Interview with Omri Casspi

[CruzDude]

After the Monday game I sat down with Omri Casspi, the Kings first round draft pick (23rd) to see how he was coming along what with his 10 hour time change from Tel Aviv and virtually no practice before the first game.
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Interview Omri Casspi, Mon 13 Jul 09

KF: You came in a little late to summer league. It must be tough that way coming right into the game with not much practice.

Omri: It is, it is. I'm off my rhythm and trying to get my head right. To get on the right page and I'm struggling to get there.

KF: There must be a lot of pressure from your country (being the first in the NBA)?

Omri: I try to avoid to think about that and just concentrate on getting my game.

KF: Are you happy with your game at this point? What are you going to try to work on the next couple of games?

Omri: No, No. It's about me. I have to work on my rhythm. It was one of the worst games of my life. I never play like that. I don't know, I have to get my rhythm

KF: Do you think your trying too hard?

Omri: No, I think I'm just putting pressure on me

KF: How are you with the competition here (at summer league)?

Omri: Ok. I don't think so tough. I play against tougher guys in my league and I think my old team, Maccabi, is better than some of these teams.

KF: What about the time change (9-10 hours from Tel Aviv)? Has this bothered you?

Omri: A little I think. But I don't want to make any excuses.

KF: Will you play for your national team this summer?

Omri: No, I don't think so.

He really was a down on himself so I concluded the interview. Omri is really a nice guy, very quiet by nature but quite intense. But without the benefit of practice the others had it is little wonder.

In the first and third quarters the Kings played better with him in the game even tho' his game wasn't there. His defense is coming along and he moves well but it is obvious he is not yet familiar with the plays and other players. The Kings will practice Tuesday for their game Wednesday. So CruzDude is off to Margaritaville to soak away the internet disasters of Black Monday. All will be well on Wednesday and the interview then will be Jon Brockman.

 

[Nighthawk1]

Cool interview

 

[BritishColumbia]

Thanks for the interview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very good job!

 

[VF21]

And just in case anyone didn't realize it, that was an interview by our very own Kingsfan.com representative at the Vegas Summer League.

Thanks, CruzDude!

 

[Wuster]

Wow! Thanks CruzDude.

 

[Bricklayer]

You were doing fine, but then you forgot to ask him which was his favorite Teletubby while growing up.

Nice to hear from you -- I was starting to think our very first on site correspondent had been swallowed up by the casinos.

 

[CruzDude]

You were doing fine, but then you forgot to ask him which was his favorite Teletubby while growing up.

Nice to hear from you -- I was starting to think our very first on site correspondent had been swallowed up by the casinos.

No, swallowed up by the Internet Darth Vader on monday but an hour or so at Margaritaville helped to get over that.

 

[6th]

Hey, CruzDude...

 

[Bricklayer]

No, swallowed up by the Internet Darth Vader on monday but an hour or so at Margaritaville helped to get over that.

Well I remmeber an early episode of Buffy where there was a demon on the internet, but now Darth too?? Damn.

And here I thought the biggest threat on the net was having some 45 year old perv try to pick me up thinking I am a 16 yr old girl.

 

[6th]

Well I remmeber an early episode of Buffy where there was a demon on the internet, but now Darth too?? Damn.

And here I thought the biggest threat on the net was having some 45 year old perv try to pick me up thinking I am a 16 yr old girl.

You are sick, Brickie.

 

[Warhawk]

Well I remmeber an early episode of Buffy where there was a demon on the internet, but now Darth too?? Damn.

And here I thought the biggest threat on the net was having some 45 year old perv try to pick me up thinking I am a 16 yr old girl.

Probably closer to the other way around?

 

[Bricklayer]

Probably closer to the other way around?

u r suuch a meanie!

 

[VF21]

And another perfectly good thread spirals downward into the TDOS abyss...most likely never to be serious again.

And I, too, am guilty of adding another nail to the abyss coffin with this question: So, Brickie? Care to explain WHY you're pretending to be a 16-year-old girl on the Internet? Hrmmmm?

Inquiring minds absolutely need to know, for sure.

 

[jalfa]

Sooo...he's not going to play for his national team this summer? I foresee another kind of apocalypse for this thread when the Israeli fans read that.

 

[Rookie]

cool interview...hope he feels better.

 

[kennadog]

Thanks, Cruzdude! Good job. I like Casspi's attitude, even if he's being a little too hard on himsellf right now. That usually provides motivation to work hard. He just needs some adjustment time, I think.

 

[Reem]

Sooo...he's not going to play for his national team this summer? I foresee another kind of apocalypse for this thread when the Israeli fans read that.

I´m an Israeli and it´s okay, I don´t want him to get injured and miss his opportunity to be the first Israeli NBA player, we already had bad luck with Oded Katash (former Israeli player, was suppose to sign with the KNICKS and the lockout (98-99) made him lose his chance... (was amazing PG btw)

Israel'll be okay this year without casppi, anyway, Spain (with Pao)... are going to kick our asses

 

[VF21]

I´m an Israeli and it´s okay, I don´t want him to get injured and miss his opportunity to be the first Israeli NBA player, we already had bad luck with Oded Katash (former Israeli player, was suppose to sign with the KNICKS and the lockout (98-99) made him lose his chance... (was amazing PG btw)

Israel'll be okay this year without casppi, anyway, Spain (with Pao)... are going to kick our asses

I hope that's how more of your countrymen see it. I know in the past a lot of players from outside the US have taken a lot of flak from their countrymen if they chose - for whatever reason - not to go home and play on their national teams.

Spain also has Sergio, right?

 

[Reem]

I hope that's how more of your countrymen see it. I know in the past a lot of players from outside the US have taken a lot of flak from their countrymen if they chose - for whatever reason - not to go home and play on their national teams.

Spain also has Sergio, right?

no, but Spain got everything ... almost every guy on that team is a real threat in european level

according to this list:
http://www.basketballinspain.com/spain-eurobasket-poland-2009-roster-list.html

Rudy, Rubio, Carlos Navarro etc...
they got sergio llul on the back up roster, this guy is a cold blooded killer from the 3, he destroyed Maccabi last year
and watch this video of him (vs. toronto):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hQubj6TAIU

 

[FromIsrael]

I hope that's how more of your countrymen see it. I know in the past a lot of players from outside the US have taken a lot of flak from their countrymen if they chose - for whatever reason - not to go home and play on their national teams.

Spain also has Sergio, right?

what Reem said isnt right.. pplz in here got angry on Omri cause he doesnt want to get to the national team. in israel theres no such a thing " i will come in the next eurobusket " he has to get to all the tournaments and this one which is the most important one... alot of pplz gonna hate him for that and the ational team coach already said that omri wont get to the national team anymore if hes gonna stay at US this ummer instead coming and help.


this tournament is very imporant cause israel wants to get to the world cup and then to the olympic games on london on the first time since the 80's...

 

[Reem]

what Reem said isnt right.. pplz in here got angry on Omri cause he doesnt want to get to the national team. in israel theres no such a thing " i will come in the next eurobusket " he has to get to all the tournaments and this one which is the most important one... alot of pplz gonna hate him for that and the ational team coach already said that omri wont get to the national team anymore if hes gonna stay at US this ummer instead coming and help.


this tournament is very imporant cause israel wants to get to the world cup and then to the olympic games on london on the first time since the 80's...

I said my point of view, maybe you don't support Casspi as you claim you do, I saw the comments on every big Israeli site, most of them was supportive, most of the respondents wrote that he should focus on getting fit to the NBA, even at the expense of the national team... I better have him playing in the NBA than locked out like Yao ming.

 

[Armadillo]

what Reem said isnt right.. pplz in here got angry on Omri cause he doesnt want to get to the national team. in israel theres no such a thing " i will come in the next eurobusket " he has to get to all the tournaments and this one which is the most important one...

YOU got angry. Re'em is right. From what I've seen I'd say 90% of the people here are gonna support whatever decision he makes.

alot of pplz gonna hate him for that and the ational team coach already said that omri wont get to the national team anymore if hes gonna stay at US this ummer instead coming and help.

He never said such a thing, I've read every single article about the Nat. team. And nobody's going to hate him, except you maybe.

 

[Jechtsphere]

I think he made the right decision.

You can tell how important being an NBA player is to him and how much he wants to succeed.

He doesn't want to enter the season learning as he goes, he wants to be able to enter training camp and the season and hit the ground running, seems like he wants to train here against NBA talent so he can be as prepared as possible to help his new team.

It's not like he's saying he'll never play for the National team again, he wants to get comfortable in the NBA game first since it's all new to him.

 

[bajaden]

Once he's established as an NBA player, he'll have plenty of opportunities to play for his national team. But right now, he's made the right decision. As posted, he needs all the time he has to get adjusted and hit the ground running. So far, he's proved nothing more, than that he has potential.

 

[Prince_XY]

I think it would bring more honor to Israel if Casspi plays in the NBA now, rather than risk getting injured by playing outside of NBA and ended up not going to play at the NBA at all. At least on Casspi's case, just for this once in a life-time achievement for an Israeli.

This will be the first time an Israeli will be playing in the NBA.

I hope everyone knows that the best Basketball on earth is at NBA.

 

[bloom]

Thanks CruzDude!

I'm really excited to see him play this year. I know he had a rough summer league but I think he'll be fine..hopefully he can prove himself in those preseason games and find a spot in the rotation.

 

[CruzDude]

Thanks CruzDude!

I'm really excited to see him play this year. I know he had a rough summer league but I think he'll be fine..hopefully he can prove himself in those preseason games and find a spot in the rotation.

On Friday, after the final game at VSL, he approached me with a big smile. I asked how he is doing now 2 games later and he nodded and indicated he was getting his rhythm with the new players, an especially good sign in that there was no obvious "game plan" in summer league other than to get the 3 draftees to do more of what Westphal's staff thought was their better points: Omri as a small forward to protect the outside, shoot from down low to beyond 3pt line and rebound (which was a surprise for me how good a rebounder he was!!).

Omri was pleased with his progress in such a short time and went off to the airport to fly back to Tel Aviv on saturday. Said he would spend two weeks off at home then fly back to Florida by mid-August to attend the IMG Training Camp with Kevin Martin and others. Then he plans to get to Sacramento in mid-September to get a place to live and get acquainted with Sactown before training camp the first of october.

 

[Rookie]

A man who thinks ahead. I'm liking him more and more.