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Evan Fournier wasn’t a happy camper during the Rio Olympics and it’s not just because of France’s zero medal finish in the basketball event.
Fournier is widely regarded as one of the better French players out there after enjoying a successful season, individually, for the Orlando Magic. However, that wasn’t enough to secure him a spot in the national team.
In an interview for L’Equipe Magazine, Fournier expressed his disappointment over the Olympic snub. As translated by Eurohoops.net:
“I hated not being in the Olympic Games. I had suspected that I won’t make the cut a week before I was informed about it. I was reading interviews where only Rudy (Gobert) was mentioned among the players who didn’t play in the OQT but would go to Rio. In the end, I received a voicemail by Vincent Collet that briefly explained the reasons I was left out.”
“I think there was a lack of respect from the Federation’s side in relation to all these.”
“I never closed the door to the French national team but these events sent me a clear message. That I’m not in the project. It’s that simple and it hurts.”
There are still four years to go before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. A lot can happen over that period, so a reconciliation is not out of the realm of possibility for France’s basketball federation and Evan Fournier.
Sans Tony Parker in their next big tournaments, the French team will have a dire need for more firepower – something that fits the bill for the young shooting guard.
