, Toupane was head coach of the French men's U20 national team from 2009 to 2021. Under his leadership, France became European champions once in the U20 age group (2010), twice runners-up (2009, 2012)[7] and twice third in the European Championships (2011, 2017).[4] Over the years, his players in the U20 national team have included future European top players such as Antoine Diot, Kevin Séraphin, Thomas Heurtel, Andrew Albicy, Evan Fournier, Léo Westermann, Élie Okobo and Amine Noua.[8][9] From 2014 to 2021, Toupane also coached the INSEP performance center team Centre Fédéral, which competes in the third-highest division, Nationale 1, in professional competitions.[8] At the beginning of October 2021, Toupane became the French women's national coach.[4] In 2023, they won bronze medal in EuroBasket Women 2023.[10]

Personal life

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Toupane is the father of Axel Toupane who also became a French international player.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Jean-Aime Toubane". FIBA. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  2. ^ a b c d "Un lion guide les agneaux". Basketball Mag. February 2015. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. ^ "Jean-Aimé Toupane nommé entraîneur des Sharks d'Antibes". France3. 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  4. ^ a b c "Jean-Aimé Toupane est le nouveau coach de l'équipe de France féminine, Cathy Melain son assistante". basketeurope.com. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  5. ^ "Pau: Toupane viré". Eurosport. 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  6. ^ "Pro A: Antibes, Jean Aimé Toupane licencié !". parlons-basket.com. 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  7. ^ "Jean-Aimé Toupane intègre le CFBB". basketactu.fr. 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  8. ^ a b "Jean-Aimé Toupane renforce le CFBB". 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  9. ^ a b "Basket. Qui est Jean-Aimé Toupane, le nouveau sélectionneur des Bleues ?". ouest-france.fr. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  10. ^ "L'équipe de France féminine de basket décroche la médaille de bronze à l'Euro". Europe 1 (in French). 2023-06-25. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
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Jean-Aimé Toupane at FIBA.com (archived)