By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net
Fenerbahce Tarfin’s newest center, Marcus Bingham Jr., caught up with Eurohoops during the recent EuroLeague preseason media day.
Reflecting on his recent success with UNICS and how quickly he decided to join Fener, 25-year-old Bingham admitted that the choice was a total no-brainer. “I understand Fenerbahce’s stature and where they stand in the EuroLeague. Well, where they’ve been standing the past years. So I was intrigued, and I was excited,” he explained.
Moving to a new basketball environment comes with plenty of questions. The Michigan native revealed he did plenty of homework before signing, leaning on a few familiar faces to get the inside scoop on the club and head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius.
“I talked to my old teammate, Dyshawn Pierre,” he said, referring to Fenerbahce’s former forward. “I had him as a teammate last year. So, I was talking to him almost every day since I talked to the team. And I was just asking him questions about how he felt and how his time here was and that. And I asked a couple of other guys that played in the EuroLeague how it is playing against Fener.”
Since this marks his first taste of the EuroLeague, adjusting is a major milestone. Bingham didn’t hold back in describing the incredibly high standards and micro-details expected during team practices under Saras.
“It’s like he throws something at you, and he wants you to understand what he’s saying before he has to quote-unquote walk you through everything. But he does a good job of letting you know where to be and how to be in the right spot before we even go through anything,” he told Eurohoops. “It makes you, like, already lock into what you have to do.”
Modeling a unique identity
Shifting gears to his upbringing, Bingham looked back at his college years and a massive eight-inch growth spurt that shaped his versatile style, explaining why he still models his game after a certain NBA superstar, Kevin Durant.
“He was always my favorite player, still to this day. I model some parts of my game after him, but I model my game after a lot of tall, lanky forwards slash guards because they’re unique, and I feel like as if I’m unique too,” he shared.
The discussion also veered into the ultimate debate. The center gave a thoughtful take on who reigns supreme, clarifying that his childhood icon doesn’t necessarily take his top spot for the Greatest of All Time.
“I would say right now LeBron James has my vote as my GOAT because since I’ve been watching basketball, he’s been the top guy. And it’s like once you become like a basketball fan, then you watch from afar, it’s really nice to see,” he mentioned.
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