After winning the Cup, we had a short celebration because we had a very important Euroleague game in Greece against Panathinaikos. At the end of the week, we had played four games in seven days, a very NBA-like schedule!
Thanks to our depth, the week was a total success. That’s the key for us this season: depth. It’s a 10-month marathon, and you have to focus on the present or you will fall. It’s crucial for us to have home-court advantage to secure a spot in the Final Four. They asked me if I think the season would be a failure if we don’t win the Euroleague. To me, losing is not an option. We have a pro attitude on this team. Period. Winning the Cup is not enough! We have to keep focusing on scouting. Now the season is coming down to the wire and focus is key.
MY GUY FRAN
Fran Vazquez was named the MVP of the Cup. You know, Fran is a worker. He will give you rebounds, he’ll dunk everything under the basket and will play smart basketball. I know he would help the Magic a lot, but I’m happy he didn’t go to Orlando and is playing with us right now… I know he was a lottery pick, and 100 percent of American players would have gone to the NBA if selected. Instead of picking him, the Magic could have selected players like Danny Granger, David Lee, Brandon Bass, Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, NateRobinson… But they picked him because he is a very good player. He’s from Europe, and he was playing in the ACB by the time, and still is.
There’s no guarantee with European players. There’s a risk factor you have to consider. But NBA teams will keep drafting players from Europe because during the last years they are playing a lot, lot better. It’s worth the risk. You just have to take a look at Ricky…
I hope he’s playing with me a couple of years, with the behind-the-back passes, running the court… But I know that when the time comes, he’ll be ready for everything and he’ll do the right thing. Now he’s doing the same as the rest of the team… He’s thinking about the big picture: winning.
The coach has done a great job at scouting. Our defense is very good. We have very talented players, but some of them like Juan Carlos Navarro, maybe he has a mismatch in a game because he’s not very athletic. We have strategies to overcome it. Things like that. Last year I thought the team was the best I had played with. But with players like Navarro, Ricky… There’s a good chance I’ll change my opinion. I’ll wait until the season ends and then I’ll decide if this is the best team I’ve played for in my life.
LEBRON AND KOBE?
Read the article about the chance that LeBron James could end up playing with Kobe Bryant… That would be not fair at all! Two Rottweilers in the same team? You usually have one Rottweiler and a Chihuahua! Anyway, chemistry has a lot to do with it, so they still would have to win the championship. I don’t see it happening, but if it happens it would be the most amazing thing I’ve seen in basketball for a long time! The Lakers are such a good team now with Kobe and Pau and players like Artest, Bynum and Shannon Brown…
Finally, I want to tell Allen Iverson to keep his head up, to stay strong. I’ve heard he is in a really tough situation with his family. Family is everything. He has given a lot of joy to the city of Philadelphia. Philly is a tough city… If you don’t give it all, they will be on you in no time. Larry Brown is a coach that demands perfection, and Allen was up to the challenge. I hope they retire his jersey once he’s done playing basketball, and I’m sure he will be a Hall of Famer. He’s an example for the kids: a little brave man, so skilled, with a killer mentality as far as attacking the basket. A man with his size who played every night no matter how many bruises he had. Toughness. Focus.
I had a career-high 26 points in the Euroleague as my team FC Barcelona won in Istanbul against Fenerbahce Ulker. My last scoring record was in a game played in Istanbul too! Hey, maybe they get smart and sign me or something… Just joking. I like Istanbul, but right now nothing can beat my current status: playing basketball in a powerhouse and living in a city like Barcelona.
I feel good when I’m in Istanbul. I got friends there and I’m always looking to go over there. Every year I’ve been in the Euroleague I’ve played against this team. It’s a challenge to play against all these guys that are fresh off the NBA. Players like former Jazz Gordan Giricek - good player, good contract - and Tarence Kinsey, who played with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Two guys that play the three spot and competed against me. I’m a competitor so I was looking to take that challenge.
Real Prigioni
In the Spanish League front, we’ve started well although Real Madrid - coached by Ettore Messina - leads the standings. With the great coach they have and with Pablo Prigioni playing the point guard, they are gonna win a lot of games. And I don’t even mention other players like Jorge Garbajosa, Louis Bullock, Sergi Vidal, Darjus Lavrinovic… Pablo doesn’t have to shoot the ball to have a good valuation. To me, they have a world superstar in Prigioni. He’s done it in Europe, he’s done it with his National Team, leading Argentina to great success. They were my teammates in Vitoria last year and I’m happy that they are in Madrid.
Those two guys, with me and Will McDonald… Amazing. Four of the five starters, we all left the team who set the best record in the history of the ACB in the regular season. Money had nothing to do with it, that’s my personal opinion. I never had a negotiation with the club but now I’m 100 percent sure that I made the right decision to sign with Barcelona.
You can compare Pablo to a guy like Jason Kidd. He’s not as tall as Kidd, but both of them play for the assist, and Pablo has a better outside shot. Both are tough in defense, very tricky with the ball (behind-the-back passes and behind-the-head passes!) and they are great in screen-and-roll. When he played with Tiago Splitter, it was a like Euroleague version of Stockton and Malone. Tiago is a great player and the whole world needs to see him in the NBA. I hope in two years he go to the NBA and maybe he will replace Tim Duncan in a few years when he’s done playing.
Last weekend we played a tough game in Madrid against Estudiantes. I’ve been on small teams so I understand what it feels like to play against the team that won the championship the year before. I understand that kind of motivation. We suffered a couple of injuries - Juan Carlos Navarro got hurt - but we knew it was going to be a tough game with or without injuries. We did our job and got away with a W.
I learned a lot about Juan Carlos this season, about the way he plays. Navarro is very smart. He doesn’t rush anything. He scores his points in the flow of the offense, that’s why I have so much respect about him. Some players, they just go one-on -ive to score, but he is a complete player and in defense he’s been good. It’s great he’s with us instead of playing in the NBA.
One teammate that that will play there one day is Ricky Rubio.
I had never traveled with a rock star until now. To me, Ricky’s nickname is Rock Star. When I got drafted to New York, I played with Latrell Sprewell and I thought that was something. Everybody wanted a piece of Spree, everybody wanted an autograph, but there’s no comparison on the attention Ricky commands. It doesn’t matter where we’re at. Anywhere in Spain, in Europe… We can be in Turkey, everywhere. That’s why I call him the Rock Star, because I actually see people crying over him. I’ve never seen it! Girls crying! People want pictures, they come to the hotel to find him… It’s unbelievable. And he’s such a good kid though. He handles all these situations so well. His parents did a great job raising him because he’s such a humble and nice kid. He’s special.
Celts all the way
The Boston Celtics are going to win the NBA. Period. They play consistent defense. But they have to find that player who comes in and changes the game like James Posey did. Maybe they have it in Marquis Daniels, I don’t know. When they won the championship, Posey had to guard Kobe and he made open three-pointers too. He’s an intangible guy, like Sergi Vidal when I played in Vitoria. Posey did the same when he won the title with the Miami Heat. Playing D, rebounding, making open threes and guarding the best player. Guarding Kobe Bryant is difficult enough in one game. Being able to do that throughout the Finals was unbelievable. When he won the title against the Mavs, he guarded guys like Dirk Nowitzki. You know, Posey is 6-foot-7! He did the dirty job. Once some guy gets that role on a winning team, they are gonna be unstoppable. I know Posey personally. He’s a great guy and he deserved the contract he got with the Hornets.
It’s hard accepting your role sometimes. Take our team, Barcelona. We have so many guys who can score. Our coach Xavi Pascual has done a great job of keeping everybody unselfish. He creates a great environment for us to practice and play. This year I feel great everyday about going to practice. Last year was totally opposite: I didn’t.
I love it here in Miami. Sailing on my boat, going fishing… But I’m eager to start the season with my new team Regal Barcelona! I think we’ll start the preseason on August 21.
I’m looking forward to meeting my new coach, teammates, general manager, the president… I can’t wait to see Terence Morris. I spent so much time with him in Houston with the Rockets. I competed with him for the small forward spot to get playing time in training camp. I remember Rudy Tomjanovich having a lot of confidence in him. That man was a positive influence on the players. He really trusted them.
Let’s talk a little bit about Ricky Rubio, which I know you like. I’m hearing he could go to our team, he could go to Madrid, to Olympiakos… This is the exciting part: he’s got a lot of things going on for him. It would be great to have Ricky with our team. I know his dad and I’m sure they are excited about all the possibilites right now. I had dinner with his dad in Vitoria after we played DKV Joventut in the Euroleague. He is a very nice guy and was very good with his son and the way he talked about him I’m sure they have a great relantionship.
It looks like Wolves GM David Kahn is not worried about Rubio staying in Europe. He should be. He shouldn’t forget that Ricky is Spanish, and sometimes is good to be close to home. And Barcelona is really close to Badalona. You just have to cross the street!
Some people in the NBA don’t quite get Euro basketball. They don’t understand that players are very comfortable in their countries. Of course Ricky would like to go to the NBA. I’m sure about it even though I haven’t spoken to him. But guys, Spain is also a great option. You are talking about two of the biggest clubs in Europe in Real Madrid and Barcelona.
This Ricky situation is a perfect example of what some people of the States don’t understand. European basketball is great, being in the Euroleague is great. I meet a lot of people and when I tell them I’ll play with Barcelona they ask me, “Aren’t you trying yo come back to the NBA?” Hey, there’s a world outside the NBA! And the Spanish League is a great situation.
You make dollars in the States and now I’m making euros in Europe. The truth is, my market is higher in Europe. Ricky would make more money in Europe than he would in the NBA this year. If he goes now to the NBA, he would play for the Wolves, a team that is at least a couple of years away from competing for the title… Here in Spain he would compete for the ACB title and the Euroleague title right away.
I was in the Bahamas last weekend and guys were asking me where I played and stuff. I explained them, and when I said Barcelona everybody was like, “Oh, I love that city.” Barcelona wanted me bad, and teams in the NBA wanted to pay me the minimum. Come on! I’m 31-years-old. I’m not playing for the minimum. I built my career in Europe from 2003 when I started in Peristeri in Greece. Then I went all the way up. I reached the top level with Tau and now I’m still on the top with Barcelona. In some way, going to the NBA would be a step back for me. Why do that when I have it good in Spain?
This is Pete Mickeal from Vitoria, Spain. Little tibdits about myself for those who don’t know me: I play for Tau Ceramica, the current Spanish champion. I was the Finals MVP last year and I’m considered one of the top American players around here. I played with the Knicks and the Rockets back in the day, but the last few years I’ve been doing my thing in Europe. It’s not going bad! From now I will be blogging at HoopsHype.com about my experiences overseas. And hey, I’ll talk NBA stuff too!
The playoffs in the States have been amazing so far, but we’re playing for the title here in Spain too.
Last year was good for us, as we ended up winning the championship, but this time is different. This season we only lost four games (11 last year) and we set an ACB record for fewest losses. Now it’s expected for us to win, so we gotta deliver.
We are now in the semifinals and we’ll play against Real Madrid. We look at Real just like we look at any other team. We worry about ourselves and we need to do to win the game. Of course we respect Real Madrid, the most successful team in European history. They have very good players, including a small guy called Sergi Llull. I like the way he attacks the basket.
Real advanced after beating Joventut, a club led by other small guy. This one you may have heard of: Ricky Rubio. That guy is amazing.
First time I saw him it was like three or four years ago. I was playing for a team called Breogan in Northern Spain back then, my first year in the ACB. I saw a teenager on the court and I was like, “Who’s that kid?” They told me he was 15 or 16. Never saw something like that in the pros.
I saw his knack for defense, his ability to play the game of basketball at such a young age. That is something rare to see: the knowledge and the awareness of basketball at such young age. And that was when he was 15 years old. Then I’ve seen him turn into a star in the Spanish League, which is no small potatoes. Now everybody in the States knows him. Can’t say I’m surprised.
It seems that he would have to pay a lot of money of his own pocket in order to leave Joventut right now. Everyone’s situation is different, but I think any time you get a chance to be one of the top three picks in the Draft, you should go. Just my take.
I was thinking about entering the draft in my junior year. Projections were that I could be a late first-round pick, but I ended being a second-round pick. You can think, “Well, maybe I shouldn’t have gone out early.” But that’s a little bit of Monday morning quarterbacking. When you have that chance, and people are talking about you so well, it’s great to go out because you might not even have that opportunity again. You never know what can happen next year.
I’ve already heard that he may not want to play in certain places. Oklahoma City, Memphis… Teams like that. Having the fifth pick, I think the Wizards should try to do a trade to get him so he can learn from a great point guard like Gilbert Arenas, and play with some other great players. They are starting to have a lot of pressure to perform well and that would be a good fit for him.
The European transition
It’s my second season here in Vitoria. It’s the first time I have back-to-back seasons with the same team since my college days at Cincinnati, but although I’ve travelled a lot, it hasn’t been so hard because that was my plan from Day 1: improving every year whatever it takes. I’ve lived in Asia for two years, in Greece, now here in Spain… I’ve been through a lot of things, but I wanted everything to go up. I started in small teams and I worked myself up to the top teams. It worked out pretty well for me.
Now you see guys like Brandon Jennings and Josh Childress going to Europe. Now you have more people in the States who’s understanding European basketball. It’s not what it used to be, like, “OK, he’s playing in Europe, he must not be good enough to play in the NBA.” Now you have NBA players in Europe. You consistently have NBA scouts here, and I’m happy because I’m playing in the best league in Europe.
In the last Spanish Cup I hit the winning shot in the Final against Unicaja. That was a turning point in my career. That was one shot I practiced since I was 12 years old. Some things just happen. You saw what LeBron James did the other night? I just have that confidence in myself. The team had faith in me, got me the ball… So I delivered. (Then I blocked Unicaja’s last shot on the other end. Not bad, huh?)
Going back to the NBA
I live in Miami during the offseason and I get the chance to say hi to a lot of people there – guys like Kenyon Martin, but I have my own group of guys who I’ve been with since I was a kid.
I’d say the Cavs will get it done. I pick the Lakers in the West but I think the Cavs will win in six. LA has a big frontcourt, but the Cavs look so motivated. They have such a great chemistry. They love playing for each other, and actually cheer for each other to do well… That’s really difficult to see that on any team.
Like I said, I’ve played for the Knicks and Rockets, and if I had an offer this summer, money wouldn’t be an issue, because I’ve learned a lot about money since I grew up with nothing. I’ve learned life lessons about money when I was a kid, learning from experience, not having anything. You learn quick that way.
The key for me would be being able to be close to my family. Spending 10 months in Europe every year it’s kind of hard.
I want something great for my life, so I will continue to work for that. And my family understands, so that’s the best part about it. They support me and always keeps me going.
Hi everybody!
Hi everybody!