By Nikos Varlas
The basketball career of J.R. Holden could be easily translate to a book (he is currently writing his second book, that will focus on him as a person and not as a player) or even a movie! We even have a blockbuster title: “An American leads Russia on top of Europe”! It’s something at least rare, very intriguing and equally interesting for the whole wide world!
He is now of the few player who retired when he was still on top form, after his best games in his nine career seasons in CSKA Moscow in last year’s Russian League Finals. He played in eight consecutive Euroleague Final Fours and he probably is the only guy who in 13 career season got always the championship title in every country that he has played! The list is illustrious from his first season in Latvia with Riga, then in Belgium with Ostend, following AEK Athens in Greece and last but not least from 2003 until 2011 he was always the Russian champ as a player of CSKA Moscow.
Add five domestic cups, his two Euroleague trophies and the historical upset in Eurobasket 2007. Russia beat host Spain in the final by J.R. last shot! “Yes, it’s kind of strange to live without basketball after 13 seasons of professional career! But I am happy. I live in Atlanta, I have quality time with my family, I see my daughter growing up, I drive her to school, I can finally do things with my parents, that are also growing old and I feel the need to be around them”, is the first reaction of J.R. to the Eurohoops.net call.
“Sometimes I get bored a little, but I am not complaining! You ask me if I want to stay involved in basketball? I have not decided yet. I think that I know what I could do! I could use my knowledge about American and European basketball, the connections that I have and I could give advice for European and American players, that I’ve been following. I think I got an eye for that”!
That means he would like to be a scout? “I sure won’t play again! But I could see players and give me advice to European clubs about my compatriots. And of course I could do the opposite, see players from Europe and judge if they have a future in the NBA”.
Maybe he would like to be a coach? “No way, pal! I don’t want to get in the middle of so many egos”! Does he still follows European basketball? “As much as I can! I am always interested on what my friends are doing, like Zisis, Papapaloukas and Batiste. And also Spanoulis. I am a great fan of him”!
That was a great assist. Is Spanoulis the white Holden: “(Laughs) I have great respect for him, Billy is a great players. I think that some things that he can do in offense, I never did, and some things that I did in defense, he never do, at least until now. But he still is a very important player for European basketball”.
What are his predictions about Istanbul, where he will probably travel to see live the Final Four: “I root for CSKA, it’s obvious! They will have a hard time in the semi final, as always when your opponent is the team of coach Obradovic. We all now that CSKA got more talent. But this is the Final Four! If CSKA is on a good day and plays he game, everything will be alright. But if the semi final is a close game that will be decided in the last minute? With so many experienced players that Panathinaikos has, with their mentality in those kind of games, the things will be difficult for my team”!
The second semi final is a different story: “I believe that Barcelona and Olympiacos are quite similar in their game. If you take a good look on how they function and their game plan. For sure, Olympiacos is not the best team, but it is a very solid team and that counts for something. Barca got a great front line, with many forwards that can post up and also do many things in the court. Olympiacos is a young team, that is constantly evolving and nobody knows where is their ceiling. Who expected from them to be in the Final Four? But, here there are. That’s the beauty of basketball. If both teams are in a so and so day, Barcelona will prevail. If Olympiacos keeps up in a low scoring game, then Barca will be in trouble”.
After all that, what is his prediction for this year’s Euroleague Champs? “I feel that there will be surprises. It’s my hunch that there will be surprises in Turkey. Do you expect something else, after the qualification of two Greek teams?”
It’s been five years since the night of 2007, when J.R.’s shot gave happiness to Russians and tears in the Spanish eyes. After a foul career that gave him everything (even a place in 2008 Olympics) does he realize how unique was his achievements for reasons that don’t have to do only with basketball?
“We athletes see things from an other angle, in comparison to all the other world. For me it was a great moment and a wonderful feeling. I had the fortune to be between great players and persons and that made the difference. I feel that for me the journey in the highest level started in Greece with AEK”.
Being based in Atlanta, he has more access to NBA in comparison to the European game and he believes that this season’s play offs will bring big surprises and great excitement…
“NBA kind of reminds me Euroleague this year! For sure there are differences in the overall approach of the game, but you don’t really know what will happen. Honestly, I don’t see any clear favorite. And I believe that many teams that are not considered favorites will have the chance to get far in the play offs. The question is who will be NBA’s Olympiacos this season?”
It’s hard to answer! But who will be the next Holden for European basketball? This is easy. There will not be an other J.R.! Who else can have a career with the winning shot of a Eurobasket final against the host nation and get 12 championships in four different countries?
John Robert Holden (in Europe) as… Robert Horry (7 ΝΒΑ championships with three different teams)!