François Matip, a 26-year-old French basketball player standing 2.00 meters tall, has joined the SKN St. Pölten Basketball club in Austria. The club officially announced his arrival on October 2, 2026, shortly before the start of the 2026-2027 season in the win2day Basketball Superliga, a top-tier professional basketball league in Austria. Matip made his debut for the team in a match against the Pirlo Kufstein Towers, where St. Pölten won 85-77. In his first game, Matip scored 6 points and recorded 5 rebounds. This marks a new chapter for Matip, who had previously played in Iceland with Sindri during the 2024/2025 season and returned to Tarbes-Lourdes in the summer of 2025. With Tarbes-Lourdes, Matip averaged 6.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game over 33 matches in the Nationale 1 league last season. The Nationale 1 is a semi-professional basketball league in France, serving as a stepping stone for players aiming to reach the top division. Born on March 1, 2000, in Paris, Matip has experience in both the French first division and the U21 teams, having played for clubs such as Gravelines-Dunkerque, Châlons-Reims, Rennes, Tarbes-Lourdes, and the Sables Vendée. He also participated in the pre-season training of the Stade Rochelais in the ELITE 2 league in August 2026, though no official contract was announced at the time. The ELITE 2 is a second-tier French basketball league, often used by teams to develop talent and prepare for the higher divisions. Matip is now set to compete in the win2day Basketball Superliga, which includes 11 teams for the 2026-2027 season. His move to Austria represents a new challenge and opportunity for the player, who has gained experience across multiple leagues and teams in Europe. His performance in his debut game suggests he is ready to contribute to St. Pölten's campaign in the upcoming season.