Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier had a terrific breakout season for himself in the NBA last season. He re-signed with the team on an $85 million deal during the offseason. Fournier, 23, was surprisingly not called to join the French national team to compete for the Olympics in Rio this summer.
Fournier spoke to French magazine L’Equipe about being disappointed he didn’t make the cut for the team (translation via EuroHoops.net):
“I hated not being in the Olympic Games,” he said. “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.
“The only time I’ve heard from the Federation this year was during a visit from Patrick Beesley (French NT technical director) in Orlando where he told me the dates of the qualifying tournament and Olympics. He didn’t tell me ‘If you do not come in Manila, then you do not come in Rio’. The second time was from an sms by Vincent Collet. It was our only contact outside competitions in the last three years. He was asking me for tickets to a game for his friends. 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.”
Not only does Fournier have every right to feel hurt, and perhaps even disrespected, as a credible NBA player, but now as a legitimate promising young NBA talent. Fournier is young enough to have another crack at the national team for the next Olympics. Should he continue his progress, it will be that much tougher for them not to offer him a roster spot.
