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Malachi Flynn: 'Cedevita will definitely be a battle for us'

Malachi Flynn: 'Cedevita will definitely be a battle for us'

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13 Minutė skaityti

Javier Gancedo

Euroleague.net

Malachi Flynn: 'Cedevita will definitely be a battle for us'

Bahcesehir’s star guard talks about adapting to European basketball, pride in his all-around game, and the team’s push for a top-two finish in Group A

After a crucial win over Hamburg that snapped a rough stretch, Bahcesehir College Istanbul star Malachi Flynn sat down with Javier Gancedo from the official EuroCup website to discuss his first season in Europe, the adjustments that helped him thrive, and what it will take for Bahcesehir to finish strong. From his passion for improving every facet of his game to his love for hoops and music, Flynn offers insight into life on and off the court as Bahcesehir battles for playoff positioning.

Let's talk about the win against Hamburg. You were in a tricky situation after losing three of the previous four games. How important was this win to have a fresh start in 2026?

"We definitely dropped a couple of games that we didn't feel good about, but that's how the season goes. At the end of the day, sometimes you hit a little... I don't want to call it a rough patch, but you hit some times where obviously you want to play better, so just bouncing back against Hamburg was good. I thought it was a really well-rounded win for us. A lot of guys on the team played well, and I think moving forward that will be big for us."

You are having a great season. You are scoring, of course, but also passing the ball, collecting steals and helping on the boards. What allowed you to adjust so fast in your first season in Europe?

"I think one of the things was my teammates and the staff just kind of preparing me for different things that I might see and then I think some of it is just having the skill set that kind of translates to Europe, in a way. I think sometimes different traits and different skills transfer better than others in Europe, and I think I have a skill set that allowed me to make it a little bit easier and kind of adjust to the game, because it is a different game than in the States. I think my teammates and the coaches have really helped me just navigate the defenses and the way offense goes, so I think it's been a collective effort."

You take a lot of pride on adding new things to your game. You were a great shooter in high school, praised all around for your ability to score the ball, but you were determined to also grab rebounds, get steals and improve on defense. How proud are you for improving on all that over the years?

"Like you said, you can add things and I think I have always been able to shoot the ball, score the ball, make plays... and as I have gotten older, I just wanted to do more, have more of a focused effort on trying to get to the glass as a guard, at least pick up the long rebounds and then defensively in college, I kind of knew it would be a big deal for me to be better on the defensive end, watching film, watching game and then just having a certain effort level. So I have just tried to continue to have that from college and into being a pro, and I think just some of the steals numbers, it helps show it. So it's definitely something that I pride myself in. As a guard, you are the first line of defense. So if it starts good up there, then it will usually end good, so that's kind of the mindset I keep."

Asking around, everybody says you talk about hoops all the time, a bit of a basketball junkie. Did you ask a lot of people about European basketball and the EuroCup? Have you made it a habit to watch European basketball while being here?

"Before I knew I was coming out here, to be honest, I didn't watch a lot of EuroLeague. I would watch some guys that I would be familiar with, like Mike James is from a similar area. He's from Oregon, I'm from Washington, but guys know each other, it's real close over there. And then I would watch some of the ex-NBA guys that played in the EuroLeague, but once I knew I was coming to Europe, I definitely just started watching more. I watched the Final Four last year because I was already signed, so I watched some of the playoffs. I love hoops, I still try to watch as much as I can and I have always been that way. So I definitely have an appreciation for the game."

I also saw that you have an elite basketball camp. Can you tell me a little bit more about it?

"Yeah, this past year I wasn't able to do it because of the timing with Europe, but the previous two seasons, I had a camp for high school-aged kids, and I wanted to bring in talent from around the area where I'm from, Tacoma, Washington. We have a really good hoop culture and it started from older guys like Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas... you can go on and on the list of guys who have been there and help kids... Brandon Roy... all those guys coach or they are involved with kids. When I was growing up, those are some of the people I looked up to, so once I made it, I kind of wanted to do the same thing, so that was one of the big reasons to have a high school camp and have fun with the kids and connect with them, because you are gone for so long during the season that you don't really know the high school kids. So it's just a way to connect with them, let them know that I am here if they need some more, if they just want to ask a couple questions, so that's kind of one of the main reasons."

Bryce Jones, Fatts Russell and you are three of the biggest new stars in the EuroCup this season. How great is that you see small guards taking over?

"I think there are a lot of small guards over here that are able to use their size and their quickness as an advantage, so it's definitely good to see it. Growing up, I was always a smaller guard, so you always have an appreciation for those guys who can contribute at a high level, at the pro level, or at any level, really. It's been good to see it over here, and just knowing some of those guys and watching them from their college days or whatnot, and then seeing them play over here and see the things that they can do."

Your next game is against Cedevita Olimpija, which is also 8-4. It looks like a critical game to get a top-two finish in your group. Could it be the game of the season for you guys so far?

"I think up to this point, I would say so. We were definitely aware of the implications that the game could have down the line, and I think it's only six more games, so at this point, every game is important. So I think both teams are going to come in ready to play, and we have to find a way to come out on top, so it will definitely be a battle for us."

You played against Nemanja Bjelica in the NBA. Fast forward to the present, he is Bahcesehir's sports director. For instance, Bjelica and Kenan Sipahi were teammates with Fenerbahce and made it to the 2015 Final Four together. How amazing is that?

"It's crazy, it's funny how life works! I remember playing against him. I think it was in Toronto and he played for Golden State. Even before that, just kind of watching him in the NBA with the Warriors and with different other teams, and now to the point where he was trying to get me to come play for his team, I just think it's kind of funny the way life works. Everything comes full circle and he has definitely helped me. And I think he has been good for the team."

'Kenny [Sipahi] knows everything! If you need something, you just got to go to Kenny'

Playing for Bahcesehir comes with the privilege of living in Istanbul, one of the most outstanding cities in the world. How has the experience been so far for someone coming all the way from the United States? Are your teammates helping you to find restaurants and places to see?

"At first, just being overseas, I think any country would have been different, so obviously it was a little different, but I have been adjusting pretty well. I am enjoying the city. It's a big city, there are a lot of people and there are a lot of things to do. And my teammates have definitely helped me. Tyler [Cavanaugh] has been here, so he was kind of familiar with some stuff, Caleb [Homesley] also played in Turkiye two years ago, so he was kind of familiar with some things, and then just talking to the Turkish teammates. They will give their insight to the city, and then just going out and figure it out by yourself. I have had some family come out here and visit me and we have been able to do different things So I am definitely enjoying the city. There is a lot to see, and it has been great. It's been good so far. Kenny [Sipahi] knows everything! If you need something, you just got to go to Kenny. I was joking with him earlier. He knows everything that goes on in this city."

People say you love music. You like to play it and do it really loud. Do you have a music routine before the games? What are you listening to lately?

"Before the games, I like to play music just to get you in that mode. When I came to Europe, it was a little bit of a shock for me. Nobody really listens to music in practice or the weight rooms. That was kind of normal growing up in America, so that's one thing that I could say that I have tried to bring over here a little bit and just kind of lighten up the mood a little bit. Sometimes when the music's going, people just feel good and just try to get the vibe going a little bit, so that's something I have tried to do. These days, I listen to a little bit of everything. I like rap, R&B, different artists... My favorite artist is J Cole, but you know, I go through all of them. I listen to Future, J Cole, Lil Baby... I will try to mix in everybody, and then even the Turkish guys sent me some Turkish music that I will throw in the playlist when we are in the weight room or after a game, so I try to mix it up."

Bahcesehir is 8-4 with six games left to play in this round, then it's playoffs. What will be important from now on to be successful at the end of the season?

"I think just being the team that we know we can be. At times, we have let it slip and just kind of not played to what we know we can do, regardless of who we are playing against. I think when we are locked in and are sharing the ball and are together defensively, I think we are a hard team to beat, and maybe 2-3 games out of the year, we have kind of lost that. So I think really just focusing on us, and just continuing to get better. We all have one goal in mind, and just to remember that every time we step on the court and don't take any games for granted."