30 Unique Facts About Nicolas Batum That Every Fan Should Know

5 June 2019, 4:44 pm EDT By Ruby Karnick

Nicolas Batum, currently playing for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), is often regarded as a highly skilled defensive player and one of the NBA's best executors of the chase-down block. In fact, the chase-down block which is a fundamental part of Batum's game, is said to be a superior skill brought with him to the NBA. Here are a few important things to know about the French professional basketball player:

Batum is the French professional basketball player, known for his three-point shot and defensive prowess. He is one of the NBA’s best executors of the chase-down block featuring a ridiculous 7-1 wingspan.
His father of Cameroonian origin, played professional basketball in France, died during game in 1991, after suffering an aneurysm. Batum was two year old and was in the crowd with his mother when it happened.
He was born on December 14, 1988, in Lisieux, France, to Sylvie and Henry Batum. He has a younger sister named Pauline Batum.
As one of the most talented young player in Europe, he joined the distinguished Le Mans Sarthe Basket Academy at age of 13 and made his professional debut with the senior team just three years later.
Batum has the distinction of winning the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-16 and 2006 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship playing for the French national team. He was declared the Most Valuable Player at Under-18 championship.
As part of title winning French national team in the 2006 Under-18 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany, Batum averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals per game in seven games. He was adjusted the Most Valuable Player.
In the 2006-07 playing for Le Mans in French League season, he averaged 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 13 minutes of play time per game.
At the 10thAnnual Nike Hoop Summit played in Memphis, Tennessee, in April 2007, Batum gave a good account of himself. Sporting jersey # 8, he scored 23 points, with 4 rebounds and 4 steals in 28 minutes of play.
In the 86th season of French Basketball Championship in 2007-08, playing for Le Mans, he averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 28 minutes of play time per game besides earning Player of the month for March. He was bestowed with ‘Rising Star Award.’
When Batum arrived in North America as a 19 year old to try out for the 2008 NBA Draft, his pre-draft workout with Toronto was suspended. He failed to pass a stress test of his heart, just 10 days before the draft. He was cleared after different set of medical test was showed.

At the 2008 NBA Draft, he was selected 25th overall pick by the Houston Rockets and was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He moved into the starting lineup after just first three games.
Batum missed the first 45 games of the 2009-10, season due to torn cartilage in his right shoulder. He returned to action on January 25, 2010.
On February 27, 2010, in the game against Timberwolves, he had score of 31 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in 29 minutes of play time. This is his first game with 30 plus score line.
As on June 2012, he became a restricted free agent and had offer from Minnesota Timberwolves worth $46 million. But on July 18, Portland Trail Blazers matched that offer and signed him through the 2015-16 season.
In August 2011, at the time of NBA lockout, he signed one year contract with SLUC Nancy in the French Basketball League, pending the end of lockout.
On December 16, 2012, in the game against Hornets, Batum recorded the 15th five-by-five in the NBA history since 1985-86 season. He scored 11 points, 5rebounds, 10 assists, 5 blocks, and 5 steals in a 95-94 win.
In 2011, Batum married his longtime friend Melaine Pimentel, a professional make-up artist with whom he spent two years before separating. He has a son, Ayden Richard Batum from his relationship with his partner, Aurelie Batum.
In the Blazers’ 95-98 loss to Wizards, on January 21, 2013, Batum scored his first career triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and a career high 11 assists. He also recorded 3 steals and 2 blocks.
In November 2012, Batum decided to do a little soul searching and visited his country of origin the Cameroon, Africa. As part of foundation called Giving Back, he interacted with 40 children.
As part of French National Basketball Team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, after being frustrated in a quarterfinal loss to Spain he punched a Spanish player, Juan Carlos Navarro in the groin. He later apologized on Twitter.

Batum is part of French national basketball team which won its first medal in a FIBA Basketball World Cup competition as France finished third at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
In January 2014, he said he may consider playing for Cameroon. He added ‘I’ve’ thought it. Maybe at the end of my career. I’d like to someday to help them qualify for the Olympics.’
On June 24, 2015, He was traded to the Charotte Hornets in exchange for Gerald Henderson, Jr. and Noah Vonleh. In the previous season, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 33.5 minutes.
On August 1, 2015, Batum played for Team Africa at the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game. The Team Africa, consist of players with African roots, lost the game 97-101 to Team World, featuring NBA players from rest of the world.
He earned his first career Player of the Week award on November 16 for the preceding week following a season high 33 points in a 106-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on November 15.
On December 9, 2015, in a 99-81 win over the Miami Heat, he recorded his fifth career triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. According Hornets coach, Steve Clifford his passes were of exceptional order.
At the start of 2016-17, season on July 7, he re-signed with the Hornets on a five-year, $120 million contract and ended the season starting in all 77 games totaling 1,164 points, 481 rebounds, and 455 assists, to become the first Charlotte player with these statistics in a single season.
On October 5, 2017, Batum underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging exam which revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and was ruled out for six to eight weeks.
The ASVEL Basket, the part of Infinity Nine Sports, is a historic club in France, which is owned by Tony Parker. Batum joined it in March 2017 as its stakeholder and later took over as its director of basketball operation.
A career which started at the age of 13 has come a long way from playing in various age group competitions in France to winning two gold, one silver and two bronze medals for France at the world stage. Playing in eleven NBA season, Batum has averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 767 games.