"Shame", Heurtel, "questioned" ... The words of Captain Batum after the fiasco at the Basketball World Cup

After the hot reaction, tears in his eyes, in front of the cameras of beIN SPORTS, Nicolas Batum spoke at a press conference. He returns to the reasons for the defeat of the Blues against Latvia (86-88) on Sunday, in Jakarta, and the elimination in the first round of the World Cup. He notably expressed the shame he feels and returned to his remarks about the absence of Thomas Heurtel.

Elimination: “It's a huge disappointment. We came with big ambitions. We let down a lot of people, us first. We have a big meeting next year (the Paris Olympics, editor's note). We have to analyze what happened, everyone, the players, the staff, the coaches, the federation... We have to try to understand why, when we have been so successful in recent years. It is a big failure. When you put on this jersey, the most important thing is what is written on the front. We haven't thought like that in the last few weeks... We've done it for the last four years and in this case, we're a good team. It's a big disappointment, we're going to be cut up, it's normal. But this questioning, as a leader, I am the first to have to do it. Me, Nando (De Colo), Rudy (Gobert) and Evan (Fournier), the leaders, we have to understand what we have to do better for the team. But congratulations to Latvia. They deserved. They did a good job.”

The expulsion of Nando De Colo: “It was the turning point of the match. We had the "momentum", we were 8-9 points ahead (9, editor's note), they foul, so we had to recover the ball, but they had possession and two throws, then two more throws on the next action. The dynamic has completely changed. We lost our general. It is what it is. It was a huge blow for us... We tried to compose without him. But it definitely changed the dynamic. We had managed to silence the public before that. And that got the fans back into it. The energy has changed for them. We tried to fight. We still had the opportunity to win this match. It's the craziest... But it wasn't for us. We have beaten great teams in the past. But if you don't arrive with the right state of mind, you can also lose against anyone. That's the beauty of basketball... It's a good lesson for us. Now we have to understand why.”

Les Bleus' porous defence: "Usually we're in the top two or three defenses in every tournament. We conceded 23 points and more in three of the four quarters. It's not us. I should be one of those who lead the way in defence, I clearly didn't. I should always make efforts to set an example for others. As a team, we have to be able to recover. We led for 37 minutes and 53 seconds. I've been on this team for 15 years. We were on the other side in this kind of situation. Not there... I still have a campaign with this jersey, it will be necessary to prepare, to make sure that the other guys are ready as leader and captain.

Worst disappointment in Blue: “Yes, of course. I have known painful defeats. But when you lose in semis, in quarters, it's different. At least you fight. There, we don't even pass the first round... We had big ambitions. I feel shame. It's the first time it's happened to me with this jersey. I'm afraid to go home because we disappointed a lot of people. A lot of people believed in us in France, in the fact that we could do something special, we also believed in it and we didn't do it. Everyone has to get involved, and I mean everyone, all of French basketball, not just those who were in Indonesia. They will recognize each other … We will need a reaction, to show that we are a great team.

His remarks on beIN SPORTS: “I spoke about everyone because it is a global failure. Why did we come to this? It starts with us, the players. It is us on the ground, we have instructions and if we do not apply them no one else can do it. Afterwards, there are many things to see and see again. Lots of questions to ask. I'm talking about players, coaches, the federation... There's a lot more. When I talk about politics, I'm not talking directly about state politics but about many things around it. You also have to understand why we are good, why we did all this for years and why it was almost forgotten. We have brought French basketball so high, with so many requirements, expectations now, that we cannot afford a failure like that. Before, it could perhaps pass, we found excuses, not anymore. It will start with me. Why I haven't been good, why I haven't been able to bring my guys together like I've been able to do for the past few years. It's my biggest regret. Then I tell myself that if we want to do something big next year and not be ridiculous like tonight, everyone has to try to understand what they did wrong and what they did GOOD."

The absence of Thomas Heurtel, whom he evokes half-word on beIN: “I did not specify. That's part of it. I wasn't just talking about Thomas Heurtel. There is something else, it concerned other players and a lot of things. We play for what is marked in front, not behind.

Worry...or not: "No. We are very strong in France for that. It's a big disappointment, it's true. But we must not forget that we are the only world team to have won three medals in the last three campaigns. It should not be forgotten. But that's also why we can't afford to do what we did today, precisely because we created everything we created. One year away from such an important deadline at home, we must try to understand now before it's too late. What happened, why did we fall so low, so as not to make the same mistakes again and do something big next year because it's not too late. We still have the team, the supporters, the federation, the coaches to get there. We just have to understand why and that everyone questions themselves first by looking at each other before looking for excuses.

Less appetite: “Being the hunted is different. Before, we were more in the position of the hunter. There, a little more hunting... Maybe, yes, we arrived with a little less hunger and more certainty. That's what cost us. That's why we paid dearly for it. You have to find what made you feared and respected. Even Canada. I spoke about it with certain players, certain coaches of Canada. They explained that before the match, they had this speech: "France broke us in 2000, in 2016". They were hungry to bring us down. We have a target in the back now. We have this respect from the other teams. Something we had compared to others. It is necessary to react and that I find why I did not manage to gather everyone with the role which I have, why I did not have more impact. I know I'm older than before, but still, I mustn't let my team fall like this."

Statements taken at a press conference