How are you adapting to the culture and customs so different to the american ones? Is there anything that has surprised you?
Is going pretty good adapting to the spanish culture on and off the courts, i am learning a lot of spanish, my spanish is improving every day through to my teammates and i am learning thanks to apps on my phone, and i think is a very good thing and i am happy i am adapting to this culture.
Why did you decide to play in Europe, but specifically in Palencia?
I decided to play in europe because it is one of the best places to play basketball but Palencia I saw the team in the roster and I knew it was goint to be a great theam that I wanted to be a part of and it seemed like something that was turning in the right direction, that is the reason why I choose Palencia, and another reason is because it was very welcomming and I´ve Heard a lot of good things about Palencia.
This is your first year playing as a rookie and in a basketball different to the american one, what do you like and dislike the most about this change?
What I like about the change from Spain and the United States is that you kind of have to think about the game more over here, in spain, in the US you just kind of go out there and roll the ball so that is what i like, that you have to actually think about the things that are going on around the court.
You are a good NBA fan and I am sure playing a few weeks ago against Marc Gasol has been very important to you, how was that moment of playing against him and what did you talk to him about?
It was definitely a great moment to play against Marc Gasol; the main thing he was just trying to say it´s about my defense, he really believes can go all the way like he thinks I can just embrace my defense and continue to play and defend the way a do, he was giving me a lot of advice about how to get to the next level.
Do you think that this large number of games can negatively affect the team in terms of results due to not being able to prepare them well physically and tactically?
I don´t really think it will afect the team because we are a great group of guys that are really strong minded physically and mentally, so i don´t think it will afect the team, we are basketball playeras and we´ve been doing this for so many years, so i don´t think it will affect the team but we´ll see though.
Even though you are young and you are still gonna keep working hard, where would you like to see yourself in a few years?
I am still young so, me personally, I mean, basketball has gotten me to so many places, so wherever, wherever it wants to me to go that is where i am gonna go, I love ACB, I love NBA, so wherever it wants me to go, that is where I am gonna go.
In which players from the team and outside of it do you take notice to be able to learn or keep improving?
Definitelly Bamba, he taughts me a lot and gives me points of how he thinks I should read things and how I should be better on this league and i could he say helps me a lot with the things on the court.
Do you have any mania or routine for matches?
A routine I do is listening to music and I have to take about 10 deep breaths while listening to my music and just tell myself that I got this. It´s a lot like mental excercices that I do and that is how I prepare for the game.
Would your tell us what you do outside of the courts, during your free time?
I read books, play videogames, I honestly I´ve been studying my spanish a lot. I talk to my friends and family on the phone and that is pretty much it, honestly.
From Masquebasketpal we thank Devine for the time he has dedicated to us to carry out this interview, Sara Sánchez (Head of Press for Easy Charger Palencia) for the facilities that he has given us to carry out this interview and Lucía Tejido for her translation work.
Thank you very much to everyone for reading these interviews or listening to these audios. All the best!
From Masquebasketpal we thank Devine Eke for the time he has dedicated to us to carry out this interview, Sara Sánchez (Head of Press for Easy Charger Palencia) for the facilities that he has given us to carry out this interview and Lucía Tejido for her translation work.
Thank you very much to everyone for reading these interviews or listening to these audios. All the best!
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario