Will Nicolas Batum join the French team against Gilas Five?

Nicolas Batum is one of the most versatile players in the NBA today! He is a perfect piece for a team that is looking to build a championship squad. His court smarts and all-around game make him one of the most coveted international players in the league. Filipino fans though are more interested in whether he will be in the country in July to help the French National Team against our very own Gilas Five.

The STAR recently had a chance to chat with him in an overseas call with other select media from around the world.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: You’re having your best season statistically with Charlotte and you’ve been a great fit with the team. What do you put this down to?

NICOLAS BATUM: When I got traded, I just watched the video of my new teammates. I wanted to know how they play, where they want the ball, how they move, how they shoot. I also talked to them when I got there because I wanted to have this chemistry right away with them. I think I adjusted my game to everybody. That was a good connection. That’s why we find a good way, and those guys understand how to move when I got the ball, to cut harder when I got the ball, and that’s easy for me to find them.

You’ve said that free agency is an interesting time because it provides you with an opportunity to evaluate yourself and where you stand among other players.  So, how would you evaluate your value right now?

I really don’t know. I just tried to really step up my game this year and to help my team reach the playoffs. 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.

How big of an impact has the Golden State Warriors had on the way the game is played in the NBA today?

To win the championship, normally you have to get big men and big guys, and they showed last year, like in The Finals, that you can win with no bigs and just shooting threes. So, I think the league has adjusted a little bit. You have more and more power forwards, which used to be like small forwards. Guys who play the four can spread the floor and shoot threes and only one big inside. So, I think it’s changed the league, and I think people have to adjust to that.

How does it feel to play for Michael Jordan?

MJ is a great guy. All of the players know he’s the best ever, the greatest of all time. As a boss, he’s great as well. He’s very close to us. He really wants us to be a great team and he’s doing whatever it takes to put us in a great situation. Every time he’s in the locker room with us after the game, before the game, in practice and on the phone, he’s with us every time, so he’s very into it.

What are your expectations for the playoffs?

Just to go out there and show that we have a good team. We know the Hornets didn’t win a game and got swept the last two times they were in the playoffs, so we don’t want that this year for this franchise.

Will you be joining the French National Team when they come to Manila for the Olympic qualifiers this summer?

That’s a good question, and right now, I don’t know yet. We’re still in the NBA season and there is free agency and stuff like that, so we are still talking about it. But I’m going to do everything I can to be there, for sure.

The French NBA players are very busy outside the court. Do you have any plans?

I’m starting some projects. I haven’t done anything yet, but I’m working on it, for sure. I know some other players and some French athletes produced a movie that is going to come out in a couple of months, so I’m in the movie business now. Yes, I’m thinking about doing some stuff. We have a lot of time here and opportunities to do stuff like that, so for sure I’m going to do it.

Your team has great success towards the end of the regular season, what would you attribute this to?

   You know, in January, we had a very, very bad month. We had injuries, a bad stretch, so that was tough for us. We had a meeting in the last two weeks of January with coach (Steve Clifford) and Michael. We just talked. We figured out what was happening. I think MJ found the words to put us back on track. He talked about his experience, what he’s been through, because he told us he had been through that himself. So, we regrouped that day, we said, ‘OK, we had bad stretches, but we have to get back on track and win games,’ and we did it, and that is where we are.

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