Nicolas Batum: "I was almost traded to Charlotte!"

via www.ouest-france.fr

I experienced All-Star Game weekend on site in Phoenix.  I was expecting something big, but there, it was huge!  I was followed all weekend by the people at Canal +.  Friday, I went to see Boris Diaw, who still has his house in Phoenix.  That night, I commented on the rookie game, it was a funny experience.

Saturday, with my sponsor, I did a clinic for kids at the Jam Session.  The Jam Session is some sort of big, 5 acre theme park.  I came across George Muresan there, the giant who developed at Pau [French basketball club] before playing in the NBA.  We talked about Pro A [French basketball league]!  He told me: “oh la la!  Pau are bad.  But Le Mans aren’t doing too bad. » He was there for his son.  I don’t know how old he was but he was already really big.

Next, that afternoon, I went back to Boris’ house.  He organized a poker game for a charity.  Some of his friends and some rich people played.  In any case, he had two nice cars parked in front of his house…  The evening continued until there was an auction.  Tony Parker, in particular, gave a pair of signed shoes.  Then we went to see the different events.  The three point contest, the point guard contest, where Tony choked a bit…  And finally, the dunk contest.

I was in the front row to see that.  I participated in it in my own way because I was the one who, with Travis Outlaw, gave Rudy Fernandez the idea for the behind-the-back pass.  In the history of the dunk contest, the image that I remember is Michael Jordan’s dunk from the free throw line.  I was able to do it.  I remember, it was last year with Le Mans, in Malaga.

Sunday I slept in.  I only watched the All-Star game with one eye.  I was at a hotel and I spent a lot of time talking.  I met Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Beyonce and even… John McCain!  He was there, calm, no bodyguard.  I told myself:  “and you, you’re not scared, you should watch out!”

Tony Parker scored 39 points on us with San Antonio.  A member of the Blazers’ staff told me: “You see who the best point guard in the world is.”  I told him: “There’s still Chris Paul…”  But the question deserves asking.

The trade deadline has passed.  In Portland, pretty much every player except Oden, Roy, and Przybilla were affected.  I know that San Antonio called about me.  But Portland’s management immediately hung up.  Concerning me, there were advanced negotiations with the Bobcats.  At one point in time, I told myself that I was maybe going to leave.  The deal was credible, it nearly happened.  That would’ve bothered me to leave for a team that won’t play in the playoffs.  With Portland, we’re still in the running.  Basically, if you exclude the Lakers, who are far ahead, there are eight teams for seven places.  You get the sense from the media that the pressure is rising.  It’s the homestretch.