Former 12-year NBA pro Evan Fournier is continuing his playing career overseas. Following a successful run through the 2024 Paris Olympics, which ended with his native Team France claiming its second straight silver medal (also Fournier’s second), the 6-foot-6 free agent swingman opted to move on from the league and sign with Greek club Olympiacos, of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague.
Now, it appears that Fournier rejected long-term security with an NBA squad in favor of his Olympiacos opportunity.
During a chat with Yann Ohnona of L’Equipe, Fournier revealed that he turned down an offer for a two-year deal with the lowly Washington Wizards in a “mentoring role.” Fournier explained that he did not want to continue his career “in a losing team.”
Read more: Former Knicks Sharpshooter Inks Deal To Play in Europe
It appears that the 32-year-old sharpshooter had been considering jetting back overseas for a while. He suited up for French squads Nanterre 92 in 2009-10 and Poitiers from 2010-12, before being selected with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
“I had already thought about going back to Europe,” Fournier said. “If it was to experience something strong, emotions, in a place where it was on fire, it was 100 percent yes. I would have liked to experience more things in the NBA, I only made the playoffs five times. But you don’t control everything about your destiny there. After the Olympic Games, I told my agent that I was keen to [return to Europe]. Olympiacos was my priority.”
Christina Pahnke – sampics/Getty Images
Fournier has long been moonlighting in FIBA events during the NBA offseason. The seasoned wing suited up for French squads Nanterre 92 in 2009-10 and Poitiers from 2010-12.
Read more: Stephen Curry, USA Basketball Survive Team France to Win 5th Straight Olympic Gold Medal
“I am aware that it is not the NBA,” Fournier allowed of playing in the EuroLeague and the Greek Basket League. “There will be an adaptation period, but every summer, I go back to play in FIBA’s biggest competitions. Here, I could navigate the positions from ‘1’ to ‘3’. It leaves more opportunities to take minutes. The number one thing is that I want to win the EuroLeague.”
Across 704 career regular season games (504 starts) with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and most recently Detroit Pistons, Fournier boasts career averages of 13.6 points on a .441/.374/.799 slash line, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 0.9 steals a night.
“I would have liked to experience more things in the NBA, I only made the playoffs five times,” Fournier said.
Those five times were with the Nuggets in 2012-13, the Magic in 2018-19 and 2019-20, the Celtics in 2020-21, and the Knicks in 2022-23 — though he didn’t play a second for New York. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was not a fan of Fournier’s defense on the wing.
“But you don’t control everything about your destiny there,” Fournier acknowledged. “After the Olympic Games, I told my agent that I was keen to (return to Europe). Olympiacos was my priority.”
