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After 18 seasons in the NBA and nearly 20 years of professional career, including his beginnings in Le Mans, Nicolas Batum has reached a turning point. While he hasn't officially announced his decision, his comments leave little doubt that the end is near. "We'll see, I'm still thinking about it. I have one last year on my contract with a team option... I've been a professional basketball player for twenty years. I'm under no more pressure, I have nothing left to prove." With clear-sightedness, the former captain of the French team emphasized his role, both on and off the field. "Now, it's about what I can bring to my team on the field, and on the bench if I'm not playing. I'm making the most of it for now."
With 1,204 NBA games under his belt, Nicolas Batum is not far from the record for longevity for a Frenchman held by Tony Parker (1,254 games). One more season could be enough to surpass it, but that's clearly not a driving force. "Given how my season ended, I'm not sure I'll play fifty games next year (laughs). It's not something I'm thinking about, we'll see…"
Batum has survived this long not on talent alone, but on a willingness to evolve that many players never develop. As the league changed around him, he adapted with it quietly, consistently, and without much of an ego. The clearest example is his evolution from an all-around player who could create for others to a strictly three-point sniper role. He has specialized so much in that role that 95.8 percent of his shot attempts came from beyond the arc in 2025-26, which is the highest number in NBA history for a player with at least 100 field goal attempts. Caleb Houstan is now second with 93.7 percent in 2023-24. Unsurprisingly, most of the top marks are quite recent.
Nicolas Batum on James Harden trade to Cleveland: I was shocked. James was huge though for us, last year when Kawhi was in and out. he was the guy, and again this year like Kawhi missed I think two or three weeks because of an ankle injury, and he pretty much carried us by himself, he got like 50-point games, he got like 40-some triple doubles… I mean, he is who he is, one of the best players of all time! So when you lost a guy like that just in two days, I mean it happened in two days really, so that was like shocking, but DG been amazing so far with us.
Nicolas Batum on Kawhi Leonard: I’ve been with him for six years. I joined the Clippers in 2020 and like you said, like I’ve never seen him that good. I played against him with the Spurs, Toronto, played with him for six years now, and he was already good. I mean, we know the resume as you say about Kawhi, but I think this year, I don't know why he just is in total control. He's in control about everything. He controlled everything. It's weird to say because he’s already been in control about everything, but I don't really know what he changed, his routine has pretty much been the same. But he’s just a maniac of walking. He's always like in the gym like walking before, after practice, before after games. and the way he plays right now is just unbelievable.
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Nicolas Batum: COVID happened, I was stuck in Stockholm for like eight months. And then I like I get a big depression. I want I gained like 45 pounds. That was insane. Q. And when did you get when did you when did you uh snap out of it? Batum: Mid October. I got a call from my agent, like a group call, and there's like six people on it like, ‘We need to talk to you.’ I was like 270 lbs. I was crazy. Like no, it was rock bottom.
“He’s vocal,” Clippers veteran Nicolas Batum told The Athletic of Leonard. “I mean, not the most (vocal teammate) I’ve ever had, but he is vocal, though. And when we say lead by example, that’s pretty much what it is, though. … You can trust him; he won’t do any mistakes, fights, no matter what. That’s what you need from him.”
Law Murray: John Collins is back TONIGHT vs Kings Nicolas Batum is resting
NBA players have also raised awareness. Nicolas Batum tweeted: “Elijah Hoard has been missing after being dropped by his father at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Friday. If you have any information, please contact the local authorities.” Guerschon Yabusele added: “Elijah Hoard has been missing since Friday evening in Chicago. He was supposed to catch a flight to France but never boarded. If you have any information, please notify his family or detectives at Area One SVU at 312-747-8380. Thank you“.
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Law Murray: Asked Tyronn Lue about the status of Nicolas Batum and Bogdan Bogdanovic On Nico: "He'll be back on the floor tomorrow" On Bogie: "Just good to have him around, just his vibes and who he is as a player, just who he is as a person"
Grant Mona: The Clippers Injury Report on the second night of a back-to-back: OUT: Nicolas Batum - Rest Bradley Beal - Left Hip Fracture Darius Garland - Left Toe Injury Management Looks like they are giving Nico some time off to let the young/new guys play more before the break.
