Evan Fournier will have his chance to lead France at Eurobasket

Evan Fournier is often miscast as the top scorer for the Orlando Magic. Once again Fournier will have to test the limits of his ability at Eurobasket.

The role Evan Fournier will play for France this summer at Eurobasket will not be so different than the one he has played for the Orlando Magic for the last two years.

Or maybe it is the other way around. Maybe the role Fournier has played for the Magic will help prepare him for his national team duties this summer at Eurobasket.

Perhaps it is a feedback loop. The starring role the Magic asked Fournier to take last year will make him better for his national team and, in turn, make him better when he returns to Orlando in September.

Whatever the case is, Magic fans will have a close eye on Fournier throughout Eurobasket. They will be looking for clues to see whether Fournier has another gear to his game. And he will get that opportunity to play that starring role again.

For France at Eurobasket, the third biggest international tournament in the world, Fournier is the contending team’s star. This will be his chance to rebuild confidence entering this critical 2018 season.

Because in some ways, Fournier disappointed last season. He led the team in scoring with 17.2 points per game. That was his career high. But he lost a good chunk of his efficiency that was a part of his break out 2016 season. After shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc then, Fournier shot 43.9 percent and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc last year.

He led the team in scoring with 17.2 points per game. That was his career high. But he lost a good chunk of his efficiency that was a part of his break out 2016 season. After shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc then, Fournier shot 43.9 percent and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc last year.

His usage rate climbed to 23.5 percent, the highest of his career, and Fournier became less efficient. With some primary playmaking responsibilities — and certainly primary perimeter scoring responsibilities — Fournier struggled.

The reigning thought is Fournier is a solid contributor and role player, but certainly not a burgeoning All Star or primary option. He works best when the ball reverses to him on the weak side and he can attack a rotating defense.

Enter the 2017 Eurobasket. The tournament where Fournier will have his chance to star on the national stage for a team with championship aspirations.

The French National Team is in a bit of transition at the moment. Tony Parker and Mickael Gelabale have officially retired from international play. Nicolas Batum and Rudy Gobert are sitting this year out after playing in the Olympics last year.

That leaves Fournier as potentially the lead guard on the roster, and possibly the team’s best player. Boris Diaw, Joffrey Lauvergne, Kevin Seraphin and Axel Toupane are other NBA notables on the roster. French National Team stalwarts Antoine Diot, Nando de Colo and Thomas Huertl will also make the trip for the tournament.

But Fournier is the most accomplished of the NBA players on the roster. And for France to advance deep into Eurobasket — and indeed eventually compete again at the 2019 FIBA World Cup and the 2020 Olympics — the team will need Fournier at his absolute best.

This is the kind of opportunity that puts any frustration with getting excluded from last year’s Olympic roster to rest. Fournier is the star for France at the premier international tournament this summer.

There probably is not a ton to read into it yet. But it certainly is not a bad sign Fournier opened up preparation for Eurobasket with a strong 24-point performance in 25 minutes. He made 7 of 12 shots and 4 of 5 3-pointers.

Fournier had all the familiar traits of his game. The patient play on the pick and roll, the pull-up 3-pointer, the aggressive drive in transition. Fournier has had plenty of games like this before.

The unfortunate familiar sight with Fournier in Tuesday’s game was his team’s ultimate defeat. Croatia, another favorite for to medal at Eurobasket, won the game 92-87 behind Dario Saric‘s 16 points and 10 rebounds and Bojan Bogdanovic‘s 21 points.

Orlando Magic

Like with the Magic, Fournier is probably still not best as the team’s primary option. Then again, international coaches tend to use these pre-tournament warm-ups for experimentation. Winning and losing is not necessarily the main goal.

France plays its next friendly Thursday against Lithuania. Of note too, France will play Nikola Vucevic‘s Montenegro in a friendly on August 19. Eurobasket begins August 31. There is still a lot of work for these teams to do before games start to count. Fournier and France will play plenty more games.

He will not be alone. France is a talented team. But it is also abundantly clear from looking at this France roster the team will rely heavily on Fournier. He will need more games like the one he had Tuesday. And he will need to get others involved too.

The whole team revolves around him in many ways. Diaw will be there to help. And to be sure, the team will play through him in the post. De Colo is also a capable point guard. But Fournier is the likeliest star in the lineup for this team.

Like with the Magic, he will carry the scoring load. And his team will succeed or fail not merely by his production but how he gets others involved and how he fits into the team’s overall vision and scheme.

This is his team.

And so, just like Nikola Vucevic who will be the best player on a probably overmatched Montenegrin team, Evan Fournier will play very much the same role he will with the Magic for France. Unlike Vucevic, Fournier will have the kind of talent to experience some success.

Not to mention the expectation to succeed that comes with putting on the jersey for Les Bleus.

If Orlando is serious about its Playoff aspirations and building with its current group, the team likely wants to see Fournier approximate what he will be in the regular season during the next month of international competition.

Fournier is getting his chance once again to be the star. That may not be the role he is natural or best at.

Once again, a team is affording Fournier the chance to stretch his talent as far as it can go. The Magic did that by making him the primary option.

Next: The difference in depth for the Orlando Magic

This year at Eurobasket, France too will make Fournier its featured player. Only time will tell if he performs.