Fournier lashes out at Knicks and Thibodeau: 'I have nothing to say' / News - Basketnews.com

Fournier admitted that he doesn't have a relationship with head coach Thibodeau. He wants to get traded and doesn't understand the logic of the Knicks organization. Fournier says he's lost the fun in basketball and wants to have it back.

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier had a tough 2022-23 season after playing just 27 games for the team. Now, he opened up about his experience in the organization.

Evan Fournier

Position:SG, SFAge:30Height:201 cmWeight:93 kgBirth place:Saint-Maurice, FranceProfileNewsStatistics

In an interview with Yann Ohnona from L'Equipe, Fournier told that he even played a mental image in his head to help him cope with the fact that he's not getting on the court anymore despite having a contract with the team.

"Do you know Dragon Ball Z? When the hero Goku finds himself on planet Namek, injured, in a regeneration capsule? I had this image in my head all year, every practice," Fournier said.

"I practiced like it was off-season, the player told. "I ran a lot, I tried to progress. I've never been so strong. But that doesn't necessarily transfer to your feelings and your game. I need to find my rhythm playing one-on-one, [then against the] opposition. When I realized that I was no longer going to play, I radically changed my way of working."

Fournier didn't appear on the court for a single minute in the playoffs. Before playing in the last four regular season games in April, the 30-year-old had played on February 13th.

The experience of not having to suit up for every single game changed his daily life, Fournier says.

"I was able to enjoy my wife, my children, the environment in New York. No more naps. I could drop my son off at school, pick him up," he said. "When I play, I am very strict. During the games, [I had a] reduced warm-up, [had] cold bath, I didn't even attend the [playing of the] anthem. I was waiting for the game to start to go on the bench."

However, the situation backfired one time.

"There was this time against Philadelphia, on February 6. Jalen Brunson was injured, RJ Barrett arrived in the locker room sweating, told me that he was going to vomit, that he was not in shape. I'm like, 'Oh f...k, I'm going to play'. I hadn't done the team warm-up. The game was on ESPN, I wasn't [feeling] well. It ended well but it wasn't easy to manage," Fournier laughed.

At first, the French guard wanted to lash out at everyone. Later on, he realized that there was nothing he could do.

"You want to spit on everyone. You have hatred. Derrick Rose and I looked at each other and said to each other: 'What the hell are we doing here?' During the five-on-five practice, we were on the side like some prospects. Uncool times. And when I realized that wouldn't change, I took things more slowly," he said. "I focused on myself and didn't let the rest get to me anymore. I did three cardio sessions, two weight training sessions per week, a lot of travel work, [analyzing] game situations with an assistant coach Daniel Brady."

His relationship with head coach Tom Thibodeau was not remotely close.

"I have nothing to say because I have none," Fournier said about rapport with the specialist."When he took me out of the five, he just told me he was going to try something else. Then at the first match of a road trip, he announced to me that I was leaving the rotation, and ciao."

Fournier still has a guaranteed year left in his contract, set to earn $18.8 million per season. After the 2023-24 season, the Knicks hold a team option in the deal.

"I would be very surprised to be a Knick next year. They pay me 18 million, they have no interest in keeping me," he said.

"If you want to trade me with a good return, why didn't you use me? I was coming out of a season where I was the fourth-best 3-point shooter in the league. Why not take advantage of it?" Fournier told. "Now they won't get anything interesting and that's normal because I couldn't show anything [on the court]."

If Fournier continued his career with the Knicks, his basketball career would be in serious jeopardy, he says.

"I would be shot. I'm going to be traded, it's not possible otherwise. Or I'd be stuck, and so would they. They have several players with big contracts coming in. Unless they want to pay a crazy luxury tax... If I stayed, it would be a disaster basketball-wise for my career," Fournier was blunt. "I can manage a year without playing. Two... that would be terrible."

Would he be open to joining his fellow countryman Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs? Fournier didn't deny the possibility but stressed that the most important thing is to have fun on the basketball court again.

"I want a spot where I can have fun again, where I can be myself. Would their game be more suited to me? It's not the Spurs of 2014 anymore but playing for Pop (Gregg Popovich), learning from him, it would be a pleasure and an honor, for sure," he said. "Afterward, being with Victor, looking at the [upcoming Paris] Olympics, being able to start connecting on the court, that would be great."

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