Timofey Mozgov on his first NBA season: top impressions at a glance

Hello! Let’s continue summing up my first season in the NBA. Today I decided to write about the most vivid impressions from my time in the United States. In brief. I mean, I just thought what questions I would ask myself in your place. Or what would I like to tell you first of all, if I looked back. It all came out as a questionnaire. So, let’s begin…

My main impressions from the debut season in the NBA. To say the truth, after its first half I was thinking that this season will end up for me like… let me think for a while... like a typical debut season. In all meanings of this word. I though I would hardly step on the court again.

Of course, it’s understood: your first year is for adaptation, you have to look round, get used to things, adapt to American basketball and all that. But I really wanted to play very much and, moreover, I felt I could do it.

You all know perfectly well what happened later. Now, looking back, I already understand that this year gave me a lot. Both in terms of the game and its understanding and of priceless life experience. Different principles of life, different mentality, English language, at last, – encountering all these things trains your ability to adapt to new conditions and is really valuable.

Hopefully, this knowledge will help me play more next season.

The most important thing I have learnt. To not worry after an unsuccessful game. I don’t mean ignoring the result, I’m speaking about not going mad after defeats in search of the reasons of the fiasco.

It is truly a very valuable skill. It allows to keep your head cool. What’s the point of tormenting yourself with excessive emotions, if you’ll need them in a couple of days to improve the team’s standing?

It’s by no means indifference. At least, in my case it isn’t. Please, don’t confuse those two concepts! The thing is that on the court the game is completely different, so you have to reconsider your attitude to it.

What was the most difficult. The language barrier in everyday life. It’s quite hard to feel in touch with the team, if you don’t get all the ‘ins and outs’. It’s there – in the locker room, on the plane, in conversations during training and on the bench – where the atmosphere and team chemistry are shaped up.

Now I feel myself way more comfortable.

What I failed to achieve. The end of the season was a mess. I think you understand why. You should be also perfectly able to imagine my feelings – the more so because I wrote about what I felt inside at that time. The most embarrassing thing was, of course, that it all came just when I started coming to normal on the court.

But, after all, it’s also an experience, isn’t it? Definitely! Not the most pleasant one, of course, but very valuable.

What I have been dreaming of. Making it into the All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge. It didn’t happen. Hopefully, next season I will be able to appear among the Sophomores. Do I have a chance? Why not?

I keep those aspirations in my mind. I may succeed or fail, but, anyway, they will be an additional motivation for me, it’s for sure. If you don’t aim high, why would you go onto the court at all? I think all of you have heard this idea which has already become a commonplace. Nevertheless, it’s still a highly insightful thought.

The main thing I realized. That I’m not ‘dead’ by the NBA standards. Some time ago I couldn’t imagine myself playing in the league, but now I see this ‘star planet’ is quite reachable. And, by the way, it’s inhabited by humans. They are strong, fast, experienced, skilled, ambitious, supertalented, and hard-working – but still they are humans. (Perhaps, only Shaq and Kobe are aliens.) I realized that hard work and a bit of luck can offer a ticket to this ‘starship’ for very many guys in Europe. The main thing is not to lose heart, keep the hope alive, and continue working.

It’s quite possible to play here. Of course, you should become even more athletic, more patient, more talented, get faster and be ready to make big accomplishments at any time. But after all your opponent plays basketball, as well as you do. Not some kind of other game, but that same game, in which you are also no whipping boy any more.

What surprised me the most. The relationships between people. Both on the court and in everyday life. In Russia we appreciate friendship much more. It’s a particular trait of the Russian national character: a friend means A FRIEND! A mate is something different already.

But here they have business – in all senses of this word – in the first place. The everyday life, the habits, and the people around you are all designed in such a way that it is convenient to do your work. That’s the main thing for them.

Even a mate becomes your friend if you need him for business. Though, actually, your mate thinks the same way. Now you can draw your own conclusions about what kind of a friend is he, after all.

What experience turned out to be the most valuable. I’ve made sure once again: you should try in spite of everything. Work despite all difficulties, even when it seems that there is no hope already.

And in end – the promised new video from Max. It suits the holiday mood really well, actually.