Evan Fournier spent 12 seasons in the NBA and went from being a Playoff-caliber co-star to an end-of-the-bench veteran over that time. He ended last season on the woeful Detroit Pistons, a very frustrating experience for the French shooting guard, which prompted him to sign with Olympiacos in Europe. He opened up on how the Olympics helped reinvigorate his love for basketball in an interview with Eurohoops.
“When the business of basketball takes over, it’s a little hard… I think one of the dark sides of the NBA is when teams are losing on purpose to get higher draft picks. It’s real.”
“My last two months in Detroit, the organization was great but it was a young team that wasn’t trying to win. When you’re my age, it’s hard to go through that. I knew this was not what I wanted for my career… I want to compete, I want to play competitive basketball… Going from Detroit to the Olympics gave me life. I want to continue like this.”
Fournier is coming off a rough few seasons in the NBA, being a benchwarmer for the better part of two seasons for the Knicks before he was traded to the Pistons. He played more in Detroit but on a tanking team with no incentive to win, something Fournier clearly didn’t enjoy.
He leaves the NBA after having averaged 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over his career. His exploits with the Orlando Magic alongside Nikola Vucevic will be remembered, as the duo formed the core of a fun Playoff-caliber roster until 2021.
Evan Fournier Declined A Multi-Year Deal With The Tanking Wizards
Fournier didn’t run out of options in the NBA, as the veteran sharpshooter could have been valuable in a myriad of roles across teams. While a contender could use him as a cheap spacing option, tanking teams value his experience and mentality.
This was reflected in the positive relationship he had with the Pistons’ front office despite his disapproval of their tanking ways which led to another tanking franchise approaching him this summer. The Washington Wizards are expected to be deep in the tank this season but offered Fournier a multi-year contract, as revealed by the French guard to Le’Equipe.
“Evan Fournier said he was offered a 2-year contract with the Wizards in the NBA, but he wasn’t interested in a ‘mentoring role’ with the youngsters, ‘in a losing team’. Added he wants to ‘compete’ in Europe and “enjoy playing basketball again.'”
Fournier balled out in the Olympics to rediscover his love for basketball, averaging 9.8 points as France won the Silver medal. He’ll hope his skills can translate at Olympiacos, as he’ll be dealing with high-pressure situations for one of the most rabid fanbases in Europe.
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