Evan Fournier hungry for more than bronze medal, playoff cameo for Orlando Magic

Evan Fournier led France to a bronze medal. But he was not satisfied with that or with his all-World Cup performance. He knows there is more to do.

Nothing was easy about France’s 67-59 win over Australia to secure the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup. The team shot worse than 30 percent in the first half and scored only 21 points — trailing Australia by nine at the break.

The team rallied and will head home with the hardware, matching its bronze medal from the 2014 World Cup.

For the program, France continued to establish itself as one of the best teams in the world as they transition from their emergent generation to a new group of players. The bronze medal also assured France would get to next year’s Olympics without participating in a qualifying tournament as they had to in 2012.

It was not a gold medal or a championship, but it was a moment to celebrate.

Except for Evan Fournier.

As he drew accolades and awards to complete the tournament, a bronze medal draped around his neck and then later the honor of being named to the FIBA World Cup All-Tournament team after averaging 19.8 points per game and posting a 47.8 percent effective field goal percentage, Evan Fournier looked obviously despondent.

As Fournier explained on his Twitter (translation via Google Translate):

"“It would be a lie to say that I’m happy with this bronze medal. My reaction … it’s just that I do not know how to pretend, some will understand me, others will not, but I’m like that & it’s not ready to change. I wanted so much more, we wanted so much more.”"

Obviously after defeating the U.S., the biggest win any team can have in international basketball even with the depleted roster the U.S. sent over, the hopes of winning the tournament were high. With a group that included a nice mix of veterans like Nando De Colo and Nicolas Batum and players entering their prime like Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, France had its opportunity.

And, of course, the U.S. casts a big specter over the entire tournament. They will not stay down for long. And when the U.S. gets bored with international competitions and sends over a weaker squad, everyone senses their opportunity to get a title.

This was France’s window and it closed shut on them thanks to a frustrating game against Argentina where they got pressured and pulled apart, unable to create much separation on offense.

Under that lens, France has a reason to be disappointed with bronze — their second straight bronze at the World Cup. Even if winning bronze in itself should be viewed with some measure of pride.

That is not how Fournier is wired. He was not celebrating something that fairly could be viewed as a letdown.

That is why despite the Orlando Magic making the playoffs for the first time in his five-year tenure with the team, he was not thrilled with how he played or ultimately how his team played. Fournier knew he could have given more and done more despite the ways he had improved.

It was the same way with France.

Yes, Fournier led his team in scoring and was one of the team’s key closers in several tight contests throughout the tournament this past month. But he will surely look back at some of his indecision and struggles against Argentina more than the moments that led to wins.

It is never good to dwell completely on your failures. But it should serve as fuel to get better. The best players never seem satisfied and always push for more. They expect a lot of themselves and they find a way to deliver.

Fournier had a frustrating season by his own admission in 2019. He shot a career-worst 34.0 percent from beyond the arc. His scoring average dropped (to 15.1 points per game) for the first time in his career.

And while he played the best defense of his career and improved his playmaking and passing, gaining coach Steve Clifford’s trust, his poor shooting colored a lot of his own perceptions about his season. And he was even worse in the playoffs — 12.4 points per game and a 40.6 percent effective field goal percentage.

Despite the team achieving its goal of making the playoffs, it was hard not to have a bitter taste left about Fournier’s season.

Fournier has clearly used that frustration to improve his game. He took the reigns for France and was their best player. He hit several key shots and attacked confidently. France gave him all the shots he wanted and he largely took good shots, attacking the basket on pick and rolls and pulling up for balanced mid-range shots.

Fournier looked refreshed and focused. He looked hungry to put last year behind him.

It is this mentality that had Batum calling Fournier one of France’s leaders. It was Fournier whom the cameras caught speaking up as France huddled following their semifinal loss to Argentina. He took ownership of this team and took every loss hard, including the team’s ultimate result.

Fournier was far from satisfied with himself in 2019. He was not satisfied with how the World Cup went for France despite that major win and his own play. Fournier clearly expects a lot more from himself and his team.

And that is the case with the Magic too.

This summer, Fournier showed what he can do when he is hungry and focused. He showed he is not satisfied with the bare minimum or meeting outside expectations. He wants it all.

Magic players outside of Fournier have mentioned the same thing. They want to see the team take a step forward and are hungry to do more. They do not seem like they are going to rest on the laurels of last season.

They know there is much more to accomplish. And nothing to be satisfied with yet.