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Batum says he feels no pressure and says he's excited that his GM has that much confidence in his abilities. “It feels good because since day one when he got hired, everything he has said about me has been good,” Batum said. “He trusts me and he believes in me, so if he says that, that means he believes I can do that. He's been in this league for a long time and he has saw so many guys in this league, so if he thinks I can do it, then maybe I can do it.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Ben Golliver: Batum on Lakers: "It looks good on paper but got to make a team now. It's not easy because you've got 1 ball only. 1 ball, 5 good players." Twitter @blazersedge

Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

"A good thing," Batum called the burden of proof in front of him. "This is a challenge to live up to the contract. Maybe I need the challenge to live up to this contract. I take it as a challenge to prove to people, 'Yeah, I deserve it and they (the Trail Blazers) didn't make a mistake, they did a good thing.' NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

"This is a new start for everybody on this team. It's going to be a new start for me also. Now I can prove to everybody that I know what I can do. I can be one of the best players in this league at my position, at small forward. I did a good thing last year as a sixth man. Now, because I'm going to be more of a leader, I'm going to have more responsibility, I can show people what I can do. I've got to work even more." He has to play like an All-Star to justify an average of $11.25 million a season. He cannot be passive anymore. "Yeah," Batum said, seemingly wanting the pressure. "Maybe. I'm going to do everything to do it." NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Joe Freeman: Batum said he has already taken - and passed - the written driver's test. "I crushed it," he said. "Took me less than 10 minutes. Easy." Twitter @BlazerFreeman

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Nicolas Batum has some numbers in mind for the 2012-13 season — 50, 40 and 90. As in shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. “If I get those three, or get close to it, my other numbers should be in good shape, too,” Batum says. Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Ben Golliver: Batum said Claver told him he "understood" Navarro groin punch. Claver told me, laughing, "I understood, but I'm not going to do that." Twitter @blazersedge

Portland Trail Blazers, Victor Claver, Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

The strongest assertion: Batum said that he has received gratitude and support from around the globe, even from members of the basketball community. "I won't say any names but Spanish people and Spanish media were truly mad at me on Twitter," Batum acknowledged. "I got some bad things, trust me. [But] people all around the world, on Twitter, or media, or people, even coaches and players from the other teams, thanked me." Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, Twitter, Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

Why? For upholding the Olympics spirit? For getting in a good lick on Navarro? Because Spain had it coming? "I won't say what they told me, but trust me a lot of people thanked me," he repeated. "I won't say, but they just thanked me. Trust me, a lot, a lot of people. Not especially from France but from everywhere. I won't say that's good. I'm not happy or glad about it." Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, Twitter, Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

Ben Golliver: Blazers F Nicolas Batum tells me he was aiming for Juan Carlos Navarro's arm and not his groin. Twitter @blazersedge

Portland Trail Blazers, Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Batum says he knows people are looking for him to be an borderline All-Star in this league with his new deal and he's in agreement with that line of thinking. However, he says he won't be content with just that. “I signed an All-Star-type contract and now it's up to me to play up to that level,” Batum told CSNNW.com. “I got team goals and personal goals I want to accomplish and becoming an All-Star one day is one of them. I want to be an NBA champion, I want to be a three-point champion. It's all about winning in this league and I'm ready for that next step in my career.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Most aren't expecting the Trail Blazers to be a playoff contending team at this current time, but according to Batum, that's not stopping them from trying. “I think we can surprise some people and a lot of people are counting us out already,” Batum said. “Yes, I know we're young, but I think we have the talent to surprise people this year. We're just going to work hard and get better everyday and we'll see what happens. Playoffs? we'll see.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Joe Freeman: Stotts says the #Blazers starting lineup entering camp will be: Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, LA and J.J. Hickson. Twitter @BlazerFreeman

Portland Trail Blazers, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Damian Lillard 

See something else. While I assume that's not exactly what Nic was trying to say, it perfectly describes what he needed to do after an eventful summer that unfortunately concluded with Batum committing a now infamous foul on Juan Carlos Navarro at the end of France's 66-59 loss to Spain in the men's basketball quarterfinals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. "What I'm mad about is what I showed to people about myself, what I showed about the game, about France, everything," said Batum. "I feel bad about it because that's not me. I'm human. I lost it. I just lost it. "You don't want this type of action. I can't do it. You can't see that on the court. If the (International Basketball) Federation or the Olympics want to suspend me a couple games or fine me, I'm okay with that. I won't say anything." TrailBlazers.com

Portland Trail Blazers, France, Nicolas Batum, Juan Carlos Navarro 

"The (offseason) was really crazy for me. I needed rest. The first time, I think in six or seven years, that I got much time to rest before the season starts. I really needed it… Over the last 20 days I got some rest, but I know I have to be ready for this year so I came early this year because I want to be with the team. I want to show them that you can trust me." TrailBlazers.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

When Batum talks of being "something in this league," he discusses taking on the responsibility of being the second option when LaMarcus Aldridge is on the floor and knowing he needs to be the first option with Aldridge is out. He sets being an all-star as a realistic goal. And he talks about shedding his image as a talented but inconsistent performer. The franchise has made a commitment to Batum and he knows it's time to hold up his end of the bargain. "I feel good because now I know the organization really trust me," said Batum. "Now I have to be there every night. There's going to be more pressure, of course. That's why I play this game and that's why I'm here." TrailBlazers.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum 

Nicolas Batum: Thanks to the blazers organisation for hiring a coach who speak french. Merci beaucoup Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, Nicolas Batum, Terry Stotts 

When Batum could've stopped the clock with a slap on the arm, he punched Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro in the groin. "I wanted to make sure he had good reason to flop," Batum said. Asked if he believed he had accomplished his goal, Batum told Yahoo! Sports with a smile, "I hope so." Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

If Batum's answers were completely honest, they're a public-relations nightmare. There are ways to deliver a hard foul without stooping to that kind of low-rent cheap shot. Later, Batum apologized on Twitter, but that was long after his first public words hit the Internet like a tsunami. "I'm angry because we wanted to bring back something to our country," Batum said. "We deserve it much more than them." Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

Blazers coach Terry Stotts told me that he thinks he will speak to Nicolas Batum about his crotch crush of Juan Carlos Navarro but said that one incident shouldn't define a person. "I haven’t seen the incident. I do know that things happen in the heat of battle that people regret. I haven’t seen it. There have been things in the past that have happened that were regrettable and players are not happy with it, they feel bad, they regret it and you move on. I don’t think one incident is going to define one person. Nic is a good young player. We want him to get better and move on from there." Terry Stots: "I’m sure I’ll talk to him about it. It’s going to be hard not to talk about. We’ll see how it goes. From my understanding, he’s already apologized for it. He apologized and you move on. I’m sure it might come up once or twice, we’ll see." Sulia

Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, Nicolas Batum, Juan Carlos Navarro, Terry Stotts