In the aftermath of France’s stunning exit from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Nicolas Batum didn’t hold back his thoughts as the veteran forward described the disappointment of Sunday’s elimination.
A widely tabbed favorite entering the tournament, France was eliminated in the first round after a 95–65 loss to Canada on Friday and an 88–86 loss to Latvia on Sunday that saw the team blow a 13-point second-half lead.
During his postgame press conference, Batum, a French national team member since 2009, told reporters he felt “ashamed” by the defeat, and even admitted he was “scared to go home” and face fans with France out after just two games,
“I’ve never been ashamed with this jersey but this is the first time I’m ashamed,” Batum said Sunday, per CBS Sports. “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.”
Batum’s emotional reaction to the heartbreaking loss summed up an all-around brutal FIBA showing for France, which was ranked fifth in the world prior to the event.
With his team and nation reeling from the loss, it may take some time for Batum, who’s currently entering his fourth season with the Clippers, and France to rebound . But, with the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris looming, the 34-year-old made sure to channel his frustration into a rousing statement about the team’s focus heading into next summer.
“We broke down mentally, physically. They were very strong, we weren’t together,” Batum said. “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.”
