Bump!
I've taken the liberty to translate some of the questions and answers from the Maccabi forum. Many questions were asked there. Some about the Kings and the NBA, some about the national team and some about Maccabi. I tried to pick the most relevant ones, but if anyone wants to read the whole thing, here's the link:
http://www.maccabifans.co.il/forum/index.php?showforum=49
(It's in Hebrew though)
Anyway, here's my translation to some of the Q&A:
Q: How do you get treated as the first Israeli player in the NBA? Who are your best friends on the team?
A: Everybody has been treating me amazing. I feel great pride every time I step on the hardwood and see the Israeli flags in the crowd. It warms my heart. I never had any problems making friends and I feel like all the players on the team are good friends of mine. Many people and many fellow players ask me about Israel, and I always feel proud telling them how wonderful it is. They also ask me about basketball in Israel, and I tell them we have the best team in Europe, and definitely the best fans.
Q: How do you manage to stay focused each and every game (it's not easy having a game every two days)?
A: Remaining fresh for games both physically and mentally is the hardest thing in the NBA. The season is long, and you get to deal with the best players in the world on a daily basis. I'm still trying to find the way to keep my body strong and ready throughout the season and to be able to give 100% every game. I believe it's a long process and I hope to find the way to do it soon. There's gotta be a way -- hey, Lebron and Kobe do it at the highest possible level. It's a tremendous challenge facing these guys.
Q: How is your life in Sacramento? What kind of a city is it, and do you have many friends there? Do you have any favorite restaurants or places where your like to hang out?
A: Sacramento is a really nice town. The people are kind and you meet many fans of the team in the street. There are many good restaurants in the area and I am truly having a good time. My best friends are my teammates, but most of my free time I spend with my brother eating in restaurants, and resting at home.
Q: Regarding K-Mart and Cisco -- We've seen a positive chemistry form among the Kings, since there's been a need to fill the void these two left. How's the chemistry with Kevin and Cisco outside the court, and what's going to happen once they return? How do you see your role in the team when they get back?
A: When Kevin got injured, a change in the team began. The team was greatly affected by his injury and we got closer as a result. Players understood it's their time to lead the team. Once Kevin gets back there's going to be a very big change in the rotation and players will have to once again fight for their minutes. It's a new challenge and I'll have to deal with it. I hope the progress I've made over the last few months will continue and that coach continues to give me credit.
Q: We all know that the rookies on the team have to do all kinds of stuff like wear funny shirts or bring donuts to practice. What 'chores' were you given?
A: Each player has his status in the locker room. There are the 'rookies', the mid-players (2 to 4 years in the league), and the veterans (5 years and up). That's the circle of life in the league. The veterans like to make it clear to the rooks that they are superior to them by giving them all kinds of chores. My first chore was to bring fruit to every morning practice -- bananas and grapes. Tyreke has to bring the juice. Jon takes care of hot pretzels and cheese. They also gave us funny bags that we must take with us to away-games. Fortunately for me from the beginning the treatment I received as a rookie has been slightly different than the one the other rookies receive because I'm not the typical rookie, as I come from a big team in Europe and have already played professional basketball, so I don't have to bring the fruit and carry the bag anymore.
Q: In the first part of the season I've seen that passion and sacrifice for every W is very characteristic of you and that it excites the crowd as well. It sometimes even looks as if you were a Kings fan who put on a jersey and jumped on the court. Do you see yourself in the future becoming a franchise player in the Kings and becoming one of the symbols of the team of the new decade?
A: I love the game and that's why every time I step on the court I give everything I got in order to win, againt any team and against any opponent. The feedback I get from the management of team is that they want to build the team for the future with Tyreke and myself as the core. It's a great honor for me and I am very happy to be a part of this young team building for the future.
Enjoy!
