Looking back on his 2019 FIBA World Cup experience, Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier admitted, via EuroHoops, that the significant number of Team USA players who passed on the opportunity to play for their flag bothered him.
“It does [bother me]. To be honest, when you look at LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and all these guys… they came here already and won, so it’s fine. But for friends of mine like Tobias [Harris], I thought it was a great opportunity for him to see something different and compete. I think they don’t realize how beneficial this is for their career. It’s a great tournament, great basketball, super intense. I know you have to work on your game, but this is way better.”
Evan Fournier makes a lot of sense here. Several top-tier NBA players backed out of their commitments prior to the tournament. Likewise, arguably the next tier of stars also passed on the opportunity.
As the 6-foot-7 guard said, it’s understandable for guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry to take their rest this summer. However, others such as Devin Booker (who got a lot of flak from Bill Simmons) or De’Aaron Fox (who withdrew at the last minute) could have definitely benefited from this experience.
Young up-and-coming stars could have used this opportunity to play in an real tournament that actually has plenty of significance. With that said, look for guys like Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Myles Turner, and Jaylen Brown to take a leap this upcoming season.
Fournier, on the other hand, became a revelation as France’s leading scorer, averaging 19.8 points per game throughout the tournament. He could take this valuable experience of being one of France’s leaders heading into next season with the Magic.
