Versatile forward Nicolas Batum’s participation in the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Philippines is still up in the air.
Batum is currently having a career year with the Charlotte Hornets, having helped lead the Hornets to the NBA playoffs. The Hornets currently sit in sixth place, 47-34, with a game to go, in the tight Eastern Conference playoff picture. In addition, the Frenchman has notched career-highs of 14.9 markers and 5.8 dimes per game this season while grabbing an average of 6.1 boards as well.
The 27-year-old all-around forward, though, is currently in the midst of a contract year, as he is set to become a free agent after this season. “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,” he said during a conference call Wednesday evening about the situation he is in right now. “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.”
Photo courtesy of FIBA
Batum, a mainstay in the French National Team ever since he was 19 years old, has helped lead France in various FIBA-sanctioned tournaments during the NBA’s off-season. The most recent was the 2015 EuroBasket tournament that saw France finish in third place, with Batum posting averages of 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists during the campaign.
With the final spots for the 2016 Olympic Games still up for grabs in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in a few months, Batum is still unsure if he will serve national duties this year. “Right now I don’t know yet,” Batum shared. “We’re still in the NBA season and there is free agency and stuff like that, so we are still talking about it.”
The dynamic Frenchman, though, assured that he will do everything in his power to be in Manila, saying, “But I’m going to do everything I can to be there, for sure.”
Photo courtesy of FIBA
