Crazy, absolutely crazy scenes in Bercy Arena. A moment of such an epic proportion unfolded in front of the world, leaving even Victor Wembanyama baffled as he ran toward his 31-year-old teammate in disbelief. The whole stadium erupted and applauded. Take a bow, Evan Fournier! As the clock ran towards the last minute, Fournier came up with ‘the shot’ of the Olympics so far. And that is not an exaggeration.

With scores at 73-66 in favor of France, Fournier produced a moment of brilliance that sealed the host nation’s spot in the semifinals. Fournier’s Steph-Curry-esque heave from way downtown found its mark and enthralled hoops enthusiasts and the NBA pros. Being the vocal viewer of all things basketball, Josh Hart did not pass the opportunity to laud Evan Fournier for his superhuman feat.

Taking to social media, Hart wrote, “Big plays in clutch time my boy @EvanFourmizz,” reacting to the unreal 3-pointer from the former Pistons guard. The late dagger was enough to put the game beyond the Canadians despite a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rally. It finished 82-73 in favor of Les Bleus, but what topped the cheer after the final buzzer was Fournier’s unforgettable piece of play.

Fans go berserk after Evan Fournier’s unreal shot keeps SGA and Team France at bay!

As Fournier chucked the ball toward the rim, it was almost like time stood still. After the ball made the tinkling sound off the rim to pass through the net, the crowd found its voice back and raised the roof of the arena in Paris. Fournier joined the crowd and visibly chirped back at his opponents with the adrenaline flowing through him.

Pointing that out, a fan wrote on X, “evan fournier talking smack,” followed by multiple broken heart emojis. Even Victor Wembanyama’s 7’4″ frame couldn’t contain the hyped scorer! Also, in case you’ve missed it, here’s the godly shot.

A user commented, “Fournier turns into a splash brother outside of the NBA.” The Splash Bros of the NBA might not be together anymore after Klay Thompson‘s exit from the Dubs, but their 3-pointer heroics are ‘the benchmark’ for any shot dialed from downtown. Evan Fournier’s shot was no exception as fans found it similar to the GSW hooper’s epic dual act. The French swingman does have a 37.4% career 3-point shooting in the NBA, but his latest viral shot made it look like something only Steph Curry would dare to do, considering the time, place, and what’s at stake!

“Them Canadians letting Fournier Cook🍁 🤣 #DontGoogle,” a fan wrote, showing his wits. In case you haven’t Googled it yet, despite the tempting bait to do so, Fournier in English means the occupation of a baker who tends the fire of an oven or furnace. Get the pun with a baker and cook now?

The surname is homage to French culture and its love for bakery, but this time Evan Fournier did the baking on the hardwood. The French star ended the night with 15 points, of which 12 came in the final 4 minutes of the game, taking the match away from Canada. 

Despite the awe-inspiring moment from Fournier, this game added to the growing list of France games where fans smelled foul play. In today’s tie, France had a mind-boggling 42 free throws awarded to them compared to 25 of their opponents. However, Canada took the road of self-criticism, as the game was already sealed and done with. “If you don’t earn it, that’s what happens, you lose,” SGA said, accepting defeat, even after his splendid 27-point haul and 9 of 19 from the field.

Victor Wembanyama and Team France will have a showdown with the 2023 FIBA World Champions, Germany, in the semis. With the game set for August 8, Franz Wagner and Co. will have a few hours of extra rest compared to the host nation. Wagner, however, is well aware of the Bucks’ towering leader and his threat, saying, “Giannis was more than half of the scouting report. It takes all five on the court to stop him!”

But if Evan Fournier can come clutch again, Germany might be in for a game as they’ll have a crowd of 20,000 on their back.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.