After another standout appearance in the eighthfinals, ratiopharm Ulm's star forward Jaron Blossomgame is the subject of this week's EuroCup interview.
Jaron Blossomgame, Ulm: 'We are not backing down from anybody'
Interviews
12 Mins read
ratiopharm Ulm recorded a stunning eighthfinals upset when it knocked off top-seeded Joventut Badalona last week. Ulm handed Joventut its first - and only - home loss of the season, playing with great aggressiveness and conviction. Jaron Blossomgame finished the game with 21 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting and continued to showcase his all-around skills in his first EuroCup season. The versatile forward ranks fourth in average PIR (20.0) for the season. Blossomgame has been worth 15.9 points on good shooting percentages (58.1% 2FG, 39.5% 3FG), 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 fouls drawn in 18 games. Blossomgame is a big fan of the competition's new format, as he told the official EuroCup website in this week's interview. "The bracket is cool. A lot of the guys on the team, we like looking at the bracket and talking about who is going to advance. It's exciting, I like it," Blossomgame said. "I hope it's here to stay. It gives everyone a fair shot and it's a lot easier."
Hello, Jaron. Congratulations on beating Joventut in Badalona. You said on Twitter you were "giant killers". What was the key to winning this game?
"Honestly, I think it started with our self-belief as a team. Everybody on the outside, obviously, didn't believe that we could do it, but it's about what we believe as a team. And we had a tough road stretch. I'm pretty sure not a lot of people know, but we were in Berlin, then we went from Berlin to Bamberg and then from Bamberg straight to Badalona. So it was the last day of a road trip. guys were tired, but we fought hard. We fought through adversity, it definitely wasn't easy. We knew the challenge we had ahead, facing them on their home court where they hadn't lost all season. But we are also a good team. We have some quality and Coach Jaka put together a great plan for us. We went out there and executed and never stopped believing.
"There were times in the game where they would get up 4-5, maybe 6 points, but we kept fighting and fighting. And I think the beautiful thing about the way the EuroCup format is in these playoffs is that anything can happen in these games. A few of my teammates, we talked about it. We could feel a shift in the last 4 minutes of the game. We had no pressure and were just going out to play and whatever happens, happens. But obviously they had EuroLeague aspirations, winning the EuroCup. We wanted to play freely and believe in each other. We made shots and played well and I'm happy that it translated into a win for us."
"The beauty about this EuroCup format is everyone can win."
You were without Cristiano Felicio and Philipp Herkenhoff in the last few regular-season games, dropping some spots in the standings. Did you feel that you were kind of underestimated?
"In a sense, yeah. I mean, obviously, losing a piece like Felicio definitely hurt us. He is an elite rebounder, a big physical presence down low for us. And we kind of struggled to figure out what the new normal would be without him. I think we lost three in a row in the EuroCup and really suffered in some of those games, in the low post, but we figured some things out. We got Herkenhoff playing a lot better as well as Bretzel, and we are a team with a lot of talent, man. We have a lot of quality as well. We are one of those teams that people sleep on. We do not really get credit in the EuroCup, but we are here to stay. We are playing well, playing good basketball, and we have another big challenge this week. We are not backing down from anybody. We are excited to play anybody on the schedule. And like I said, the beauty of this EuroCup format is anyone can win. We saw that as well with Partizan and Bursaspor. We are excited about what we got. We are excited about the win we got on Tuesday, and want to continue."
You seem to like the new EuroCup format a lot.
"I like it, man. I think a lot of people also don't like it, but I think the people who don't like it are the people whose teams lost. But I like it, man. It makes the games way more exciting. Every possession means so much because one little thing can change the outcome of the game. It's fun - it's like March Madness. The bracket is cool. A lot of the guys on the team, we like looking at the bracket and talking about who is going to advance. It's exciting, I like it. I hope it's here to stay. It gives everyone a fair shot and it's a lot easier. We had an 18-game EuroCup season as well as what we are doing in our domestic leagues, so it's a lot of travel and everything. And to play a series right now at this point in the season is definitely tough if you are one of those teams that are in the EuroCup Playoffs as well as your domestic playoffs. So I like it. I hope it's here to stay."
This is your first year in the EuroCup. Other than the competition system, what do you think about the playing level and the organization?
"I think it's organized very, very well. Like you said, it is my first year in it. I really didn't know what to expect at first, to be honest. But the league, the level of play is obviously very, very high. There are very, very good teams in there with very big budgets. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be one of those teams to make the playoffs and we did that. Now we are in the elite eight [quarterfinals] and are just excited about that. I'm happy for us. But as far as the EuroCup, I like it. It is very competitive. We have great teams all over. The travel sometimes is tough, but you know that's part of it. I have nothing but good things to say about it."
You played in Israel and Germany for the last two years. Before that, you started your career in the NBA and the G League. What's the biggest difference between those basketball worlds?
"It's a totally different game, completely different. The spacing in the NBA is a big difference-maker. There is no 3 [seconds] in the key for defensive violation and in the NBA, it is a big deal. And the physicality of the game as well. It is officiated so differently over here. It took me probably a good month last season to adjust to it. Things that were fouls in America aren't fouls over here. So you got to kind of get used to that playing style. And obviously, once I did, I was able to play at a high level. Having played two seasons in Europe, I appreciate the European game a lot more than the NBA game.
"Everything matters so much more, every possession counts, every little detail in the scouting report... everything matters over here. And I like being a part of games that are meaningful. In the NBA, for example, you have 82 games, and the G League is a numbers' league, guys just trying to get there and trying to get the call-up, which I understand. But to be a part of a team over here and actually compete at a high level and play like we are doing this season, I definitely like it a lot more. And definitely, it means a lot more to me to play on a team like this and compete every night to try to win games and try to get my team to the playoffs."
You will play against Virtus now. They beat you in Bologna and you beat them in Ulm. Does it make much difference to have played them before this game or is it going to be a completely different game?
"I think it'll be quite a different game. We had, Felicio in those games and in the first game we didn't have Thornwell, he was here for the second game and, obviously, they have Shengelia and Daniel Hackett as well, so there are a few roster changes. But anything can happen, I think it's going to be a completely different game. I am definitely excited for it. I like what we have, but I understand that they are a great team as well and there's a lot on the line in this game, a [semifinals] appearance. We are definitely one of those teams that had aspirations like this before the season. It is all in front of us. I expect it to be a really, really good game, really competitive game as well. I'm excited for it. The last two games we played them were exciting. The first game in Bologna was actually pretty close until the end, and obviously in the game at home, we kind of pulled away there in the second half. So I expect another really, really good game."
Coach Jaka Lakovic is not just a former player but was a EuroLeague superstar. Is that a plus to understand players better?
"I think so. I would say he is a player's coach. And having that experience as a player, playing at a high level, he understands what we are going through at certain times and what we need as players, having been on that side for so long. But he's done a great job this season with us. It's actually funny because I didn't know anything about him before I came here and I would hear stories from everyone else about how great he was. I actually looked him up and he obviously had a hell of a career playing basketball, but I like playing for him. It took me a while to adjust to his coaching style in the beginning because he's so demanding. But being a mature player, I am able to understand that, it is just for the betterment of myself and the team. I enjoy the fact that he holds me and my teammates to such a high standard. I think that's a big part of the reason why we have had success this year, because of the coaching philosophy that he follows. He has been outstanding for us this year."
"Having played two seasons in Europe, I appreciate the European game a lot more than the NBA game."
Lakovic played for Zeljko Obradovic and Xavi Pascual for many years, two coaches with great attention to detail. Is that a must for him as a coach?
"Yes, sure. Even in practice, no matter who you are, he's going to coach you hard. And whether it's a scouting detail or a shooting detail or coming off the screen... like, any little small detail, he's huge on those things. And he always tells us, like as a player for him, even taking care of your body, details like that on your off day, stretching, recovering... those small details will take you so much further in your career as well. But I think he's really, really good for us as well, and for the younger guys to have a guy like him who can kind of instill some of those key traits throughout their career, because those things are important, man. The older I get, progressing in my career, I understand how much small details matter. So it's great to see my coach holding me and my teammates to that same standard as well is actually really, really good to see."
You have been promoting the All-EuroCup team selections on Twitter, encouraging fans to vote. How great would it be for you to be on the All-EuroCup teams?
"It would be amazing, man. I set some goals for myself for the season and I would be shocked to make it, to be honest. I know I have had a great season this year, but it would be such a blessing to be considered one of the top 10 guys of the season. I put a lot of hard work in, my teammates put me in a good position to be successful, along with my coaches. But it is out of my control. I have got to keep being who I am, keep playing hard and try to get a win for us on Tuesday. But it's something I think about for sure. It would be a huge accomplishment. But hey - we will see here in about two or three weeks, right?
Exactly, we'll see. Finally, you and Bursaspor proved that anything can happen in the playoffs. How important is self-confidence in do-or-die situations like this?
"I think we are a fairly confident group overall. It's just continuing to do what we do. Small details matter so much and in a game like playing against Virtus, every possession is going to matter. It was the same thing in Badalona: every possession mattered, every small detail mattered, everything mattered. And you have to take advantage of those moments: every 50-50 ball has to go our way. We have to be the more aggressive team. We have to be all on the same page. I think that stuff, more so than X's and O's, will give us a chance to win the game at a place like Bologna, with the talent they have as well."