“The more they give me, the more I try to give back”

Founded a year ago in Olympiakos, Evan Fournier he seems to have found what he has been looking for for a long time: “home”. Away from the NBA, defender of the French team it breathes again, carried by the city, the club and the fans who accepted it without reservation.

“I had never set foot in Greece before, so everything was a revelation. I was surprised by the way I was welcomed, the team, the culture and the generosity of the people” he repeats in a a long interview given to Eurohoops. “If I crossed the Atlantic with my family, it was to find a home. And that’s what I found. We feel very good here. We love life, we want to stay as long as possible.”

More precisely, the first step is made with a contract extension until 2028. Then he will be 35 years old, and he does not rule out that he will extend the pleasure a little more at the end of this contract. “We wanted long-term, so we signed a contract for three years. It was easy to negotiate, everything happened naturally, but I don’t see it as the last contract. There is no way. Maybe in three years I will still feel that I am able to play two or three more seasons. We will see.”

The best of the most surprising gifts

A favorite of the public, and especially the Gate 7 section, Fournier can’t believe all the love he’s received over the past year. “You can’t expect people to meet you at the airport at 1 a.m. on a weekday. People have really embraced me. The more they give me, the more I try to give back. It’s a real exchange, genuine, not forced” underlines the former Knicks and Celtics point guard. “Everywhere I go, I’m offered sweets, honey… People offer me a lot, and it’s amazing. I’m very grateful for that.”

Not so long ago, we even gave him the most original, even surprising gift. “It’s not really weird, it’s more the quantity… Someone gave me a whole bucket of olives last time. Very heavy. Last year I had maybe six kilos of feta in the cupboard. It’s more the quantity that surprises me.”

Coming out of a difficult period in New York, Evan Fournier has found a passionate environment in Piraeus that he loves. And where it not only passes: “I hope I can finish my career here.”

Photo: Olympiakos