Levi Randolph, one of the best players and a leaders of Zenit from Saint Petersburg, spoke in an exclusive interview for Basketball Sphere.
*Reported by Basketball Sphere from Saint Petersburg *
From Madison County, Alabama, he began his basketball journey, which eventually led him to Russia, where he currently plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg. An extremely humble individual who never gave up on hard work and the desire to bring his name under the brightest lights.
Even in moments when things did not go according to plan, and when the name Levi Randolph was not called at the 2015 NBA Draft, he never gave up. His basketball journey across the Old Continent began after 12 months spent with the Boston Celtics development team, when he packed his bags and moved to Italy. In Europe, he likely made his biggest impact wearing the jersey of Hapoel Jerusalem, where he was coached by Aleksandar Dzikic, and during this conversation we also learned why the Serbian coach used to call him a half-Serb. After one year on the biggest European stage with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he accepted the call from Sani Becirovic and signed with Zenit.
What are the conditions like in Russia, how much did never giving up help him throughout his career, what happened during the three years spent with the Cleveland Cavaliers development system through which he tried for a second time to reach the NBA, who are the teammates he learned the most from, and what are the life principles he refuses to abandon — read the answers to all these questions in the following lines.
Claim Now What are your first impressions of the VTB League? It is well known that four teams stand out from the rest, both in terms of budget and quality — Zenit, CSKA, Lokomotiv Kuban, and UNICS. How does this competition look to you?
“The VTB League is a very good league, it has a lot of talent. I heard a lot about it throughout my career before coming to Zenit. I know many players who have played here, and my first impressions are excellent. Our roster has a lot of quality and talent as well. We are still in the process of getting to know each other and finding the right team chemistry, and we are looking forward to all the challenges ahead in the remainder of the season,” started Levi Randolph.
You arrived at Zenit after a very strong individual season with Maccabi Tel Aviv. You did not have the opportunity to play in a full arena with home fans in Israel, but you experienced that earlier as an opponent while playing for Hapoel Jerusalem. Is returning to the EuroLeague your personal goal?
“Honestly, I am very happy that Maccabi Tel Aviv is now playing home games in Israel. I know how much that means to them, we sacrificed a lot during the previous season. I am happy to see them there, I have many friends on that team, and I view some of them as family. I am excited that they can play in Israel after such a long time.
During my time there, where I spent a total of three years with Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv, I came to see that place as a second home. I played some big games, competed for trophies.
The goal is always to play in the EuroLeague, and that is one of the reasons I signed with Zenit. I do not know when, but I hope they will return there as soon as next season. I am here to give everything I can to help Zenit achieve that. I had a successful EuroLeague season, I did not surprise myself, but I think I surprised many people with my performances in that competition. I put in a lot of effort and work, I know what the EuroLeague is, and I hope to play at that level again wearing the Zenit jersey.”
Looking back, it is clear that you made your biggest leap in Europe while playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, where your coach was the Serbian expert Aleksandar Dzikic. You also played in the FIBA Champions League final, had notable statistical performances, and won individual awards. What was it like working with Coach Djikic, and how much did it help your career?
“I think I was able to play so well for Hapoel Jerusalem because Coach Aleksandar Dzikic understood me very well. We share a similar mentality, we are very direct, and we care deeply about basketball with passion and emotion for the game. It is like a symphony — when a team functions the right way, everyone dances to the same notes.
We talked a lot, hours after practice he loved drawing plays, talking only about basketball, and that mentality gave me extra energy for the game. I have always been a big competitor, I always want to win and I am ready to sacrifice for that.
It was not always great, he is a demanding coach, but we both respect each other, and he was able to get the maximum out of me. He helped me see the game in a different way, he is a genius when it comes to manipulating the opponent’s defense or stopping them offensively. I was able to see the game from a completely different perspective, often two steps ahead, and I consider him an excellent coach.
As I said, he helped me a lot, he understood my qualities and worked to improve them even further. He always jokes that I am partly Serbian, he is my guy! (laughs) We are still in constant contact.”
We often hear that as a player becomes more mature and experienced, the game slows down in a way that allows for better decision-making and anticipation of opponents’ moves. Can you explain your view of that theory?
“You simply know when things start to fall into place. You notice when something is not right on the court, but you can also see when things are working perfectly. As the years go by, the game slows down, just like you said.
If people look at the early part of my career, I played much faster, dunked more, but when you reach the highest level, the game slows down. You have to see the help side, know when to pass, when to shoot. As time goes on, everything seems slower on the court, you see the game through different eyes and notice details much better.”
At the 2015 NBA Draft, the name Levi Randolph was not called. How difficult is it for a young player whose life dream is to play in the best league in the world not to be drafted, and then to fight for his place in another way? Through thorns to the stars might be the best phrase to use in this case.
“I have always lived by the principle of work, work, and more work. I always said I would make it to the NBA. In high school, I was among the top 30 players in the country. Everyone told me I would be in the NBA one day.
In the end, I was not drafted, but I played my rookie season for the Boston Celtics in the G League. After that, I played two seasons in Europe, then returned to try once again to earn an NBA contract. It was another opportunity to be part of the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. I went through full training camps in each of those three seasons, and all of that showed me that I could play at that level.
I played very well and had continuity, but sometimes you just need an opportunity. Then you realize it is not only about talent, but simply about opportunity. Salary cap, limited roster spots — all of that helped me accept things more easily and return to Europe.
At that point, I set my goal to play in the EuroLeague. I never focused on how much money I would make, because if you play at the highest level, the money will come. Money was never my primary motivation in my career. I simply focused on working hard and reaching the highest level possible.
My three years in Cleveland taught me many things and helped me accept the decision to play in Europe more easily. That is simply part of my journey. Many players dream their entire lives of playing in the NBA, and end up coming to Europe. The G League has many young players, which is good for the early part of a career, and you never know what will happen. If you do not make it to the NBA, many people can still see you. Luck also plays an important role, but experience is something no one can ever take away from you.”
Adaptation is always important, especially for a young player in a new environment. Who were the teammates who helped you the most when you arrived in Europe, not only basketball-wise but also in terms of life perspective and adapting to a completely new environment?
“In my first two seasons in Europe, I played for Avellino, and in the second year I played in Strasbourg. There were veterans like Joe Ragland, Marquese Green, and Maarty Leunen. Each of them helped me a lot. When you are that young, you need someone to show you how to look at the game, understand things, see the world differently, and adapt to an environment you have never been in before.
Later, I was alongside David Logan, Zach Wright, and Dee Bost. Three more veterans who were there for me and opened my eyes to how to play in Europe. They always tried to help and told me they would be there so that I, and other young players, could improve. Those are the six most influential teammates I had during my early years in Europe.”
The season and the battle for trophies have practically just begun. What is the most important goal for you right now with Zenit?
“The most important thing is that we get better every day. We want to be in top shape at the end of the season, when it will be crucial in the fight for trophies in May or June next year. That is the goal for me — to improve every day and become a true machine as a team by the end of the season.
And to stay healthy, that is the main thing. Of course, to do my best to help, to highlight my qualities on the court, which will be of crucial importance for the team.”
While I was waiting for you for this interview, I received information that you had a video analysis session that lasted almost two hours after the loss to UNICS in the VTB League. Inspired by that, I want to ask you at the end of this interview: when is it easier for players to learn, after wins or after losses? It is true that no one does a 100-minute video analysis after a win, so how do you see all of that?
“In a way, you are always more aware after a loss. But for me personally, as we talked earlier about the team functioning like a symphony or an orchestra, even in a win you can see things that were not at a high enough level, because then you realize that it will not be enough to win a trophy at the end of the season.
As far as I am concerned, it is very important to analyze wins as well, to be aware of what was good and what was not. Analysis after a loss is always useful because it makes it easier to identify the bad things, but working on your team even after a win is what builds additional quality for any team,” concluded Levi Randolph at the end of the interview for Basketball Sphere.
