By Nikos Varlas
Just before the end of the century, Alexey Shved’s name was first heard in the basketball world as the new great talent from Russia, a country that produced and presented in the court throughout the years many charismatic guards.
He was great in junior teams, CSKA invested on him, but when Ettore Messina became the coach of the team, project.. Shved, as we wrote before, was almost canceled. As the player himself accepts now in Eurohoops.net, at the time he had a stiff competition against the stars of the team, just to be in the roster. But now?
He feels like a key player for the favorite to win the Euroleague and he has the trust of coach Kazlauskas and his teammates. He likes to take advice from Andrei Kirilenko, he has created a… dynamic duo with his teen opponent Milos Teodosic and he is ready for his next step. He wants first to take the Euroleague and then to fulfill his dream and be a NBA player.
– This is a break out year for you. Is it easy to get a spot in the rotation of a team like CSKA Moscow?
“I think you know the answer. It’s always difficult to get the spot on big team, especially if you are young. This year I feel that coach trusts me and I am trying to respond with my game”.
– You were considered a NBA talent when you were a teen, but then your career seemed to be sidetracked. What happened and how did you get again in the spotlight?
“Yes, I had to play behind great European stars like Trajan Langdon, JR Holden, Ramunas Siskauskas, and when they were in their prime it was difficult to compete with them for the roster spot. So I had to use my little chances. Though I never lost self-confidence. First, I got the chance when I was loaned to Dynamo Moscow under coach Sergey Bazarevich, then coach Dusko Vujosevic also used me more than before and now with Jonas Kazlauskas I feel myself as one of the key players”.
– Some compared you to players like Penny Hardaway. Are you still having NBA dreams?
“Sure, I think every player dreams of making it to the NBA. I think I will be there one day”.
– You were a CSKA member when the team won the Euroleague. Do you think it’s your time again to get the title?
“I hope so. We have great team which is not just winning but enjoys playing basketball”.
– You were a fierce rival of Teodosic when you were playing in junior national team competitions. How is to be a teammate with him now?
“I think everyone on the team likes him. It can’t be otherwise because he is always ready to pass you the ball on the floor and he is an easy-going guy off the floor. Even if we compete during the practices our competition is always positive”.
– Is Andrei Kirilenko to model of success for every Russian player?
“He is the great player, the only Russian to become NBA superstar. When I met him for the first time during National Team camp several years ago I was watching at him with my mouth open, trying to catch every word. He was always ready to help, to give his advise. We became much closer now, so I can talk to him on every topic. And it is always interesting to talk to him”.
– Can you define your role in the team? What is expected from you?
“My speed and my offense are my strongest assets. The coach trusts me, he can even call for some isolations for me. But I know that coaches also want me to play better defense. I was not interested in playing any defense before but now I realized that you can enjoy the game only when you try to play hard on both ends of the floor. So I am trying to be better defender”.
– What are your thoughts about the Euroleague Final Four and Panathinaikos?
“I am excited to be there again. And I think it will be a very interesting game against PAO. Though we won both games against them this season it does not mean anything. Coach Obradovic is very experienced, he can find a way to deal with us and he has just great players on the team. We will prepare very carefully to the game”.
– Do you feel the pressure of the favorite?
“I know we are considered the favorites and it is always a pressure to be on the big team. But I can deal with it. I am sure I will be excited to step on the floor in Istanbul and I will try to do my best to help my team in the Final Four”.