Interview : Sacramento Kings ex-player Lebanese American JP Afif

Another Lebanese basketball talent is shining in the United States to raise Lebanon’s name high among the giants. Libansport, as part of its quest to identify national stars abroad, interviewed Jean-Paul Afif. 1-Tell us about JP Afif’s basketball background? How and when did u start practicing the game? I started playing basketball when I was 6 years old in Los Angeles, California USA. I played basketball, baseball, and soccer when I was a little kid. I began to stick with basketball not only because of my height, but my love for the sport. I played basketball, American football, and Track& Field in High School, along with Swimming. I concentrated mainly on basketball when I was in University. And I have been playing since then, becoming a professional now. 2-What position do you play? I play as a forward, particularly on position 4 as a power forward, but I can also play position 3 as a small forward, or on 5th position as a center if needed. I am most comfortable at the 4 spot, thus, as a forward. 3- Tell us about your short experience in the NBA with Sacramento Kings? And why were you waived? It was a dream come true to make it to the NBA, and especially to be signed with one of the top teams, the Sacramento Kings. I was waived before the regular season due to a full NBA roster. The Kings already had a full roster that year. All the players they had were returning from the year before with guaranteed contracts. There was simply no room on the roster to bring in anyone new. 4-It is circulated that you have Irish roots? Have you considered playing in Europe? My mother is mixed and her father, my grandfather, is Irish, although he was born here in the US. I am in the process of obtaining my Irish citizenship. I am currently considering a number of offers for next season, including Europe. 5-How did Caf&eacute; Najjar find you? And who in the team’s administration you were in touch with? On a trip to the USA, the ex-player and the original Head Coach of Caf&eacute; Najjar, Bahjat Chidiac, scouted me at workouts, and held a try-out for me for the Najjar club. After my try-out, I was offered a contract with the club which I looked over, and later signed. 6- It was said that you weren’t the ex-NBA player that Caf&eacute; Najjar was expecting in reference to your performance, what can you tell us about it? Thank you for asking this question and giving me the opportunity to clarify this issue. I originally had a tryout for Najjar here in the USA where I completely surpassed any and all expectations the team had, concerning how I played. They were very happy that I more than lived up to all the talk surrounding myself as a player and proved myself to them in the tryout to be the ex-NBA player they were hoping to get. That is why they offered me the contract and wanted me to join the club. I signed the contract, and later came to Lebanon. When I arrived in Lebanon, Caf&eacute; Najjar made a coaching change and replaced the original Head Coach Bahjat Chidiac, with Georges Petrovich. Coach Bahjat Chidiac was the one that scouted me, had a try out for me, and wanted me for the Najjar team. Georges Petrovic had no idea who I was or how I played. When Petrovic took over the coaching position, he only had us running on the mountains, and on the track. On one occasion we shot around and did some individual drills, but nothing as a team, no scrimmage, we never played together. Nothing. Physical fitness is okay for conditioning, but it still does not make up for learning about the players’ basketball skills, about their style, how they shoot, how they pass, and eval‎uate how they play together as a team. We never had this opportunity. Meanwhile, an outdoor summer exhibition game against Champville was scheduled. I was originally not supposed to play in this game, because the club did not want me to get injured playing outside. They needed me for the season, all the other games would be very professional and indoors at a gym. Then I was told at the last second by the new coach, Georges Petrovich that I needed to play in the game, but he did not want me to shoot the ball and that I should only make moves to the basket. He explained he had his own reasons for having me play this way. This is how he wanted me to play in this game whether we win or loose. In all the years I have played I had never seen this type of coaching, and could not understand the objective of the coach asking me to play this way. But since he was my coach, I followed his directions and did not shoot the ball. He also told me to take it easy and not play too hard because I was not supposed to play in this game to begin with, and this game did not mean anything. I followed his directions, and just took it easy when I was playing, and I did not shoot the ball as he told me. Champville played a zone, and anyone who plays basketball knows you beat a zone by either establishing an outside shot to bring them out of their zone, or driving to the basket until the zone defense collapses and then passing to an open teammate. Neither of these two things happened for our Najjar team during that game. Our team had not played together before so even though we had good players, no one was passing and infiltrating to break the zone defense. We never succeeded in sinking outside shots to bring the defense out of its zone. Champville played the zone all game long, with 3 defenders on all of our guys, all the time. The game ended in a loss for our Najjar club, and although it was not a huge loss we played and looked bad as a team. The team was full of good players, including myself, but you cannot expect your team to play well and come together when we had never played together as a team or practiced basketball as a team before. Plus when you tell a player not to shoot the ball then you are sending the team out to play the game with handcuffs on. I did not feel bad for myself but for the Najjar club, they had worked hard to get good players, and the team was full of good players, including myself and because of a coaching strategy which I do not think anyone in the basketball world would understand, our team did not show or play well. The next week I was released by the coach Georges Petrovich and not the Najjar administration. I still have good relations with the Najjar administration, and I wish them the best in all they do. Again, Najjar would not have offered me the contract they did and asked me to come play with their club in Lebanon if during my tryout here in the USA I did not meet the expectations they had, those they would anticipate from an ex-NBA player. I easily met those expectations, and surpassed them. Najjar saw my performance was actually more than what they were expecting from me. They were very happy with me as a player and a person, and that is why they signed me. Najjar had no idea that after the coaching position changed from Coach Bahjat Chidiac to Georges Petrovich, the situation has changed. 7-what are your points of strength and your weakness? I am a good shooter and rebounder; I am very strong under the basket, and a great defender. I am a very athletic, and a good jumper. I feel I need to work on my dribbling the most, and not my speed, but my quickness. 8-What did you achieve as a basketball player so far, and what’s your goal? I have played in the NBA (although for a short amount of time), I played NCAA division 1 basketball, and overseas as well. My goals are to have a long and prosperous career playing a game I love for as long as I can, at the highest level I can compete within. 9-What do you know about the Lebanese basketball league? Do you follow it? I know the league is full of great players, and good teams. 10-What’s the difference between the Lebanese basketball and basketball in USA? Mainly the timing of the game, the timing and flow of the game is a lot different. The timing takes a while to get used to it. I remember during the game against Champville, I was going to rebound because I thought the player was ready to shoot but he didn’t. Or I was not rebounding and then the player would shoot the ball out of nowhere, and no one was ready. The same thing with passing, I would be on a fast break, and think I was going to receive a pass but it did not come, or I should not receive a pass and then the pass comes. Or the pass comes early or late in comparison to the timing and flow of the game in the USA. It throws you off a bit, but that is also getting to know your teammates, and how they play, what is their style, and playing and practicing basketball together as a team. The only other thing that would be different is the height and athleticism of the US players. Most of the players in the US are taller, and more athletic. 11-Who do you think is the best Lebanese basketball player? Rony Seikaly 12-Do you consider playing in Lebanon? Have you been contacted by any Lebanese club? I still do consider playing in Lebanon, and I have already been contacted by all the teams concerning contracts for next season. 13-What do people in USA say about Lebanon and the Lebanese basketball especially as there is a good number of Ex-NBA players signing here every year and after the National team participation in basketball world cup in Indianapolis? The people in the USA appreciate the quality of Lebanese basketball. They appreciate the performance of the local Lebanese players as well as the imports that Lebanon has strived to bring in. Lebanon is full of good Lebanese players, and tries to bring in the best imports it can, making the league very competitive. The only drawback mentioned about Lebanese basketball is the political arena which surrounds the basketball league in the country. It is said that basketball in Lebanon is good, but that basketball in Lebanon can be great if their was not as much basketball politics affecting the League, the teams, and the players. 14-Final word. The best thing about Lebanese basketball is the fans. The fans make Lebanese basketball something very special. It is the fans that are in the heart and soul of Lebanese basketball. Thank you to all the Lebanese basketball fans that cheer for the sport of basketball more than anything else. You are what truly make it an honor to be a professional athlete. Thank you, to the fans. Edited by Hania Taan asia-basket.com에서 퍼왔습니다. 이선수 뛰면? 이제 아시아 2위자리도 쉽진 않을듯.. Roni Fahed(183) - Sabah Khoury(196) - Fadi Al Khatib (198) - JeanPaul Afif(206)- Joe Vogel(210) 로니 파헤드는 01년에 불의의 3점슛으로 우리를 침몰시켰던 PG고, 작년 abc에서도 우리 포인트가드에 별로 밀리지 않았는데다가.. 사바 코우리는 작년 준결승에도 나왔지만, 큰 키에도 가드 역할을 제대로 수행하는 선수..(아니라도 백업은 많으니까.. 작년 abc의 히어로 갈렙 리다 같은 선수도..) 카티브는 말하나 마나고.. 조셉 보겔도 nba드래프트에 뽑혔을 정도로 아시아급에선 최상급 센터니까..(백업인사이더로도 로이 사마하205가 어리지만 미래가 밝고..) JP Afif만 뛴다면 또다시 무시못할 팀이 될듯.. 일부 미국농구 추종자들은 객관적으로 레바논이 우위라고 할지도.. ㅡ,.ㅡ 귀화선수 출전 요건이 한팀당 1명인걸로 알고 있는데.. 레바논은 워낙 2중국적자가 많고 또 모르니까.. 근데, 레바논 리그 득점왕 토니 메디슨이던데..