Jefferson: "At Flamengo, I found my happiness"
The red-and-black basketball forward answers questions from internet users on "You Interview"
By Flamengo Press Office and Official Website Team - in
2009 couldn't have been a better year for winger Jefferson. A Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian, and South American League champion, he definitely won over the Flamengo fans. But 2010 could be even better for this 26-year-old from São Paulo. One of the most versatile players in the New Basketball Brazil team, Flamengo's number 18 still dreams of a spot on the Brazilian national team that will compete in the World Cup in Turkey, from August 28 to September 12, in the cities of Ankara, Izmir, Istanbul, and Kayseri.
With his eye on the Brazilian Basketball Confederation's (Amazônia) team, Jefferson approved the Brazilian Basketball Confederation's selection of Argentine Ruben Magnano. According to the winger, the experience of an Olympic champion coach has everything it takes to truly boost the revival of Brazilian basketball. But the red-and-black winger has big ambitions for the current season, not just with the national team. Winning three national championships is his main goal for 2010.
With an average of 12.9 in 11 matches played, the player recognizes that the task this year will be much more complicated than in the two previous victories, but he believes in the strength of the team led by coach Paulo Chupeta and, mainly, of the red-black fans, fanatical and always faithful in the decisive moments, as he himself makes a point of describing.
Irreverent and strong-willed, Jefferson also spoke about his immediate and spontaneous connection with Flamengo; his time abroad, and the excellent moment in his career. Check out the exclusive, full interview with the Flamengo forward below.
Flamengo website team: Is this edition of the NBB more difficult than last season? Why?
Jefferson: Yes, definitely. Mainly because all the teams have strengthened, some even with foreign players.
ESF: Flamengo didn't perform well in the international competitions it played in October and December. What happened?
J: In every competition we competed in, our team wasn't complete. In the South American Championship, for example, Alírio and I didn't play, while in the League of the Americas, we didn't have our captain Marcelinho. Since in these competitions, the smallest details make all the difference, I think this caused us a lot of difficulties.
ESF: Duda was knocked out by an unfair foul in the match against Vila Velha. What can you do to avoid getting caught up in the rivalry that can flare up in a game of intense physical contact like basketball?
J: We know it wasn't a fair move on the player's part, but basketball is a game of intense physical contact, and athletes often act without thinking. To avoid getting involved, you need to be very focused and aware that an act like that can often ruin everything.
ESF: Do you believe that playing for Flamengo helped you return to the Brazilian National Team after a long time without being called up?
J: Absolutely. When I arrived at Flamengo, I found a championship-winning team, and I knew this would facilitate my game's perfect fit with this talented group of players. I have a playmaking characteristic that few players in my position possess, and this helped me have an excellent championship and become Brazilian champion. Being on a competitive team like Flamengo led me back to the national team.
ESF: On a team that already had good long-range shooters, was it difficult for you to gain your space and feel comfortable trying three-point shots?
J: Honestly, no. On a team that plays together, with talented players, everyone has their moment in the match, and fortunately, I've always been able to help the team when needed.
ESF: You've played the three position and now you play the four. Which position do you feel most comfortable in on the court?
J: At position four, because I'm a versatile three-point shooter who also knows how to drive. That's why I'm a unique player offensively and defensively, being faster than many players at my position.
ESF: You've had significant stints with major São Paulo clubs and have also played internationally. Is playing for Flamengo really different?
J: Absolutely. Playing for Flamengo is unlike any other club I've ever played for. It's a club with a truly fanatical and loyal fanbase, always present in the stadiums. The fans' recognition is incredibly moving and motivates us even more. I'm at the happiest point of my career.
ESF: All home games are at HSBC Arena. Since it's a modern arena, completely different from those in Brazil, do you think opposing teams lose some of their reference points when they play in Rio?
J: I think so. Because it's a huge gymnasium, with a completely different dimension compared to other gymnasiums we find in Brazil, the reference points on the court end up being different, especially when shooting.
ESF: You're considered one of the most irreverent players on the roster. Who are the players in the group who always joke around with you?
J: Fred, Marcelinho, Duda, Wagner and Alírio.
ESF: Last season, a new fan club called FLABASQUETE was created. Do you think this initiative reflects what you've achieved for the club?
J: Without a doubt. Little by little, with each title we won, we began to see the power of basketball within the club. With the creation of FLABASQUETE, we were able to bring together the majority of the red-and-black fans who followed us throughout the year and supported us through all the hardships and joys.
ESF: What did you think of Ruben Magnano's choice to coach the Brazilian National Team?
J: I thought it was great. Brazil needed a winning coach who knows how to work with top-level players.
ESF: Does the fact that he is a foreigner in any way discredit Brazilian coaches or does it strengthen the sport because he is an Olympic champion and world runner-up with the Argentine national team?
J: It only strengthens the sport. An Olympic champion and world runner-up coach has a lot to teach and contribute to everyone. His knowledge and experience will certainly make all the difference.
ESF: Do you still dream of competing in the World Cup in Türkiye this year?
J: Absolutely. I still have that dream.
ESF: What does Novo Basquete Brasil still need to do to become as strong as the Superliga volleyball league, which is currently a benchmark in the country and features several top foreign players?
J: Basketball is on the right track, entering a new era. I think few things still need to change, but that will only happen over time. I'm certain we have a highly capable president with goals for an even better future for basketball.
Lucimara Vargas, 28 years old, pharmacy assistant: I would like to know what were the biggest difficulties you faced both here in Brazil and abroad, and what do you have to say to young people who are starting out and look up to you?
J: The biggest challenge was when I moved to the US at just 18, as I had never lived alone in a different country, speaking a different language. Currently, I'm very happy with my career and everything basketball has given me and will continue to give me. My advice to young people is to never give up on their dreams, no matter how difficult they may face throughout life, and to never stop studying.
Isabela de SB Gonçalves, 16, Student, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. What are the team's main goals this year?
J: Winning our third Brazilian championship. We know it will be a very difficult task, but we are united, determined, and will fight with all our might for this sacred mantle.
Pedro Paulo, 20 years old, athlete, Manaus, Amazonas. In an interview, you stated that you're a Palmeiras fan. Is it still possible to support another club after being idolized by the Nação Rubro-Negra (Red-Black Nation)? Did facing them for Novo Basquete Brasil have a special feeling?
J: I have a fondness for Palmeiras because it was the club where I spent my childhood, but playing for Flamengo is an extraordinary feeling. I'm in love with this club. I'm in a very happy moment in my life. I've achieved a lot with this jersey and want to stay here for many years. At Flamengo, I found my happiness. No, it was a game like any other.
Adauto Brasileiro do Nascimento, 38, self-employed, Ibicaraí, Bahia. How would you rate the current Flamengo team compared to NBA teams?
J: Look, Adauto, I can't compare. Especially since the structure on and off the court in the NBA is completely different from the rest of the world. But I'd give it a 10 for being a team with very professional players who are completely dedicated to their work.
With his eye on the Brazilian Basketball Confederation's (Amazônia) team, Jefferson approved the Brazilian Basketball Confederation's selection of Argentine Ruben Magnano. According to the winger, the experience of an Olympic champion coach has everything it takes to truly boost the revival of Brazilian basketball. But the red-and-black winger has big ambitions for the current season, not just with the national team. Winning three national championships is his main goal for 2010.
With an average of 12.9 in 11 matches played, the player recognizes that the task this year will be much more complicated than in the two previous victories, but he believes in the strength of the team led by coach Paulo Chupeta and, mainly, of the red-black fans, fanatical and always faithful in the decisive moments, as he himself makes a point of describing.
Irreverent and strong-willed, Jefferson also spoke about his immediate and spontaneous connection with Flamengo; his time abroad, and the excellent moment in his career. Check out the exclusive, full interview with the Flamengo forward below.
Flamengo website team: Is this edition of the NBB more difficult than last season? Why?
Jefferson: Yes, definitely. Mainly because all the teams have strengthened, some even with foreign players.
ESF: Flamengo didn't perform well in the international competitions it played in October and December. What happened?
J: In every competition we competed in, our team wasn't complete. In the South American Championship, for example, Alírio and I didn't play, while in the League of the Americas, we didn't have our captain Marcelinho. Since in these competitions, the smallest details make all the difference, I think this caused us a lot of difficulties.
ESF: Duda was knocked out by an unfair foul in the match against Vila Velha. What can you do to avoid getting caught up in the rivalry that can flare up in a game of intense physical contact like basketball?
J: We know it wasn't a fair move on the player's part, but basketball is a game of intense physical contact, and athletes often act without thinking. To avoid getting involved, you need to be very focused and aware that an act like that can often ruin everything.
ESF: Do you believe that playing for Flamengo helped you return to the Brazilian National Team after a long time without being called up?
J: Absolutely. When I arrived at Flamengo, I found a championship-winning team, and I knew this would facilitate my game's perfect fit with this talented group of players. I have a playmaking characteristic that few players in my position possess, and this helped me have an excellent championship and become Brazilian champion. Being on a competitive team like Flamengo led me back to the national team.
ESF: On a team that already had good long-range shooters, was it difficult for you to gain your space and feel comfortable trying three-point shots?
J: Honestly, no. On a team that plays together, with talented players, everyone has their moment in the match, and fortunately, I've always been able to help the team when needed.
ESF: You've played the three position and now you play the four. Which position do you feel most comfortable in on the court?
J: At position four, because I'm a versatile three-point shooter who also knows how to drive. That's why I'm a unique player offensively and defensively, being faster than many players at my position.
ESF: You've had significant stints with major São Paulo clubs and have also played internationally. Is playing for Flamengo really different?
J: Absolutely. Playing for Flamengo is unlike any other club I've ever played for. It's a club with a truly fanatical and loyal fanbase, always present in the stadiums. The fans' recognition is incredibly moving and motivates us even more. I'm at the happiest point of my career.
ESF: All home games are at HSBC Arena. Since it's a modern arena, completely different from those in Brazil, do you think opposing teams lose some of their reference points when they play in Rio?
J: I think so. Because it's a huge gymnasium, with a completely different dimension compared to other gymnasiums we find in Brazil, the reference points on the court end up being different, especially when shooting.
ESF: You're considered one of the most irreverent players on the roster. Who are the players in the group who always joke around with you?
J: Fred, Marcelinho, Duda, Wagner and Alírio.
ESF: Last season, a new fan club called FLABASQUETE was created. Do you think this initiative reflects what you've achieved for the club?
J: Without a doubt. Little by little, with each title we won, we began to see the power of basketball within the club. With the creation of FLABASQUETE, we were able to bring together the majority of the red-and-black fans who followed us throughout the year and supported us through all the hardships and joys.
ESF: What did you think of Ruben Magnano's choice to coach the Brazilian National Team?
J: I thought it was great. Brazil needed a winning coach who knows how to work with top-level players.
ESF: Does the fact that he is a foreigner in any way discredit Brazilian coaches or does it strengthen the sport because he is an Olympic champion and world runner-up with the Argentine national team?
J: It only strengthens the sport. An Olympic champion and world runner-up coach has a lot to teach and contribute to everyone. His knowledge and experience will certainly make all the difference.
ESF: Do you still dream of competing in the World Cup in Türkiye this year?
J: Absolutely. I still have that dream.
ESF: What does Novo Basquete Brasil still need to do to become as strong as the Superliga volleyball league, which is currently a benchmark in the country and features several top foreign players?
J: Basketball is on the right track, entering a new era. I think few things still need to change, but that will only happen over time. I'm certain we have a highly capable president with goals for an even better future for basketball.
Lucimara Vargas, 28 years old, pharmacy assistant: I would like to know what were the biggest difficulties you faced both here in Brazil and abroad, and what do you have to say to young people who are starting out and look up to you?
J: The biggest challenge was when I moved to the US at just 18, as I had never lived alone in a different country, speaking a different language. Currently, I'm very happy with my career and everything basketball has given me and will continue to give me. My advice to young people is to never give up on their dreams, no matter how difficult they may face throughout life, and to never stop studying.
Isabela de SB Gonçalves, 16, Student, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. What are the team's main goals this year?
J: Winning our third Brazilian championship. We know it will be a very difficult task, but we are united, determined, and will fight with all our might for this sacred mantle.
Pedro Paulo, 20 years old, athlete, Manaus, Amazonas. In an interview, you stated that you're a Palmeiras fan. Is it still possible to support another club after being idolized by the Nação Rubro-Negra (Red-Black Nation)? Did facing them for Novo Basquete Brasil have a special feeling?
J: I have a fondness for Palmeiras because it was the club where I spent my childhood, but playing for Flamengo is an extraordinary feeling. I'm in love with this club. I'm in a very happy moment in my life. I've achieved a lot with this jersey and want to stay here for many years. At Flamengo, I found my happiness. No, it was a game like any other.
Adauto Brasileiro do Nascimento, 38, self-employed, Ibicaraí, Bahia. How would you rate the current Flamengo team compared to NBA teams?
J: Look, Adauto, I can't compare. Especially since the structure on and off the court in the NBA is completely different from the rest of the world. But I'd give it a 10 for being a team with very professional players who are completely dedicated to their work.