In a special edition of Knicks Fan TV, CP The Fanchise was joined by French guard and new Knick Evan Fournier for an exclusive interview.
Fournier has played eight seasons in the league, seven of which came with the Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets. He spent last season with the Boston Celtics after being traded by the Magic for two-second rounds picks.
Fournier decided to sign with the Knicks this offseason along with Kemba Walker who he played alongside in Boston. In this interview he drops some gems about his decision to join the Knicks, his jersey number selection, and the Knicks’ perception around the league.
Catch the full show on all major podcast platforms below.
- Spotify: https://goo.gl/2Kj3ZT
- Apple Podcast: https://goo.gl/wM5HRR
- Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/KFTVGoogle1
- Stitcher: https://goo.gl/wd8ESZ
Here’s a breakdown of the show:
Always wanted to be a Knick.
To start, Fournier said that it has always been a dream of his to play in New York. He knows that every new-Knick says that, but assures Knicks fans that he’s been saying it for years and his French fans can back him up. He says he was attracted by how big the market is and recalls his first time playing in Madison Square Garden as a rookie with the Nuggets. The atmosphere in the Garden stood out to him and he’s remembered it ever since.
Being on the East coast was another added benefit to him, making it easier to return to his homeland of France when he can. The energy and mentality of New York City were also attractive to him, he compared it to Paris in these aspects. He won’t be resting now that he’s achieved his dream of becoming a Knick, he says that now he’s a Knick he has to make sure it stays that way for a long time so he has to play well and win.
Why #13? ‘I didn’t want to take Melo’s jersey’
Fournier’s first two choices for numbers were both unavailable, Walt Frazier’s #10 being his first choice and number #15 which was retired for both Earl Monroe and Dick McGuire.
He said that he could’ve had number #94, which he wore for the Nuggets and the Celtics, but he said it didn’t feel right. #94 was special to him as that was the district number he was from in Paris.
His next choice was #7, the day his son was born, but he didn’t want to take Carmelo Anthony’s number out of respect. “I didn’t want to take Melo’s jersey,” he said.
#20 was his next choice but that number is already occupied by Kevin Knox. He settled on #13 as a new beginning as it was the same number he wore when he turned professional at age 17.
Knicks perception around league changing?
Knicks Fan TV’s Poppa Left called in to the show to ask Fournier about the Knicks’ perception around the league. Fournier rejected the idea that the Knicks were the laughing stock of the NBA, as far as the players were concerned.
He mentioned how there are always five or six bad teams in the league but when you are the Knicks you get a lot more attention just as a side effect of being a big franchise in a huge market. He said that the goal is always to get better and what the Knicks did last year, earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and becoming an elite defensive team, was a huge step towards that.
Let us know your thoughts on the Evan Fournier signing in the comments below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors and recaps heading into the new season.
