Magic Ex Evan Fournier Given Major Honor

Fournier spent parts of seven seasons with the Magic.

Former Orlando Magic wing Evan Fournier may not play for the team anymore, but he's still doing magical things.

Earlier this week, Fournier was named the captain of the French men's national basketball squad. Les Bleus are set to partake in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament shared between the Czech Republic, Germany Georgia, and Italy.

Fournier, 29, succeeds Nicolas Batum in the French captaincy and will serve alongside vice-captain Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves. France is seeking its second EuroBasket title and first since the 2013 edition in Slovenia.

Prior to last season, his first year with the New York Knicks, Fournier partook in the French squad's runner-up effort at last summer's Olympics in Tokyo. Fournier finished eighth among all Olympics scorers, notably scoring 28 in an 83-76 upset victory over the United States in pool play. The Americans eventually had their revenge in the gold medal game though Fournier and Gobert united to lead the team with 16 points each. It was good for France's first Olympic medal in men's basketball since the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.

True to form, Fournier kept his foreign scoring prowess alive in his first game at the helm, leading the team with 15 points in just over 16 minutes en route to an 89-65 victory over the Netherlands in a preparation exhibition.

Fournier spent parts of seven seasons with the Magic from 2014-21. In 435 appearances with the franchise, he averaged 16.2 points per game while shooting over 37 percent from the three-point line.

Fournier and his French teammates begin their EuroBasket 2022 run on Sept. 1.