By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Pooh Jeter was the leader and the key player, along with some other quality Ukrainian players, in the triumphs and important wins that the national team achieved in the Eurobasket in 2013 as well as the world cup in Spain last summer. The American guard and holder of a Ukrainian passport was Mike Fratello’s selection. The experienced coach, like Sasha Volkov with whom they created the latest and most successful version of Ukraine’s national team, are gone after the election of the new president of the federation.
Following the developments in Ukraine, Eurohoops deemed it appropriate to ask Pooh Jeter about what lies ahead regarding his career in the national team of Ukraine, about his time in Limoges and of course about his future, since the end of the season is approaching and he’s a free agent.
We witnessed the developments in Ukraine with Fratello and Volkov’s departure in the foreground. The first question that comes to mind is whether he will compete in the upcoming Eurobasket with the national team of Ukraine.
“I’m not going to play with the national team this summer. One reason is that Fratello and Volkov are not on the team. The last two summers were great. It was a great chance for me to help a team that hadn’t achieved something major to play well in a Eurobasket and qualify to a World Cup. I have a history with the team since 2008 and I’ve been through a lot with all the guys there. I remember that most people had predicted that we would be last in the rankings.
We defeated Serbia, Italy, we advanced and won a spot in the World Cup, we found ourselves in the 6 best teams in Europe! It pains me that I will not play. I have a newborn son, I want to spend time with him and also I’m a free agent. I want to make sure that I make the best possible choice. It saddens me that I won’t be with my friends in Ukraine, but I’m trying to look at the matter from its positive side.”
Your decision has to do with this summer, right? Are you pleased with the situation you have found in Limoges? Do you believe you will win the championship?
“My goal was to return to Europe and be in a team that wants to win and go after titles. That was the outlook that I had in Greece, in Turkey, but it was not exactly what I was after. Maybe with AEK, but with Limoges everything is a bit clearer. The club wants to succeed. The goal is to do something that no other team in the league has done, to get back-to-back championships. Right now we are thinking of the semifinals against Nancy, where I’ll be playing opposite my “brother” from Ukraine Sergey Gladir. When the finals and the time to fight for the trophy come, then I’ll think about the challenge and how I will accomplish it!”
What does the future hold for you? Is your priority to stay in Europe or to return to China?
“I will sit and look at my options with my agent B.J. Armstrong when the season is over. It’s a very possible scenario that I sign with Shandong and return to China. It will be my 4th season there. I started my professional career in Europe, the last few summers I played against the best point guards in the world and I showed what I’m capable of. I was opposite players like Irving, Derrick Rose, Goran Dragic, all the top Spanish guards and all the top European players in general.
I don’t think that there is an American guard who has played this well opposite all of this… talent and the Ukrainian passport that I have is definitely an advantage for the European market. I have experience in the NBA, in Europe and China. First I want to end my season in France with a title and then I’ll make a decision according to the prospects that will arise. The reason I came back here and am competing in France, is so the top teams in Europe will see that I want to play basketball here…”