Joffrey Lauvergne, the most consistent player for Asvel in the current part of the EuroLeague season, spoke to Basketball Sphere ahead of their visit to Partizan.
The Asvel management has once again decided to arrive in Belgrade on the game day by charter flight, just as it was a few months ago against Crvena Zvezda. According to the Frenchman, if they had decided to come a day earlier, a charter flight would not have been possible, so this sequence of events suits them better.
“Partizan is again very good despite having a lot of changes in the roster. From my point of view, they play well and they are certainly a team for the EuroLeague playoffs…”
We have too many ups and downs, even in a single game
Asvel is not shining at the start of the season. They have only secured two wins in 17 played games, but the fact is that they suffered several narrow losses in uncertain endings and games that slipped away from them in the last moments. Thus, the 2-15 record is not a true reflection of the French team.
“I’m glad you see it that way. We lost a lot of games in the last few seconds. We could very easily have five or six more wins. So far, we haven’t managed to find a way to be more consistent. It’s not easy in the EuroLeague, especially with this many games. Of course, it’s tough after all those losses, but we’ll try to achieve as many wins as possible and to get better.
I hope that by the end of the season, we will raise the level of our game and be competitive with Monaco in the French League. Despite all those losses, we played fantastic against Real Madrid and lost again by one point. We have too many ups and downs even in the game. It’s up to us to keep working; that’s all we can do at this moment,” described Joffrey Lauvergne.
I always joke that I’ll play until I’m 40
Looking at Asvel’s season and individual performance, Joffrey Lauvergne stands out as the most consistent player, delivering solid performances. His stats in the EuroLeague average 13.4 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game. Moreover, he has significantly improved his shooting percentages.
He boasts a 51% accuracy for two-pointers, and notably, he has made 15 out of 36 three-point attempts, which is an impressive 42%. We were curious if there was anything different in his game preparation:
“Nothing is different in that interval of preparing for the next game. I must say that our new coach, Gianmarco Pozzecco, in a way, gave me a lot of confidence. In the last three years, I’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries, and I can say that time is running out for me. I always joke that I’ll play until I’m 40 (laughs). I enjoy being on the court, even when we’re losing, I try not to get too frustrated about it.
I always remember the period when I was injured, so it’s always better to be on the court. Honestly, I enjoy it, as long as I can play in the EuroLeague, I will play basketball. I hope that period in the future will be as long as possible.”
It’s not easy for him either; When we win, it’s the players’ merit, but when we lose, then the coach is the main culprit
T.J. Parker started the season on Asvel’s bench, and he was replaced by Italian Gianmarco Pozzecco. Joffrey Lauvergne explained how it is to collaborate with him and shared more about the pressure the Italian coach is under.
“He is genuinely dedicated to the players. He doesn’t complicate things too much; he tries to simplify everything to the maximum. He strives for us to be maximally prepared for each game. I like him as a player and a person. He hasn’t been here for much time, but he carries a lot of pressure. In my opinion, it’s not easy for him either. When we win, it’s the players’ merit, but when we lose, then the coach is the main culprit.
This isn’t the best period for him because we’re losing, and everyone has targeted him, but if we find a way to be more consistent, everything will be fine. We had many changes in the roster before the start of this season. It takes time. Especially for a team like Asvel, every summer the team completely changes, and you practically start from scratch. I hope we continue to fight together, and let’s see what we can do against Monaco in the French League as the ultimate measure.”
About Zeljko Obradovic
The French center had the opportunity to collaborate with the most decorated European coach of all time. Now, for who knows which time in his career, he will find himself on opposite sides. Regarding the period when they defended Fenerbahce’s colors together, we heard firsthand:
“The first season was incredible; we lost only four games. It’s one of those seasons you want to repeat. Unfortunately, I got injured back then. I got injured in January of the first season and returned in December of the next season. It wasn’t easy.
I played well at the beginning, then got injured, tried to get back in shape, and then the coronavirus pandemic started, and the season was suspended. It was phenomenal to work with coach Obradovic. In the end, what can I say, the man won nine EuroLeague trophies (laugh).”
Message to Partizan fans
“I wish the Partizan to go as far as possible in the EuroLeague. I always root for them except when they play against Asvel. Let’s see what they can do, and I wish them to reach the Final Four this year,” concluded Joffrey Lauvergne.