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It seems almost impossible to believe, but Nicolas Batum has been in the NBA for 18 years. He has played in the league against Tony Parker and Victor Wembanyama - two pillars of French basketball from entirely different eras - which alone tells you something about the kind of career he's had.
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.
"People have been telling me this for a couple of weeks now, but just my role, the game, that's it," Batum said before the season finale against the Golden State Warriors.
It helps that he's been effective in that role, not just present. Batum, who has openly talked about how playing for Tyronn Lue in Los Angeles has helped extend his career, shot 40.3 percent from three while averaging 17.5 minutes per contest.
Batum might not have a lot left in the tank, but he has willingly adapted his game to remain a rotation piece. Whether he gets the chance to keep doing it in Los Angeles is another question since the Clippers hold a $5.9 million team option on his contract, a decision that will say as much about their roster direction.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Nicolas Batum has one NBA record for the history books
Continue reading...
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.
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"People have been telling me this for a couple of weeks now, but just my role, the game, that's it," Batum said before the season finale against the Golden State Warriors.
It helps that he's been effective in that role, not just present. Batum, who has openly talked about how playing for Tyronn Lue in Los Angeles has helped extend his career, shot 40.3 percent from three while averaging 17.5 minutes per contest.
Batum might not have a lot left in the tank, but he has willingly adapted his game to remain a rotation piece. Whether he gets the chance to keep doing it in Los Angeles is another question since the Clippers hold a $5.9 million team option on his contract, a decision that will say as much about their roster direction.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Nicolas Batum has one NBA record for the history books
Continue reading...
