Luis Scola: I Dreamed To Play in NBA When I was 3 or 4

pryuen · Aug 17, 2007

One on One with Luis Scola from FIBA.com.

ENJOY !!!

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/inte/p/langid/1/newsid/21406/arti.html

18/08/2007

ARG – “One on one” with Luis Scola

Luis Scola has been one of those rare stories in which the person is destined for success since his early childhood. When he was just 10 years old, everybody was talking about him; no wonder that at 14, he was considered as Argetina’s basketball greatest promise. His debut in Argentina’s National League came shortly after; then he went to Europe: first, with the Gijon in the LEB League, and after with the Tau Ceramica, wherein he became one of the most respected players in both Spain, and in the FIBA World. Today, he’s the most recent member of the Houston Rockets in the NBA, and one of the leaders of Team Argentina, on their quest to grab one of the two spots available for the 2008 Olympic Games, in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 in Las Vegas.

When was the first time in your life that you said “I’m going to play in the NBA”?

I don’t remember how old I was, but I’m sure I was little; maybe three or four years old. These are things that kids say, some say that they want to be astronauts, others actors; for me, having acquired this crazy love for the game from Dad, it was the NBA. I used to say that I was going to be world champion, so many things. The truth is that I’ve accomplished most of those dreams.

Did you ever doubt your participation in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007?

No, never. Someone asked me right after the end of the World Championship in Japan, and my answer was always the same. They didn’t even question it in Houston. There was an insurance that needed to be pay for, but it was never a problem.

How do you take on the responsibility of being one of the few left from that Olympic Gold Medal team, and your new role as a team leader?

I think that the figure of the leader is a bit overestimated. At the end, there is a team playing inside the lines, with some of the players having more attention than the others, but is the game who decides who is the natural leader. I don’t pay much attention to that.

After making what is probably the most important decision in your sports career, leaving the Tau for Houston, is it easy for you to have your mind present set now with the national team?

Yes, after all it’s still basketball.

How do you imagine the team with all those players absent?

I believe that his will be a competitive team. It’s our responsibility to consciously get ready in order to have a great tournament or not.

Does it bother to hear more about those who are not present than of those who are?

It is possible that because we have a competitive team it is enough to think of it as it is, instead of thinking about those who didn’t make it here. Those who are not coming have their own reasons. I understand, and respect, them. Now this is the National team, and that’s it.

What is the main objective, apart from grabbing one of the spots available for Beijing?

The objective is to beat them all. That may not be a possibility but we will grab one of those two spots. We haven’t lost to anyone because the tournament has yet to start. This is a sport. I’ve played with great teams and we lost some games we didn’t expect to lose. I’ve also play with moderate teams, and we have accomplished some incredible wins. The only thing that matter is how you get ready, and how do you face the tournament. We are definitely going for the qualification, but we will get what we deserve.

At first look, what seems easier for you, considering that everything is difficult, in this FIBA Americas Championship, or the World Pre-Olympic next year?

Nothing is easy, that is for sure. Both tournaments should be hard, with the World Pre-Olympic been the most difficult of the two, because you don’t get another chance if you loose; while in Las Vegas you know that you have another chance. Fácil no es nada, eso está claro. Anyway, this is common situation for all of us, so there is no advantage, or disadvantage, for anyone.

What is the best of this team?

It is hard to say because the teams will get their best characteristics as they train and play together. Each championship that we play in, some good, different, quality always comes up. Nobody notice that, there were teams with best defense, others with more personality, and other with more fire to win. They change progressively, because the players change, having a great tournament, leading the team in that direction. The same happens with thos players who have a bad tournament, taking the team with them. I think that we have enough talent to conform a competitive team.

Is it possible that the fact that some of the players haven’t got that main role in previous competition could turn into a positive aspect?

It may be positive, of course, if they come with the attitude that I think they are going to present.

It’s a fact that Delfino and you are going to get more attention from your rivals. How do you imagine the game is going to be, lots of double team for you?

It’s difficult to do scouting in this kind of competion. You play every day, and it may be complicated to organize a good game scheme. Sometimes, it is possible to achieve that, but I think that this team has lots of resources available to worry about a player been left out.

It is an error to think that the only rival between you and Beijing may be Brazil?

Yes, it will be a rotund mistake. It is possible that we could meet in the final game for the classification. But to think of that today, that is definitely a mistake.
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zilches · Aug 17, 2007

I have great hopes for Scola. However, I still doubt that SA would have let him go so easily if they saw much potental in him. Would moving TD to center and letting Scola take over at forward been that much trouble?

Duncan would've still been top 3 center in NBA, right?

fuzzy88 · Aug 17, 2007

Thanks so much, Pryuen! And I thought you only posted for Yao ...

AGBee · Aug 17, 2007

zilches said:

I have great hopes for Scola. However, I still doubt that SA would have let him go so easily if they saw much potental in him. Would moving TD to center and letting Scola take over at forward been that much trouble?

Duncan would've still been top 3 center in NBA, right?
Click to expand...

They're not going to move Duncan to center. Ever.

zilches · Aug 17, 2007

AGBee said:

They're not going to move Duncan to center. Ever.
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God's law? Or Duncan lacks either the talent or flexibilty?

If I was SA, and Scola seemed to have promise, I would be looking at alternative options. I don't think they saw much in him, and I dearly hope that they were wrong.

pryuen · Aug 17, 2007

fuzzy88 said:

Thanks so much, Pryuen! And I thought you only posted for Yao ...
Click to expand...

Well, there is a Chinese idiom 爱屋及乌 which literally means if you love someone, you love him/her including everything that comes along with him/her.

Even though I am a Yao Ming fan first, Houston Rockets fan second, and I adore and love Big Yao, I do realize that Houston Rockets is his team. If Big Yao is to realize his ultimate dream i.e. get his NBA championship ring, it's not only on him, but it needs the rest of his team mates to work diligently and give their best towards that ultimate ascend to the pinnacle.

brantonli24 · Aug 18, 2007

zilches said:

God's law? Or Duncan lacks either the talent or flexibilty?

If I was SA, and Scola seemed to have promise, I would be looking at alternative options. I don't think they saw much in him, and I dearly hope that they were wrong.
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They were desperate to get some salary off the books, and I think that they going to send Scola to Cleveland or Sacramento before the deal fell through (I think bibby was involved) and since they needed to sign their own free agents quickly in case other teams jumped in they made the only other trade possible that a player would want out of the league, Vasslis Spanoulis.

BEXCELANT · Aug 18, 2007

After making what is probably the most important decision in your sports career, leaving the Tau for Houston, is it easy for you to have your mind present set now with the national team?

Yes, after all it’s still basketball.

Famous Last Words LOL

Ashes · Aug 18, 2007

zilches said:

I have great hopes for Scola. However, I still doubt that SA would have let him go so easily if they saw much potental in him. Would moving TD to center and letting Scola take over at forward been that much trouble?

Duncan would've still been top 3 center in NBA, right?
Click to expand...

Considering they just won another championship with Duncan at PF, they would move Duncan to C because...?

BEXCELANT · Aug 18, 2007

BEXCELANT said:

After making what is probably the most important decision in your sports career, leaving the Tau for Houston, is it easy for you to have your mind present set now with the national team?

Yes, after all it’s still basketball.

Famous Last Words LOL
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Must be a Greek thing.

In the first telephone conversation that the player had with his new coach, Spanoulis told Van Gundy, "It's just basketball."

BEXCELANT · Aug 18, 2007

BEXCELANT said:

Must be a Greek thing.

In the first telephone conversation that the player had with his new coach, Spanoulis told Van Gundy, "It's just basketball."
Click to expand...

Or Euro-Basketball Lingo

Tom Bombadillo · Aug 18, 2007

pryuen said:

Well, there is a Chinese idiom 爱屋及乌 which literally means if you love someone, you love him/her including everything that comes along with him/her.

Even though I am a Yao Ming fan first, Houston Rockets fan second, and I adore and love Big Yao, I do realize that Houston Rockets is his team. If Big Yao is to realize his ultimate dream i.e. get his NBA championship ring, it's not only on him, but it needs the rest of his team mates to work diligently and give their best towards that ultimate ascend to the pinnacle.
Click to expand...

When Yao leaves are you done with the rockets? That sounds kinda sketch...

Alvin Choo · Aug 18, 2007

most yao's fans in china only got know about rox from yao, MJ is the king, and kobe is his heir, you will see bulls/lakers jersey dominate the streets before yao started playing in the nba.

onethreeeleven · Aug 18, 2007

pryuen said:

Well, there is a Chinese idiom 爱屋及乌 which literally means if you love someone, you love him/her including everything that comes along with him/her.

Even though I am a Yao Ming fan first, Houston Rockets fan second, and I adore and love Big Yao, I do realize that Houston Rockets is his team.
Click to expand...

OH my god, don't let tinman hear you say that -- oh crap here he comes....be cool.

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Luis Scola: I Dreamed To Play in NBA When I was 3 or 4

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