Sasha Vezenkov talked about the support he has in the Sacramento Kings and also about basketball in Bulgaria in an interview with Sportal.
Sasha Vezenkov didn’t play in the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings due to an injury, but he received great support from Bulgarian and Greek fans.
“I am still injured. Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate in the game, even though I really wanted to because it was special to me. The support from so many Bulgarians is incredible. There were even many Greeks, but Bulgarians outnumbered them by far. Even my teammates said ‘wow’ because they had never seen such support. I am very happy. Chicago is a very nice city, we were at a Greek restaurant to reminisce about Greece. I am very happy.”
Basketball in Bulgaria has not been at a high level for many years.
,,In Bulgaria, we are unfortunately lagging behind. In the ’80s and ’90s, basketball was a religion for us, but then we either stayed behind or others progressed. I don’t know exactly why, but we are behind in the most crucial age groups – from 14 to 19 years old. We need to understand why Bulgarian basketball is not even at a medium level right now.”
About the differences between the NBA and the EuroLeague:
,,Everything is different here, the training centers, the level, the talent. In Europe, we see more intense matches where tactics matter more, and results are more crucial. The NBA is more of a show, there are more highlights here, while in Europe, the result and the win matter more.
I’m trying to adapt. America is something very different and very big. I’m not 20 anymore, where you adapt faster. My teammates and my family are there for me. I am very happy to be here. I am trying to chase my dreams and earn more minutes.”