#20: Evan Fournier
With the 20th pick in the 2012 draft the Denver Nuggets select shooting guard Evan Fournier from France.
“I’m just so happy right now,” Fournier said after being drafted. “It’s amazing. It’s like a dream. And I can’t wait to go to Denver to meet my new teammates in the organization.”
Fournier is one of the bigger projects in the first round of the draft. He is a 6’7’’ shooting guard who weighed in at 204 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine. He’s only 19 years old and last season played on what was considered a poor European team where he only averaged 14 points per game on just over 42% shooting from the field.
The Nuggets are clearly looking at this as a long-term project and not someone who is expected to come in and help right away. There is already talk that the Nuggets may push for him to stay overseas for another season before making his NBA debut.
Fournier’s biggest area of concern is his shot selection. He enjoyed a lot of freedom last year in France, and it will be up to the Nuggets to rein him in and play within the team’s system. Whether that happens next year or down the line is the question. Fournier only shot 27% from the three-point line last year, which isn’t likely good enough to crack the Nuggets lineup, as a team they shot over 33% last season.
Fournier isn’t concerned about his shot selection and believes he’s similar to another foreign-born player. “I’m a slasher. I’m a kind of Ginobili. I can charge to the basket and finish around the rim. I think that’s my biggest strength.”
Fournier is a bit of a surprise pick for the Nuggets, but it could pay off down the line. There is no question Fournier has some major work to do, but the question is going to be whether they have him suit up this season in Denver, or if he spends a year or two overseas.
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