Tony Snell is taking his time to explore himself right after his autism diagnosis in 2023.
After 11 years between the NBA and the G League, former Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Tony Snell decided to play with French club Boulazac Basket Dordogne.
Snell last played with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021-22, then suited up for the Maine Celtics (Boston Celtics’ G-League team) from 2022-24. He also played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami Heat) in 2023-2024.
The 33-year-old veteran told his agent that he was over with his G League stint, as he would like to compete overseas instead.
“I told my agent I was done with the G League life, so I wanted to go overseas. I said, ‘Any spot you can find for me, I’ll take it.’ And he said Boulazac was one of them. It’s in France, and my wife knows a lot about France, so I feel like it’s a win-win,” said Snell via HoopsHype.
One of the influences regarding his decision was getting advice from his former teammates and colleagues who now played overseas. He mainly liked to explore himself after the operation in the previous two years.
“I’ve been around a couple of foreign guys, I had a guy from Australia, a couple of players from Australia… During my process of getting to know a couple of veterans who played overseas, I just picked their brains about their experiences. Some were good, some had different situations, but the majority of them were really good, and I wanted to explore this for myself.”
The 6-foot-6 swingman realized his true value in being able to see the bigger picture around the world after his autism diagnosis.
“It made me, honestly, it gave me a clarity of who I am. I always questioned, you know, ‘How do I belong in this world?’ and ‘Who am I?’ I never understood why I operated the way I do. But it’s just who I am… In the past, I was a mute. I spoke very rarely until I got to know a person.”
“I’m grateful for basketball because I’ve been able to see different states and different cultures, and I thank God for that. But now I want to see what’s on the other side of America,” Snell added.
Snell had a career average of 6.1 points, 2.3 boards, and 1.1 assists per game in the NBA, while 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1 assist in the G league.
