Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot has been announced by Real Madrid on a two-year contract, giving Pedro Martinez another “go-to guy” for the upcoming season. Here is everything you need to know about “TLC” through the lens of SKWEEK.
The 31-year-old small forward arrives after an outstanding season with Baskonia (18.2 points per game on 54.8% two-point shooting and 41.2% from three, along with 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in the EuroLeague) and has officially joined the Spanish powerhouse. SKWEEK presents a comprehensive, but necessary, profile of a player European basketball fans should know.
NBA experience
Luwawu-Cabarrot spent two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers (2016-2018), who selected him in the 2016 NBA Draft at No. 24 overall, before moving to the Oklahoma City Thunder (2018-2019) and the Chicago Bulls (2019). He then signed with the Brooklyn Nets (2019-2021) and completed his NBA chapter with the Atlanta Hawks (2021-2022).
According to HoopsHype, during his journey through the world’s top basketball league, he earned approximately $9.4 million.
NBA numbers
He made 328 appearances, averaging 16 minutes per game, with 5.9 points (46.8% on two-pointers, 33.5% from three and 82.9% from the free-throw line), 2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.7 turnovers.
EuroLeague journey
“TLC” has been competing in the EuroLeague since the 2022-23 season. He spent one year with Olimpia Milano, then returned to France to play for ASVEL. Over the past two seasons, he became Baskonia’s primary offensive option and true go-to player.
EuroLeague numbers
114 games, averaging 25:09 minutes, 13.2 points (50.8% two-point shooting, 37.9% from three and 86.5% free throws), 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 2 turnovers.
Τrophy cabinet
After his NBA journey, Luwawu-Cabarrot has won the Italian championship (2023) and the Spanish Cup (2026). In the season that just concluded, he finished as the ACB’s leading scorer and earned a spot on the All-ACB First Team. Add to the above achievements two silver medals with the French national team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and EuroBasket 2022.
Strengths
The 31-year-old is an elite athlete who thrives in the open court, attacks closeouts aggressively and has the ability to create his own offense. Luwawu-Cabarrot identifies defensive mismatches, puts constant pressure on the rim and has significantly improved his shooting, becoming a reliable option in spot-up situations.
He has excellent size for the small forward position and is highly effective in transition. He moves well without the ball, cuts behind defenses and contributes to proper offensive spacing. At the same time, his combination of size, strength and speed allows him to defend different types of players.
Former teammates and coaches have often described him as a player who is not afraid to take responsibility, possesses a natural scoring instinct and can change the momentum of a game with a personal offensive burst, regardless of the circumstances.
Weaknesses
“TLC” is not a player who can operate as a secondary playmaker and consistently create offense for his teammates. Outside of his outstanding previous season, there have been fluctuations in his performances from game to game throughout his career.
Despite his athletic tools, he is not considered an elite rebounder, while there are moments when he forces shots, relying too heavily on the attacking instinct that has made him successful.
The quote from his presentation that everyone should remember:
“I want to win as much as possible. Real Madrid wants to win, and that is exactly what I want as well. I have reached a point where my experience, my quality and my abilities are at the ideal level.”
