| Tidjane Salaün | |
| Position: | Power forward |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 9 |
| Weight Lbs: | 207 |
| League: | NBA |
| Team: | Charlotte Hornets |
| Number: | 31 |
| Birth Date: | 10 August 2005 |
| Birth Place: | Paris, France |
| Draft Year: | 2024 |
| Draft Round: | 1 |
| Draft Pick: | 6 |
| Draft Team: | Charlotte Hornets |
| Career Start: | 2022 |
| Years1: | 2022–2024 |
| Team1: | Cholet Basket |
| Years2: | –present |
| Team2: | Charlotte Hornets |
| Highlights: | |
Tidjane Abdoul Salaün (pronounced as /fr/; born 10 August 2005) is a French professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Salaün began playing for Cholet Basket's youth team in LNB Espoirs, the French under-21 league, in 2021.[1] In February 2023, he was invited to take part in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders camp during the All-Star Game weekend.[2] [3]
In May of the same year, Salaün was named the MVP of the 2023 Trophée du Futur tournament, having averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.[4] He signed his first professional contract with Cholet's senior team on 10 July 2023.[5]
During the 2023–24 season, Salaün featured for Cholet Basket's senior team both in the LNB Élite and the FIBA Champions League, and finished the campaign by averaging 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and one steal per game.[6]
On 25 April 2024, Salaün announced that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft; his entry was confirmed by the NBA on 2 May.[7]
On 26 June 2024, Salaün was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024 NBA draft.[8] [9] He was picked alongside fellow Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher (drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick) and Alex Sarr (drafted by the Washington Wizards with the second pick), making France the first foreign nation to have at least three native players picked in the top 10 spots of any NBA draft. On 3 July 2024, he signed with the Hornets.[10] He made his summer league debut on July 13th against the New York Knicks with the Charlotte Hornets winning 94-90. He scored 8 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out an assist in 14 minutes of play.
Salaün played for the France national under-18 team in the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship.[11]
Salaün's parents both played basketball. His sister, Janelle Salaün, plays in the EuroLeague Women and for the France women's national team.[12] He is of Guadeloupean descent.[13]