Mar 28, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez (42), Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (88) look at the scoreboard before being introduced and play the Denver Nuggets at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Former Blazers Forward Suddenly Retires From International Play Ahead of EuroBasket

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 2:05 PM ET

A former Portland Trail Blazers forward is ending his international career, just ahead of EuroBasket festivities later this month.

That does not mean, however, that he's done playing basketball.

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The French national team has announced that longtime 3-and-D NBA combo forward Nicolas Batum, now with the L.A. Clippers, is moving into a new role along the bench for EuroBasket.

Nicolas Batum au micro du groupe @TF1

L'ex-capitaine des Bleus accompagnera Grégoire Margotton comme consultant de luxe sur les matchs des Bleus à l'EuroBasket #TeamFranceBasket | #PassionnémentBleu | #EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/jLF6hwk27F
— Équipes de France de Basket (@FRABasketball) July 26, 2025

"The former captain of the Blues will join Grégoire Margotton as a star consultant for the Blues' matches at EuroBasket," Team France's X account reveals.

A 6-foot-8 native of Lisieux, France, the 36-year-old began his pro career with French club Le Mans Sarthe from 2006-08, before being selected with the No. 25 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. But even before then, he was playing for his home country in international competition.

Batum suited up for the junior French national team en route to winning the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, and subsequently was honored as the MVP of the gold medal-winning French club in the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.

On the senior team, Batum has won a pair of bronze medals at the 2014 and 2019 FIBA World Cups and silver medals at the 2020 (although, technically, they took place in 2021) and 2024 Olympics. Batum's French teams also earned the 2013 gold, the 2011 silver, and the 2015 bronze medals in EuroBasket competition.

Batum spent his first seven NBA seasons in Portland, alongside talented squads led by Brandon Roy (briefly), LaMarcus Aldridge, and later Damian Lillard.

Across those seven seasons, Batum averaged 11.2 points on .446/.363/.834 shooting splits, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks.

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Batum was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in the summer of 2015 in exchange for Gerald Henderson Jr. and Noah Vonleh, in one of the dumbest deals made by now-ex Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey.

He logged five subsequent seasons in Charlotte, parts of five seasons in L.A., and had a brief half-season intermission with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023-24.

Batum may be done playing in international offseason competitions, but he's still pursuing an NBA career. He inked a one-year, veteran's minimum deal to spend his 18th NBA season with the Clippers.

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This article first appeared on Portland Trail Blazers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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