The Puerto Rican spoke with Javier Gancedo in this week's EuroCup interview
Alfonso Plummer, Manresa: 'I have earned this role'
Interviews
15 Mins read
BKT EuroCup fans have surely noticed him over the past two years. Alfonso Plummer of BAXI Manresa has quickly become one of the competition’s premier shooters — and he’s got the numbers to prove it.
After a brief first EuroCup stint with Paris Basketball in the 2022–23 season, Plummer buried 42.1% of his three-point attempts (on 5.6 shots per game) with ratiopharm ulm last season. This year, he’s been even better with Manresa, hitting 10 of 19 shots from deep (52.6% 3FG).
In Round 4 against Aris Thessaloniki Betsson, Plummer led Manresa to a 79–86 road victory with 18 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting in under 15 minutes. Currently, he ranks third in points per 40 minutes (31.8), trailing only Dmytro Skapintsev of Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem (36.8) and Fatts Russell of U-BT Cluj-Napoca (32.0).
Obviously, those shots don’t fall by accident. As Plummer told Javier Gancedo in this interview, “Every 3–4 days, I take between 1,000 and 2,000 shots. In the morning, if I have the shooting machine, I shoot around 300 to 500. After practice, I’ll take another 100 or so. Little by little, it adds up — you can do the math.”
Q: Hello, Alfonso. Congratulations on the victory against Aris in Thessaloniki. It was your first road win and your third consecutive in the EuroCup. How important was this victory to keep believing in what you do?
“Thank you. It was very important, obviously. We came off a loss against Gran Canaria in the Spanish League and had some doubts about what we needed to improve. We stayed motivated, stuck to our coach’s game plan, and it worked. We executed really well on both sides of the court and managed to pull off that road win. It’s very difficult to win away in the EuroCup.”
Q: Were you impressed by the atmosphere in Thessaloniki? Have you seen anything similar in Puerto Rico or elsewhere in Europe?
“Of course. Playoff games in Puerto Rico have a similar atmosphere. Fans there are passionate about basketball, so during the postseason, you really feel that same energy. But here, it’s more consistent — there’s a lot of culture around the games. You see the flags, the chants, the songs that have been there for so many years. It’s really impressive. I loved seeing that.”
Q: This is your third EuroCup team, and you know what to expect from the competition. What do you like about it?
“Definitely the competitiveness. There are so many high-level players — guys who’ve played in the NBA or EuroLeague. I love that level of basketball. It makes me grow, learn, and improve as a player. That’s what I’m always looking for: to get better every day. So I’d say it’s the competitiveness and overall level that I enjoy most — you can see it in every game.”
Q: You mostly came off the bench in Paris and Ulm but have a very different role here. Is that what you were looking for when you joined Manresa?
“Yes, of course. I think I’ve earned this role. Last year, my job was to bring energy off the bench — on both ends of the floor — to keep the team balanced. I think I did that well, but I also felt I had more to offer. Manresa gave me the confidence and opportunity to show that, and thankfully, I’m doing it.”
Q: You’re an elite shooter, with a higher three-point percentage than from inside the arc, and you take far more threes. Is that something you specifically work on? Do you have a shooting routine?
“It’s all about consistency. I have a routine I always follow — I shoot every day, before and after practice. That builds mental toughness over the years. You have to stay disciplined and consistent. That’s the only way: having a strong mindset and self-confidence. Teams will use different defenses and players against me, but when it comes to shooting, you’ve got to stay confident and focused.
Every 3–4 days, I take between 1,000 and 2,000 shots. In the morning, if I have the shooting machine, I shoot around 300 to 500. After practice, I’ll take around 100 more. It adds up little by little — about 1,000 shots in 2–3 days.”
Q: The shooting machine is a great invention, right?
“It’s amazing! People get tired of passing you the ball, but the machine never does. I can use it anytime, and it gives me as many passes as I want.”
Q: I heard your personal story — going from Puerto Rico to a junior college in the U.S. — is quite unique. Can you tell us a bit about that journey?
“It’s been tough. When I was 18, I went to the U.S. without knowing any English. Honestly, it was like a stroke of luck. I was about to play for the University of Puerto Rico, but then a coach called me and told me there was a JuCo interested in a shooter. He wanted to send me to the U.S. to see if I had the talent. That call changed my life.
When I left, I didn’t know the language or the culture. It was hard, but I was hungry — I wanted to play Division I basketball and compete at the highest level. I kept adapting, learning, and working hard. Thank God, I succeeded in JuCo, got my first Division I offer, and finally saw the results of all that work.”
Q: Coach Diego Ocampo also had to climb the ranks quickly, going from Spain’s third division to the EuroCup in four years. How’s your relationship with him?
“We have great communication, honestly. After games and practices, he often sends me articles or videos to help me focus, relax, and build confidence. He doesn’t just coach on the court — he helps me mentally off it, too. That’s something to be thankful for, because not every coach does that.
He demands a lot and always tries to get the best out of his players. I respect that. From day one, I’ve seen that he genuinely wants to help us be better than we were yesterday.”
Q: I have to ask about Kao [Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu], who’s been all over the EuroCup Top 10 plays this season. It’s hard to think of anyone who jumps higher! What’s it like playing with him?
“Man… I’ve never seen anyone jump like that. He dunks so easily — it looks effortless. He’s tall, has crazy reach, and jumps incredibly high. It’s amazing to see, both in practice and games. And what makes it better is that Kao’s such a good, humble person off the court. Everything’s in the right place with him. He’s special, and I’m happy he’s doing so well. Every day in practice, he does something that makes everyone go, ‘Wow.’”
Q: Your next game is at home against Bahçeşehir, the only undefeated team in your group. Is that extra motivation?
“Of course! And actually, I played them twice last season with Ulm. They have a good coach and strong players, so it’s a great challenge. That’s extra motivation for me — I want to beat them and celebrate a big win. But we need to prepare physically and mentally to give our best.”
Q: Manresa is in its first EuroCup season but has a long basketball tradition and passionate fans. What would you consider a good season for you and the team?
“Winning, obviously. That’s the mentality — everyone prepares to win. We’re doing everything we can to be ready for each game. Of course, we know we won’t win every single one, that’s life, but we’ll always give our best.
I’d rather lose playing really well, with effort and teamwork, than win an ugly game where nothing went right. The best feeling is winning while playing great basketball on both ends — being connected with your teammates. That’s the ultimate satisfaction. So yes, our goal is to have a winning season and prepare for every game like it’s the most important one.”