Journeyman small forward Axel Toupane, a former league champion while with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, has found his next pro opportunity, outside the NBA.
Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the 6-foot-7 swingman is signing on with the Diablos Rojos of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional in Mexico. The turnaround between the announcement and his first game is brisk.
Fischer revealed the news on Friday, and Toupane is slated to make his debut with his new team on Saturday, during the Copa Value tournament.
The French-born Toupane, 32, has also been playing for his native Metropolitans 92 since 2023.
David Lee #42 of the Dallas Mavericks lays up a shot against Will Barton #5, Darrell Arthur #00 and Axel Toupane #6 of the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on March 6, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks 116-114 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Toupane got his pro start playing for French club SIG Strasbourg from 2011-15.
After going undrafted, the well-traveled Frenchman linked up with the Toronto Raptors’ then-D League (now G League) affiliate, the Raptors 905, for the start of the 2015-16 season. Across 32 contests (14 starts) with the Raptors 905, he averaged 14.6 points on a .429/.313/.786 slash line, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 dimes, and 1.0 steals a night. He was honored as that season’s NBA D League Most Improved Player.
In March of that same season, the Denver Nuggets inked Toupane to a pair of 10-day deals, and finally a long-term standard contract. In 21 contests for the 33-49 Nuggets, Toupane averaged 3.6 points on .357/.325/.765 shooting splits, 1.5 boards, and 0.7 dimes in 14.5 minutes a night.
Denver cut Toupane that October, prior to the start of the 2016-17 season. He kicked off 2016-17 back with the Raptors 905, briefly agreed to a 10-day deal with the Bucks in Feb., and quickly returned to the Raptors 905. The New Orleans Pelicans followed that up by bringing Toupane along for the rest of the year. He was cut in July.
Toupane continued his basketball journey abroad for the next three seasons, playing for the Lithuanian team Žalgiris in 2017-18, Greek club Olympiacos in 2018-19, and Spanish squad Unicaja. During the 2020-21 NBAGL season, which transpired on a carefully contained Orlando “bubble” campus, Toupane played with the Golden State Warriors’ G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.
That’s when Milwaukee got involved. The Bucks inked him to a two-way deal. Thanks to a coronavirus-induced exception allowing two-way players to suit up for their teams in the playoffs (which is normally not permitted), Toupane suited up for four postseason contests with the Bucks en route to their first championship in 50 years. His minutes essentially amounted to a cameo. He averaged 1.3 points on 50 percent field goal shooting, across 2.5 minutes a night.
For his cumulative NBA career, Toupane has suited up for 33 contests (one start), averaging 3.1 points on .378/.326/.750 shooting splits, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists a night.
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