
In a tournament overflowing with pressure, expectation, and the unforgiving chaos of international basketball, Julie Allemand didnât just play point guardâshe dominated the position with a level of control that felt almost unreal. Belgium came into FIBA Womenâs EuroBasket Women 2021 with high hopes, but few expected the staggering poise and orchestration Allemand would unleash on Europeâs biggest stage.
From the moment Belgium stepped onto the hardwood, something became immediately clear: Allemand was playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers.
Every cut, every read, every pass seemed to arrive a split second earlier than the defense expectedâlike she could see the game two frames into the future.
The Command of a Veteran, the Spark of a Star
Despite her young age at the time, Allemand moved like a point guard who had lived decades inside the game. She was unshakeable. Opposing teams tried trapping her full-court, throwing length at her, switching defenders on every screenâbut nothing rattled her rhythm. If anything, she fed off the disruption.
Her calmness became Belgiumâs secret weapon.
Where others saw chaos, Allemand saw opportunity. A collapsing defense became an open shooter in the corner. A hedge on the pick-and-roll turned into a perfectly timed pocket pass. A momentary hesitation by a defender became a runway for a drive to the rim.

She didnât force the game. She bent it.
The Artistry Behind the Numbers
Statistics alone canât capture what Allemand did in 2021âbut they certainly paint a vivid picture.
She was among the most efficient, composed, and creative point guards in the entire tournament. Her assist-to-turnover ratio bordered on the absurd. She ran Belgiumâs offense with razor-sharp execution, elevating every scorer around herâMeesseman, Vanloo, Linskens, Delaereâinto constant threats.
What made her stand out wasnât just that she made the right play.
It was that she made the right play at the rightest possible moment, even under suffocating defensive pressure.
Her leadership didnât come from shouting or chest-thumping.
Her leadership came from consistency.
Play after play. Minute after minute. Game after game.
Julie Allemand became Belgiumâs metronomeâthe heartbeat that never lost tempo.
A Point Guard Who Understands the Psychology of the Game
EuroBasket 2021 wasnât just a showcase of talent; it was a showcase of composure. And Allemand displayed something only the best floor generals in the world possess: emotional control.
Where others tense up, she loosens.
Where others hesitate, she commits.
Where others shy from responsibility, she welcomes it with a grin.
Her confidence wasnât loud. It was sharp. Focused. Dangerous.
And Europe felt it.
A Tournament That Shifted Her Global Reputation
There were high-level guards at EuroBasket 2021âsome with bigger names, flashier styles, or longer rĂ©sumĂ©s. But few matched Allemandâs total command of the game.
Her performance didnât just impress fans; it forced a recalibration of how analysts talked about her. Coaches began studying her tape. Opponents praised her reads. Scouts elevated her in global rankings.
By the end of the tournament, a consensus formedâspoken quietly at first, then loudly:
Julie Allemand isnât just one of the best point guards in Europe.
Sheâs one of the best point guards in the world.
What Makes Her Elite?
Several qualities separate Allemand from the pack:
- Vision: She sees passing lanes before they exist.
- Decision-Making: Her reaction time is elite; her choices are surgical.
- Pace Control: She dictates tempo like a conductor leading an orchestra.
- Basketball IQ: Her ability to read defenses is world-class.
- Unselfishness: She elevates entire teams through her passing gravity.
- Fearlessness: She embraces the biggest moments rather than shrinking from them.
These qualitiesâcombined with her competitive edgeâmade her EuroBasket run unforgettable.
The Legacy of 2021
Belgium left the tournament with pride, passion, and respect from the global basketball community. But one of its most enduring takeaways was the rise of Julie Allemand as a true superstar point guard.
EuroBasket 2021 didnât create her.

It revealed her.
It showed the world what her teammates already knew:
Julie Allemand is the engine of Belgiumâs national team and one of the most gifted floor generals womenâs basketball has ever produced.
Her EuroBasket performance wasnât simply excellent.
It was defining.
And years later, when fans talk about the evolution of elite point guard play in womenâs basketball, theyâll point to 2021 and say, âThatâs when Julie Allemand announced herself to the world.â
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