Semi Ojeleye: "Valencia a great opportunity"

(upbeat music) - Welcome back, DOR with Backdoor Podcast. Today our guest is Samuel Jalei, welcome, welcome. - Thank you, thank you. - So, start telling us about your last day with Virtus. Bologna, you know, last year. Was it a mutual decision or an indication, an obligation of the society to cut the contract, to part way? - Yeah, obviously we had just lost a tough game a couple days before, actually here in Milan. We lost a game seven for that championship that hurt, and then I just went home and was gonna take a little break from basketball for my body, and then my agents called me and told me that Valencia wanted to offer a buyout for my contract. Initially, I thought I was gonna stay in Bologna because I think they had said that like no team could buy me out, but they offered to allow me to be bought out, and Valencia presented an incredible opportunity, I decided to take it. But I initially wasn't, I wasn't planning on leaving Bologna, I was happy there, it was great. - And just for fun, from all the Bolognese specialties, you had to choose only two of them. - Oh, two. - That's tough, that's tough, that's tough, that's tough. I mean, to be honest, anything with Bologna's sauce is incredible, any kind of pasta. My favorite is façade, so yeah, yeah, yeah. - So no lasagne or tortellini, guy, more agupast. - Yeah, I mean, tortellini with la crema. It's up there as well, it's up there as well. - Nice, nice. So this year with Valencia, great start in Euro League and in SBA. Is it only a matter of schemes, X's and O's, or something more as a group or as a relationship with stuff? - I mean, it's everything. The staff prepares as well for every game. Coach puts us in the right spots. We also have great chemistry as teammates and we trust our coaches. And then on top of that, we have great talent. And I'm saying you have Chris Jones, Brandon Davies, David Niggles, Jared Harper, Nate Rivers, and all these guys, Cassus Roberts, and all these guys are great players and that helps us, you know, absolutely, you know? - This here in particular for you, seeing datas and analytics, we can see you have, quote unquote, freedom offensively to take your shots, not only in the spotter, but also of screens. Do you feel it is a natural growing for you or it is a purpose of the team and the difference between last year in Bologna and this year in Valencia? - For me, every time I work out and train, I try to train for every situation. I'm kind of a player that kind of plays multiple positions and don't really fit in one spot. So when I got here, coach, he has a lot of confidence in me and puts me at different positions. And I just try to do my best to help the team wherever I'm at. - But we know you came here in Europe because of your defensive skills. Last year in LBL and in Euro League, and this year in Nasebe, tell us just three of the toughest men to guard for you and as a primary defender and as an opponent. - It's funny, you said that. I mean, in Europe, it's like every guy out there has incredible skill and it's difficult because at any time they can attack, you know? One of the toughest guys to guard this funny is actually Toko Cengelian. I mean, guarding him every day in practice, he's tough. I mean, he's super talented. The second that comes to mind is Mike James. He's incredible in isolation. Third, for me was also one of my below-near teammates, but Jordan Mickey, I mean, just incredibly strong, physical. And when you play against guys like that every day, you get a lot better, you know? - Yeah, and telling us about your past, you saw college and NBA. During your college and NBA years, you played with eight players that now currently played in Euro League, but we see also in starting ground on your teammate that is SMU, at starting point of your European experience, there's a little bit of struggling on adapting to it, but increasingly a growth and consciousness of your play. What's the main thing for an American, not player, but product as a college or NBA, to adapt in European football? - That's the best one, that's the best one. I say two things, I mean, one, you have to humble yourself and realize you have to put in work and that this is a high level of basketball. I mean, when you think like that, you have to know you, there's things you have to learn, there's things you have to adapt to, and you're not gonna be perfect. And the second thing I'd say is that believe in yourself. I mean, obviously you signed a contract over here, you're a professional, you've been a professional, or you're coming out of college. So believe in yourself, believe in your skills and the work you put in, and eventually, like you said, your play continues to get better and you start to grow. - But is it a matter more of a tempo, of space, of rules? - It's a combination of everything. The defensive three seconds makes the game and the court much, much smaller. It seems like that in your mind. The ACB, as soon as the ball goes out of bounds and the back court, the other team can put it into play. So that makes the game faster. And as well as there's more of a focus on team schemes and they try to take away whatever you do well. So you have to adapt to that and really use your mind and possessions matter the game shorter. So it's a combination of those things. But at the end of the day, when you have the right coaches, it helps. - Last question, during your NBA years, you played with amazing talents. One first come to my mind is Jason Tatum. From that guys, to your personal experience here in Europe, when you are one of the main guys on team, what kind of things on and off court, do you bring to take you as an example for others as a model? What frees you to see Jason Tatum or others say, oh, wow, I have to learn from this. - Right, right. I mean, a guy with that incredible talent, I mean, he's consistent, you know? And I think at this point in his career, with what he's done already, people expect him to be great every night and he meets the challenge. So I think mentally is the biggest part of being able to do that, and he's accepted the challenge well and I admire him for that. - Thank you so much, Timmy. (upbeat music)