By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
French basketball icon Evan Fournier has signaled the beginning of the end for his illustrious career, confirming his plans in an interview with L’Equipe published Monday. Currently 33 and competing for Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, the veteran guard admitted that while his competitive fire remains at ‘150%’, the toll of professional life, specifically the constant travel and time away from family, has led him to envision the finish line.
“To be honest, I think I’ll finish this contract and then retire. I won’t continue beyond that,” he mentioned, relaying his plan and referring to a contract signed last July. “It’s becoming harder to deal with little things that make me consider it. I want to be with my children, travel with my wife, and enjoy the life I haven’t had until now because basketball took up everything.”
Reflecting on his transition from the NBA, where he spent 12 seasons between 2012 and 2024, Fournier repeated that he nearly walked away following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. After the bottom end of his NBA journey and remaining options didn’t meet his expectations, he questioned the road ahead. “When I saw that my only NBA opportunity was a flop, I asked myself if I really wanted to start all over again at this stage of my career,” he admitted. However, the itch to play returned after just two weeks of rest, leading him to ‘one last adventure in Greece’.
Now a cornerstone for Olympiacos, Fournier harbors a burning ambition to secure a EuroLeague title before his 2028 exit. “Nobody wants to win the Euroleague more than I do,” he asserted, noting that he cannot even imagine the feeling of potentially lifting the trophy at the home of their rivals, Panathinaikos Aktor, since the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad, is set to take place in the Telekom Center Athens, home of the Greens.
Fournier also clarified his future with the French national team, confirming he is ready to return if called upon. “If they call me, I will come,” he stated, following a meeting in Athens with the national coaching staff to discuss the ‘2027 World Cup – 2028 Olympics’ project of the French Federation of Basketball, FFBB. If his timeline holds, his storied career would conclude at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, marking nearly two decades of dominance in French and international basketball.