Romain Sato

Romain Sato
	Sato, in 2013.
Personal information
Born	March 2, 1981 (age 43); Bimbo, Central African Republic
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Dayton Christian (Dayton, Ohio)
College	Xavier (2000–2004)
NBA draft	2004: 2nd round, 52nd overall pick
	Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Playing career	2004–2021
Position	Shooting guard / small forward
Career history
2004–2006	Aurora Jesi
2006	Barcelona
2006–2010	Mens Sana Siena
2010–2012	Panathinaikos
2012–2013	Fenerbahçe
2013–2017	Valencia
Career highlights and awards
	EuroLeague champion (2011); EuroCup champion (2014); Liga ACB champion (2017); All-Liga ACB First Team (2014); Spanish Supercup winner (2017); 4× LBA champion (2007–2010); 2× Italian Cup winner (2009, 2010); 3× Italian Supercup winner (2007–2009); LBA MVP (2010); Italian SuperCup MVP (2009); Greek League champion (2011); Greek Cup winner (2012); Turkish Cup winner (2013); 2× First-team All-Atlantic 10 (2003, 2004);
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Romain Guessagba-Sato-Lebel (French pronunciation: [ʁɔmɛ̃ ɡesaɡba sato ləbɛl]; born March 2, 1981), generally known as Romain Sato, is a former Central African professional basketball player. Standing at a height of 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in), he played as a swingman.

Sato won four LBA championships with Mens Sana Siena in Italy, and was named the league's MVP in 2010. Sato won the EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos in 2011. In his four years with Valencia of the Liga ACB, he was named to the All-ACB First Team in 2014. Sato was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2024.^[1]

He represented the Central African Republic national team in international play, leading them at AfroBasket 2009.

High school

Sato attended Dayton Christian High School, while living in Moraine, Ohio, in the United States. While there, he played basketball, and in 2000 Sato was selected as Mr. Basketball for the state of Ohio. In 2019 he was elected to the Dayton Christian High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2021 the school retired his #23 jersey.

College career

Sato graduated from Xavier University in 2004, having majored in French, after playing college basketball with the Xavier Musketeers.

Professional career

Sato was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2004 NBA draft, and was subsequently waived on February 24, 2005. After being drafted by the Spurs, Sato played in the Italian Second Division^[2] with Sicc Cucine Jesi. He was the league's second-leading scorer in the 2005–06 season, averaging 25.5 points per game, and also adding 7.5 rebounds per game.

In Romain's three playoff games that season, he averaged 35 points and 14.6 rebounds. From there, he went to FC Barcelona to play in the 2006 Spanish ACB League playoffs.^[3] Sato then returned to Italy to play in the top Italian League with Montepaschi Siena for the 2006–07 season. In his first season with Siena, he helped Montepaschi to win the Scudetto (Italian Championship),^[4] and he then went on to win three more Scudetti with Siena. He was named the Italian League MVP in 2010.^[5]

In July 2010, he signed a three-year contract with Panathinaikos. In the summer of 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahçe Ülker.^[6] He left them after one season. In August 2012, he signed a one-year deal with the Spanish team Valencia Basket.^[7] On July 1, 2014, he re-signed with Valencia Basket for two more years.^[8]

National team career

Sato played with the senior men's Central African Republic national basketball team at the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship. He averaged 21.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game at the tournament, and was named to the All-Tournament First Team.

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

EuroLeague

†	Denotes season in which Sato won the EuroLeague
*	Led the league


Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2007–08	Mens Sana	23	22	28.0	.442	.347	.731	4.9	1.0	1.8	.1	11.6	12.7
2008–09		20	19	25.8	.462	.400	.814	3.9	.7	1.8	.1	10.1	10.8
2009–10		16	16	28.0	.490	.396	.855	5.3	1.3	1.5	—	13.6	16.3
2010–11†	Panathinaikos	21	16	26.2	.413	.388	.813	3.9	1.1	.7	.1	9.0	10.1
2011–12	Panathinaikos	23*	20	26.0	.410	.347	.712	4.7	1.0	.7	.4	7.1	8.6
2012–13	Fenerbahçe	23	23	27.0	.408	.341	.810	4.2	1.3	.7	.1	7.3	8.2
2014–15	Valencia	9	6	27.2	.362	.292	.800	4.8	1.1	.9	.6	6.3	6.7
Career		135	122	26.8	.433	.363	.789	4.5	1.1	1.1	.2	9.4	10.6

Gallery

Romain Sato's words in his presentation as a Valencia Basket player, in 2013.
Sato answers the questions of the Press in the very same act.
Hommage in Valencia's court after his first season in the club, when he was chosen as best SF in the league, and awarded by local fans as the team's player who showed more effort.