By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following his spectacular season as a EuroLeague champion and Final Four Most Valuable Player with Olympiacos, Evan Fournier is picking up the thread of his story with the senior national team of France.
After two years away from Les Bleus since capturing silver in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, his return marks a fresh chapter for the veteran guard who has consistently driven the squad’s offense over the last decade.
“I thought about it. It crossed my mind. But I still love the game, so the decision was pretty quick,” he shared in an interview with the French Federation of Basketball published Tuesday, reflecting on whether he hesitated about continuing his international career. “Unfortunately, last summer I couldn’t join France. I had an ankle injury.”
The prolific scorer has amassed an impressive resume, capturing six medals. When asked if his quest for an elusive gold medal motivated his comeback to the program, he shared a candid perspective on the realities of tournament cycles.
“It was very hard for me to say no last summer. Let’s not kid ourselves. A EuroBasket offers a greater chance of a gold medal than a World Cup or the Olympic Games. It was a kind of sacrifice because I don’t know if I’ll ever play in EuroBasket again. Of course, I want to win. But I’m not sure I’m as keen on winning gold as I was five or six years ago. I want to enjoy my last moments in this jersey. And help this young group,” he shared.
Mentoring the next generation
The influx of a highly touted rising generation of homegrown talent provides a stark reminder of his longevity rather than filling him with immediate eagerness.
“All my guys have left. Rudy Gobert and I are the two oldest players left,” explained the veteran perimeter player. “And we both have a role to play. When we joined the national team, with Thomas Heurtel, Joffrey Lauvergne, Rudy Gobert, the veterans, Boris Diaw, Mickael Gelabale, Florent Pietrus, were very important in our development. They helped us understand what the French national team meant and how it works. Now it’s our turn to do that. That doesn’t mean we won’t work hard to win games, but we have a bigger responsibility than before.”
“I’m not going to be someone else,” he added. “I’m going to stay myself. There’s no question of forcing things. Simply put, in such a young group, there’s inevitably an element of discovery, of the unknown. That’s where I think we can make a difference. I’m not going to talk all the time. I’ll speak up when I feel it’s necessary to say something. And it will have to be important. I’ve always been quite vocal at times. And on the court, I’ll be myself.”
This renewed drive is heavily supported by his dominant form with Olympiacos. Despite his storied status, Fournier rejects the idea of legacy-based selections, explaining how his recent success reinforces his position.
“I’ve always been convinced that to make the French national team, you have to perform,” he mentioned. “I’m not a fan of special treatment. That just because I’ve been here for over ten years, I should be on the team. No. You have to earn your place. And I take that to heart. I don’t want to be part of the team because I get along well with everyone.”
France enters Group L in the final round of the European Qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup 2027 with a 5-1 record, placing them two games ahead of the elimination zone. In the upcoming FIBA window, they face Slovenia in Paris on August 27 and Sweden in Stockholm on August 30.
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