By Javier Molero/ jmolero@eurohoops.net
Trent Forrest has become one of the EuroLeague’s best point guards. The new Fenerbahçe player spoke with Eurohoops the day before facing Real Madrid in Spain.
He spoke about his new team, Fenerbahçe’s goals, his time at Baskonia, and much more, reflecting on his transition from the United States to Europe.
He has been in Turkey for only a few months, as part of a completely revamped team, and he knows that with Jasikevicius on the bench, everything will go well. “I feel like we have a lot of new guys that were brought into the team. So, I feel like we’re still learning each other, learning how to play together, and also just learning the system. I mean, everybody knows Sars is a great coach, and it takes some time to learn his system, and I feel like it’s been going well”, Forrest said to Eurohoops.
When asked why he believed Fenerbahçe was the next step in his career following a sensational year at Baskonia, Forrest thought about winning. “I mean, just coming from Baskonia and the season that I had that year, I felt like it was just time for me to take the next step. I feel like Fenerbahce is known for winning and playing in Final Fours and winning EuroLeague”, he added.
“And I feel like that’s something I want to do in my career is be able to compete and have a chance to win EuroLeague. And I feel like coming here was kind of a no-brainer because I’m going to be around other good players. I get to be around one of, if not one of, the best coaches in EuroLeague ever”, Forrest said.
“So I just felt like that was kind of what I needed at this point in my career. I feel like my first two years in Baskonia were just getting used to how the game of Europe is and things like that”, he told Eurohoops. “And so after that, I just felt like it was time for me to kind of take another step, just being able to do it at the highest level”.
His affection for Baskonia
Reflecting on his two seasons with Baskonia, Trent Forrest holds a special affection for Vitoria and its people. He became a fan favorite. “Yeah, that was great. My first year we weren’t able to win as much, but it was still a good year for me individually“, he said. “And then I think the fans didn’t know how good I could be and our team could be going into my second year. And then just the second year was amazing. We had a pretty good group of guys“.
“And obviously we were able to win Copa del Rey, which they hadn’t won in like 17 years. So it was just big for the whole city and the fans. And I feel like now they all kind of remember that team forever”, he added.
Trent Forrest seems like a different player from the one who left the NBA. If he had to highlight one area in which he has improved since arriving in Europe, it would be leadership. “I mean, I feel like there’s been a lot. Just being a leader, just expanding my game, just being able to do more things“, Forrest answered.
“I would probably say those are probably the biggest two. And also just like being able to compete with these guys. I feel like that was maybe like one of the biggest questions when I came over here is that people didn’t know how good I could be“, he said to Eurohoops. “And I feel like last year, with what I did at Copa del Rey, I was able to show that I can be one of the best guards in Europe“.
Coming from a different basketball environment—like that of the United States—poses no problem for Forrest, currently one of the best point guards in the EuroLeague. “I feel like at the end of the day, basketball is still basketball. It’s just that you have to get accustomed to the style that is played in Europe, which is definitely different from how it’s played in the USA. But I mean, I’ve had two years to learn and adjust and see everything that kind of Europe has.”
“Just the different teams, the different coaches, how they play differently, things like that. So it was just all a learning process for me. Fener is one of the main contenders for the title”, he said.
Title rivals
Regarding the biggest ‘threats’ to the EuroLeague title—a race in which Fenerbahçe is one of the contenders—the American point guard provided a long list of names. “It’s crazy because there’s a lot of good teams this year with a lot of talent. I mean, obviously, I think we’ll have a chance to win. I think Panathinaikos has a good team”, he answered. “
“Olympiacos has a good team. Dubai has a good team. And I feel like some sleepers that could probably make the Final Four would be probably like Madrid and maybe like Red Star or somebody like that”.
The talk took place hours before facing an always-dangerous Real Madrid, a team currently on a nine-game winning streak—five of which have come in the EuroLeague. Forrest made it clear what makes them so special. “I mean, I feel like one is, which is a guy they’ve had for years, Tavares“, he said, laughing.
“Obviously, he causes problems just defensively and just with his size. And then obviously with Pedro, the new coach, he’s a great coach. And I mean, he has a great system for those guys“, Forrest analyzed Madrid. “And I mean, they have veteran guys that have been in Euroleague, TLC, Facu. So they have a good team. And so, I mean, they’re always in the mix as one of the best teams in Europe. So they’re never going to be an easy team to beat“.
One goal: the EuroLeague
To wrap up, he has a very clear goal this year—the reason he went to Istanbul. “My biggest goal both for myself and as a team is like, I want to win Euroleague bad. I mean, that was my reason for coming to Fenerbahce,” he said.
“We have so many talented players that, I mean, any of us could have a good game and things like that. But I mean, at the end of the day, we still have to come together and play as a team, which, like, step by step, we’ve been doing that. I feel like that’s probably my biggest thing: I just really want to win Euroleague bad”, he concluded.
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