thebrazilianzz
Well-Known Member
I found an interview Raul Neto gave to a Brazilian reporter that writes about basketball.
They talked mainly about the Olympics and national team play. I tried to translate the parts he talks about the Jazz for you guy. I apologize in advance for the bad english, but you can get the idea!
Link for the portuguese version: https://balanacesta.blogosfera.uol....uro-raulzinho-projeta-proximos-passos-na-nba/
Q: How do you analyse your first season in the NBA? Were you surprised by the starting job at the beggining of the season?
A: It was a very positive season. I was surprised to get get that many opportunities. I wasn't expecting that thing were happening that fast, not only starting for the Jazz, but the amount of minutes I got, I was very surprised in a positive way. Of course, all this happened because of my work, as soon as I got there(Utah) on the summer of 2015 I didn't leave the basketball court. I lifted weights to get stronger, specific shooting practice and I think it worked. It was a very good season.
Q: When you talked about being surprised and by what we could find about it on the news, Quin Snyder told you about the starting role a few days before the season started. How did you cope with the news?
A: When I got there, a lot people said the franchise was looking for a point guard with skills similar to mine, a pass first point guard. My style of play fit better than Trey Burke's. There was a player talk about that also, but I never thought would be that fast, you know? Burke was the 9th pick at the 2014 draft, there was a whole project around it, and there I was, coming for my rookie year. I never expected to be this fast, also because there was the fact that Dante Exum wasn't injured yet. I played the pre-season at the bench, but I played well on the games and practice and 3 or 4 days before the season opener, coach came to the group and told that me and Rodney Hood were starting. Of course I was happy! Everybody wants to play.
Q: After the All star break, came the the second half of the season and things started to get difficult for you and the Jazz. You were 7th, 8th at the west, but opted to trade and bring Shelvin Mack from Atlanta with a very different style of play from yours and got the starting role. Right after this, the Jazz fell and didn't make the playoffs. How was the second half of the season for you?
A: It was the first difficult moment on the season. My dad told me: "Many people go through this at the start of the season, you are going through it at the middle of the season. Learn with it". He always told me this. I learned with it. I had less minutes on games, but the practices were much more competitive. As crazy as it sounds, the responsability doesn't deacrease when you go to the bench, it increases, because you have to keep doing what you were doing with less time. It's different when you play 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes a game. When you play 10 minutes, sometimes you can't get the rythm of the game, you get one or 2 shots and sits down. Mack came, had good games and it's normal for teams to have a hard time blending. I'm not talking bad about Mack, it wasnt his fault, he played well and we didn't lose those games because of him.
Q: Have you thought about the next season? I say that because Mack has a team option, Dante will be back, Burke will be on his last year and you coming for your second year. Are you worried?
A: Of course we get a little worried. I want to play, I want to grow from my first to my second year, but right now, I'm focusing on the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. When I show up for the preseason we'll see what happens. There are a lot of rumors, but I have to focus on my game and my shape, which is what I'm working at right now. If I get the chance to play I need to be ready. I'm catching a plane to the US tomorrow and will spend the time until the first day of practice with the Brazilian national team in a gym at Santa Barbara practicing.
They talked mainly about the Olympics and national team play. I tried to translate the parts he talks about the Jazz for you guy. I apologize in advance for the bad english, but you can get the idea!
Link for the portuguese version: https://balanacesta.blogosfera.uol....uro-raulzinho-projeta-proximos-passos-na-nba/
Q: How do you analyse your first season in the NBA? Were you surprised by the starting job at the beggining of the season?
A: It was a very positive season. I was surprised to get get that many opportunities. I wasn't expecting that thing were happening that fast, not only starting for the Jazz, but the amount of minutes I got, I was very surprised in a positive way. Of course, all this happened because of my work, as soon as I got there(Utah) on the summer of 2015 I didn't leave the basketball court. I lifted weights to get stronger, specific shooting practice and I think it worked. It was a very good season.
Q: When you talked about being surprised and by what we could find about it on the news, Quin Snyder told you about the starting role a few days before the season started. How did you cope with the news?
A: When I got there, a lot people said the franchise was looking for a point guard with skills similar to mine, a pass first point guard. My style of play fit better than Trey Burke's. There was a player talk about that also, but I never thought would be that fast, you know? Burke was the 9th pick at the 2014 draft, there was a whole project around it, and there I was, coming for my rookie year. I never expected to be this fast, also because there was the fact that Dante Exum wasn't injured yet. I played the pre-season at the bench, but I played well on the games and practice and 3 or 4 days before the season opener, coach came to the group and told that me and Rodney Hood were starting. Of course I was happy! Everybody wants to play.
Q: After the All star break, came the the second half of the season and things started to get difficult for you and the Jazz. You were 7th, 8th at the west, but opted to trade and bring Shelvin Mack from Atlanta with a very different style of play from yours and got the starting role. Right after this, the Jazz fell and didn't make the playoffs. How was the second half of the season for you?
A: It was the first difficult moment on the season. My dad told me: "Many people go through this at the start of the season, you are going through it at the middle of the season. Learn with it". He always told me this. I learned with it. I had less minutes on games, but the practices were much more competitive. As crazy as it sounds, the responsability doesn't deacrease when you go to the bench, it increases, because you have to keep doing what you were doing with less time. It's different when you play 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes a game. When you play 10 minutes, sometimes you can't get the rythm of the game, you get one or 2 shots and sits down. Mack came, had good games and it's normal for teams to have a hard time blending. I'm not talking bad about Mack, it wasnt his fault, he played well and we didn't lose those games because of him.
Q: Have you thought about the next season? I say that because Mack has a team option, Dante will be back, Burke will be on his last year and you coming for your second year. Are you worried?
A: Of course we get a little worried. I want to play, I want to grow from my first to my second year, but right now, I'm focusing on the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. When I show up for the preseason we'll see what happens. There are a lot of rumors, but I have to focus on my game and my shape, which is what I'm working at right now. If I get the chance to play I need to be ready. I'm catching a plane to the US tomorrow and will spend the time until the first day of practice with the Brazilian national team in a gym at Santa Barbara practicing.
