Nicolas Batum Is 'Scared To Go Home' After France's FIBA World Cup Loss
Nicolas Batum is 'scared to go home' after France's FIBA World Cup loss. Following France's unexpected elimination from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Nicolas Batum expressed his candid thoughts about the profound disappointment experienced in the aftermath of Sunday's departure.
David Mitchell
Aug 29, 2023
Nicolas Batum is 'scared to go home'after France's FIBA World Cup loss. Following France's unexpected elimination from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Nicolas Batum expressed his candid thoughts about the profound disappointment experienced in the aftermath of Sunday's departure.
France, a squad that was highly regarded and anticipated to do well in the event, had an early exit in the initial round. This outcome was a result of a 95-65 defeat to Canada on Friday, followed by an 88-86 loss to Latvia on Sunday. Notably, France squandered a 13-point advantage in the second half of the latter match.
During the postgame press conference, Batum, a longstanding part of the French national team since 2009, expressed feelings of "shame" in response to the team's defeat. He also acknowledged his apprehension in returning home and confronting disappointed supporters, since France was eliminated from the tournament after just two games.
“„I’ve never been ashamed with this jersey but this is the first time I’m ashamed. I’m scared to go home because we let a lot of people down. A lot of people believed in us to do something special. We didn’t do it.- Nicolas Batum
Batum's poignant response to the devastating defeat encapsulated a comprehensive and arduous performanceby France in the FIBA tournament, a team that had the fifth position in the global rankings previous to the competition.
In light of the defeat, both Batum, who is presently embarking on his fourth season with the Clippers, and France may require a significant period to recover. However, in light of the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the individual, aged 34, ensured that his discontent was transformed into an inspiring declaration regarding the team's determination as they approach the following summer.
“„We broke down mentally, physically. They were very strong, we weren’t together. We cannot take them away. This match characterizes what has happened for five or six weeks. We are a very good team, we have shown that for several years. Everyone must question themselves after what happened this summer: coaches, players, federation, up there. That we deprive ourselves of certain players that we lose players because of certain conditions. Everyone needs to be committed.- Nicolas Batum
Nicolas Batum Facts
Nicolas Batum, who was born on December 14, 1988, is a proficient French basketball athlete now affiliated with the Los Angeles Clippers, a team competing in the National Basketball Association. Additionally, he holds a position as a member of the esteemed French national squad and achieved the notable accomplishment of securing a silver medal during the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo.
Batum had a remarkable display of skill during the 2007 Nike Hoop Summit, when he achieved a notable performance by scoring a total of 23 points in a span of 28 minutes.
This accomplishment was accomplished with an efficient shooting performance, with 9 out of 13 field goals made and 3 out of 5 three-pointers successfully converted. In addition, he secured four rebounds and achieved four thefts.
Nicolas Batum, throughout his early years, garnered recognition as a very skilled young athlete in Europe. This was evident when he secured the 17th position among foreign players born in 1988, as assessed by the scouting website DraftExpress.com, upon his entry into the 2008 NBA.
Final Words
At the last second of the 2020 Olympics semi-final, Batum stopped Klemen Prepeli, giving France the victory. France finally fell to the United States in the final, 82-87. Rudy Gobert called Batum's game-saving block one of the finest he had ever seen. His block was named one of the most memorable moments of the Summer Olympics in 2020.