MANILA, Philippines – Team France may be without its most versatile weapon in 27-year-old Nicolas Batum at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament which will be held in Manila from July 5-10.
Batum, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association (NBA), has been a mainstay with France over the past few years, playing in the 2012 London Olympics, the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, and EuroBasket tournaments of 2011, 2013, and 2015.
"That’s a good question, and right now I don’t know yet,” Batum admitted, when asked about his plans to play for France this summer during an international conference call with media on Tuesday, April 12.
The Philippine men’s national basketball team Gilas-Pilipinas is expected to face stiff competition on its homecourt against France, New Zealand, Turkey, Senegal, and Canada with one of 3 remaining spots in the 2016 Rio Olympics men’s basketball competition up for grabs.
While each country is formidable, the French may be the most dangerous due to the team’s mix of international experience and roster of NBA players.
Batum’s NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, is scheduled to play in the NBA playoffs that begin this weekend. Depending on how far Charlotte advances, the 8-year NBA veteran may be playing playoff hoops until May or June.
And after the season, Batum is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Typically, the NBA free agency period begins on July 1, when different NBA teams can court the multi-skilled player into signing a long term contract with their franchise.
Recruitment during free agency usually lasts for a week or so, which will mean a conflict in schedule with the Manila Olympic Qualifiers.
“We’re still in the NBA season and there is free agency and stuff like that, so we are still talking about it,” Batum said through the phone.
“But I’m going to do everything I can to be there, for sure.”
His value in the NBA
Batum is considered the prototypical perimeter player with the way the NBA is played today. On a contract year, Batum is averaging 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists a game this season while shooting 43% from the field and 35% from downtown this season - his first since being traded to Charlotte.
His advanced ability to score, rebound, pass, move off the ball, defend, and play as a small-ball power forward are characteristics NBA general managers seek today. The Hornets, who missed the playoffs last season, have vastly improved after acquiring him and sit at sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 47-34 record.
“I really don’t know. I just tried to really to step up my game this year and to help my team to reach the playoffs,” Batum said, when asked to evaluate his value presently.
“So now with a new team and new challenge after the bad season I had last year, I think I did pretty well so far. But now I’m going to try to step up for the playoffs. I think I did pretty well this year.”
Batum also mentioned how getting off on the right foot with Kemba Walker, Charlotte’s best player this season and a candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award, was critical in how quickly he was acclimated into the Hornets’ system.
“I was put in a good situation. I was the new guy and I didn’t have a great season last year, so guys like Kemba Walker, guys like that could say, ‘Okay, this is my team, so just play defense and we’ll be all right,’” said Batum.
“No, they [gave] me the ball right away because they trust and believe in me, andmaybe that’s why I got a good season.”
The Hornets will face the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics or Miami Heat in the first round of the postseason, depending on the results of NBA games on Thursday, April 14. – Rappler.com