This is an absence that will no doubt be noticed. The captain of the French basketball team, Nicolas Batum, announced this Friday in an interview with First Team that he would not play Euro 2022. Asked about the absence of Nando de Colo, who he also gave up the competition, the answer of “Batman” was clear: “It will be the same for me, quite simply. I think Nando and I are old grandpas. Between the sequences of seasons, the Olympics last year, this year I had a hard time physically”.
The Los Angeles Clippers winger explained that he wanted to take time to be with his loved ones, especially his young daughter. And that he expected to receive criticism. “It’s not going to please, I know it. But I’m doing this too because my baby girl was born in January 2021. In 15 months, I haven’t spent much time with her either. I’m going to take full advantage, ”explained the basketball player, silver medalist with the France team at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
With his Clippers team, Batum is currently 8th in the Western Conference in the NBA. He is aiming for the heights for next year, which also played on his choice: “I know that there is a huge season ahead of me with the Clippers next year. We are going to play to go to the end, ”he confirms. This break will allow the star of the France team to rest and to consider more calmly the next deadlines of the Blues, and in particular the 2024 Olympics, in Paris.