Evan Fournier’s heritage is a fascinating blend that bridges two cultures. Born on October 29, 1992, in Saint-Maurice — a suburb just outside of Paris — Fournier played a significant part of his basketball career in France. However, he later moved to a larger landscape of basketball with the NBA and suited up for 5 different teams in the league across 12 years before transferring to Olympiacos Piraeus this year. Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Detroit Pistons.

But the French basketball star’s multi-cultural background was about to give him a chance to play on yet another continent than Europe and North America. So here’s a closer look at the ex-Orlando Magic star’s cultural background to know the story behind it.

Evan Fournier’s ethnicity and heritage

Fournier was born to a French father and an Algerian mother. In a 2013 interview with Denver Stiffs, he shared that both of his parents were Judo athletes. His father worked at INSEP, a prestigious French national sports institute, while his mother was a judo instructor.

Given this sports-oriented background, it’s no surprise that Fournier himself would go on to make history as the first player of Algerian descent to compete in the NBA, as highlighted by Afroballers in a post on X. Although he is an only child, the 6’6″ star, in an interview, mentioned he had many cousins. “I’m half Arabic; I was almost born in Algeria,” he shared. Further adding that his cousins in the South of France feel more like siblings.

Notably, Fournier centered a significant part of his professional career around his French identity, including his contributions to the French national basketball team. But he has also made conscious efforts to stay connected with his Algerian roots.

Paris 2024 Olympics – Basketball – Men’s Quarterfinal – France vs Canada – Bercy Arena, Paris, France – August 06, 2024. Evan Fournier of France celebrates during the match. REUTERS/Brian SnyderSpeaking about his inspiration for his jersey number (10) on the French national team, the 6’6″ had stated NBA Sacramento Kings legend, Mike Bibby, to be his inspiration. But also Zinedine Zidane — arguably the greatest French soccer player ever. Evan Fournier was never a major soccer fan, but he still respected Zidane for sharing a common heritage.

Just like Fournier’s mother, Zidane’s parents had emigrated to France from Algeria. “Where Zidane grew up in the south of France, my family lives just 10 minutes away. Both of his parents are from Algeria. And my mother is as well,” the ex- Orlando Magic star, as per an article by The Athletic.

Fournier’s attempts to explore his Algerian roots

Evan Fournier had never visited Algeria until 2017. But once he did, the star shooting guard spent two consecutive summers, reconnecting with his roots. Headed there for the first time, Fournier aimed at establishing Basketball Without Borders — a community outreach program based around basketball and his efforts did not go unanswered.

The MVP award winner of his first Basketball Without Borders camp, Meriem Saadaoui, went on to earn a scholarship to Arizona University. Fournier had confidently remarked that Algeria will be a great basketball nation, and he just wanted to contribute. The ex-Magic star often expressed deep pride in his heritage, saying, “As the son of an immigrant, I’m very proud of my origins.”

Evan Fournier considered his roots a crucial part of his identity, describing his upbringing as one of “double culture.” The ex-NBA star recalled his grandparents spoke Arabic until he was 13. “There is a part of me that’s very different than the one that could live in Paris.” During his time in Algeria, he also helped in community work by helping people build homes.

“Great afternoon with @habitatforhumanity helping people building homes. Thanks you for the opportunity @TheNBPA , @NBA_Africa & @nba…” he wrote in a post on X. Yes, the then Magic star also played an NBA Africa game in 2018, to support the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Since it was an exhibition game, the outcome did not matter much. But for the curious ones, the 6’6″ star scored 10 points on 2-for-12 shooting. Though Fournier’s on-court performance during the NBA Africa game did not grab headlines, the experience was clearly transformative. He promised to return and learn more about the culture, balancing his identity as a celebrated athlete and a person proud of his diverse background.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.