Pistons' Evan Fournier shades Detroit with Olympics admission
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Evan Fournier and the Detroit Pistons had quite the seasons for all the wrong reasons. After the Pistons were the top pick to win the NBA Draft Lottery, the projection went south. They ended up with the No. 5 overall pick. For Fournier, he wasn’t pleased. He was a high-level scorer with the New York Knicks and a key bench player before being traded.
Once the NBA season wrapped up, he traveled back to France to join his national basketball team. Fournier attempted to reach gold but Team USA stopped them right in their tracks. Regardless, Fournier gave a simple message about his summer.
"Going from Detroit to the Olympics gave me life,” Fournier said via Eurohoops.net.
The Pistons lost an NBA-record 28 straight games in the 2023 season. For someone like Fournier, he’s used to winning. While the Pistons have been in a rebuild, losing almost half of the games consecutively leaves a sour taste. Starters were sitting with the final weeks, and it made Fournier come to a realization.
"I think one of the dark sides of the NBA is when teams are losing on purpose to get the higher draft picks,” Fournier said.
How did Evan Fournier perform with the Pistons and in the Olympics?
This past NBA season was anything but memorable. He averaged 6.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He also shot a woeful 35.7% from the field and 25.4% from three. Fournier might be towards the end of the prime but he still brings value. Efficient shooting works wonders in a game that needs plenty of it. As Fournier left the United States and traveled back to his home country, the switch flipped.
Fournier dominated in the Olympics for France. He averaged 9.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. While the numbers don’t seem encouraging, his experience was huge. In the quarterfinal against Canada, Fournier scored 15 points, and had three assists and one rebound.
The mix of shooting, touch, and experience made it tough to stop. The French team also had Victor Wembanyama and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. Although France didn’t come away with the Gold medal, it was the closest to a championship that Fournier has been a part of. Especially after dealing with a 14-68 Pistons squad, any type of success had to feel good.
Fournier will join more former NBA players and continue his career overseas, according to Euroleague.net. He will play for the Greek team Olympiacos in the 2024 season and might have more success than he did in the Olympics.
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