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the captaincy and the objectives at the Euro, Embiid, “loose displacement”… The truths of Fournier

As usual without language of wood, the top scorer of the Blues takes stock of the situation in front of the press at the start of the rally, in Nanterre.

State of mind in this beginning of the gathering in Blue : «I’m happy to be here, it’s been a while since my season ended, so it’s nice to play games, play basketball, see the guys again and get back into competition. I am very excited. (on his desire to play the window last June and the refusal of the staff) It was mainly in relation to the insurance… But I was free, so I can play basketball, I’m still hot. I had to watch this like the buddies who couldn’t come behind my screen but would have liked to take a little ride with them.»

Euro goals : «It is clear, it is to win. Now, with the France team, we have very high objectives. We inherited a good French team from the old ones, with results that were already very good. We are trying to perpetuate this and to raise the French team to the highest level in the world and in Europe.»

L’absence by Nicolas Batum in Nando de Colo : «It implies less experience on the field, with these players who know these competitions very well. We have lived a lot together. They will also lack their leadership and a certain know-how. It will be up to us to renew ourselves a little and play differently. (…) It will not change our role with Rudy (Gobert). The roles were already the same at the Olympics. We may have to do a little more… Afterwards, you make up for the absences with the players present. There will be players who will have other opportunities, I am thinking for example of Tim (Luwawu-Cabarrot), who will have to do more.»

It’s a bit boring to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina (August 27), it’s a bit of a “dirty” trip…

Evan Fournier

Two qualifying matches for the World Cup before the Euro : «I see the qualifying matches as preparation matches for the Euro. In any case, the state of mind is to play hard in friendly matches… So nothing changes. However, there will be a little more at stake in these two meetings. It may turn out less than in a normal friendly match. But the mindset will remain the same. Faster ramp-up for the Euro? We can see it like that. It’s a bit boring to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina (August 27), it’s a bit of a “messy” trip (in terms of logistics, editor’s note). The other is a great game against a great team from the Czech Republic. It’s all profit.»

The Blues more expected after silver at the Tokyo Olympics : «There is no team to beat, only big teams, as always. We are one of the favourites, the other teams know us very well, there will be no surprises. In any case, the France team has been targeted for a few years. We are one of the big nations. So I don’t think there is any additional pressure.»

The reunion in the group stage at the Euro with Slovenia, beaten in the semis of the Olympics : «I expect a committed match between two strong teams. There is no animosity between these two nations yet. It will remain a very high level match, but no more.»

Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the stars at the Euro : «It’s great, it’s very good publicity for European basketball, the EuroBasket is becoming a flagship competition, very watched around the world. And it will give even more credit to future winners. We can objectively say that it will be one of the highest Euros in history. (…) Internationals are taking up more and more space in the NBA. Inevitably, the level rises to the Euro and so much the better.»

Remembering Euro 2017 : «No one has forgotten but that’s ancient history. It was still five years ago, there was a different group… We were really in the process of reshaping the team. I passed the sponge immediately after.»

It’s not something I claim, I don’t necessarily have a particular desire to be captain.

Evan Fournier

The captaincy in the absence of Nicolas Batum (and Nando de Colo) this summer : «I don’t know who it will be… I never gave much importance to that. When you’re captain, you necessarily have responsibilities, but that’s not something I claim, I don’t necessarily have a particular desire to be captain. Anyway, leadership happens naturally on the pitch. It will be the decision of the coaches and it will be respected, that’s all. (…) Spokesperson for the Blues? No, I am a leader of the team, very clearly, I have a certain weight in relation to that, that I am one of the most capped, one of those who has the most experience. But it stops there. It’s just a story of personality, of experience.»

A mission that goes beyond basketball by wearing the Blues jersey : «Yes, over the past two years my vision of things has evolved. At the beginning, I was a young player who was trying to earn his place, to make a name for himself, to win… It still remains the case, but the older you get, the more you feel the desire and the determination to advance your sport in your country and more generally sport in general in France. I find that there is a lot to do, to inspire young people, so that there is a tradition that continues in France. We had a lot of good players in the past. I’m thinking of Boris (Diaw), who is still there (the former captain of the Blues is now general manager of the selection, editor’s note). There is a certain form of continuity. It’s important for us to hand over to young people, to show them how it works, to show very good values. At the Olympic Games (in Tokyo last summer), that was really what was striking about our team. We will try to move things forward even more in the future.»

The first round of the 2024 Olympics in Lille : «I wanted and we all wanted to do the preliminary round in Paris. It will be Lille. You all know my position, I don’t need to go back on it…»

I signed the certificate for the good of the team and because there’s no point in making trouble for nothing, but I’m not a fan.

Evan Fournier on French players declared unselectable if they sign for a Russian or Belarusian club

Players under contract in Russia or Belarus who cannot be selected for the France team : «I’m not a fan of this type of thing… I signed the certificate for the good of the team and because there’s no point in making trouble for nothing, but I’m not a fan. There are many conflicts around the world. If we did that for all the conflicts, we wouldn’t be playing anywhere… We have to deal with it. This is the kind of thing that is beyond us, us players. We want to do our competition, be calm in the group and not cause any problems.»

The naturalization of Joel Embiid : «As it is not topical, we do not think about it. We know that he is not in the group, he is not called (the pivot of the Sixers is injured and has not yet received his French passport, Ed). We’ll talk about it when the time comes. Maybe for the World Cup. In principle, my position has not changed. But you see what is happening in the other teams. Spain with Lorenzo Brown (a naturalized American this summer, editor’s note), who must not even know how to say hello in Spanish, the Greeks with (Tyler) Dorsey… Lots of things are happening. It’s very complicated because there are so many factors and elements to be for or against… And since it’s not the time to think about it, I don’t think about it. When it’s time, we’ll all talk to each other and we’ll all make a decision. But Joel has a very good gait so far. We’ll see.»

Comments collected at a press point in Nanterre

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