After being buried on Tom Thibodeau’s bench for most of the last two seasons, then earning a major role and averaging 9.8 points per game for the French team won silver at the Paris Olympic Games, Evan Fournier didn’t want to go back to sitting on an NBA bench.
So he rejected a two-year offer from the The Wizards to sign with Olympiacos, a Euroleague powerhouse in Greece, Fournier told French sports newspaper L’Equipe, via Maxime Aubin (Hats off to Hoop Rumors).
Evan Fournier said he was offered a two-year contract with the NBA’s Wizards, but was not interested in a “mentoring role” with young players “on a losing team.”
He added that he wanted to “compete” in Europe and “get back to enjoying playing basketball.”
Reported by @theteam &…
— Maxime Aubin (@MaximeAubin1) September 4, 2024
Look at the reception Fournier received in Greece and you will understand why he made that call.
The salary of a top European player and the minimum contract the Wizards are offering a veteran should be similar, and if that’s the case, he obviously chose to get on the court and play for something meaningful. After a dozen years in the NBA, Fournier was ready for a change.
He’s in a place where he can enjoy the game again. For an aging player, that’s a big deal.
