Victor Claver contemplates retirement: 'I'm more interested in things off the court' / News - Basketnews.com

Victor Claver talks to BasketNews about the end of his Barcelona days, his goals with Valencia Basket, and his future with the Spanish national team. He also reveals that he's started to contemplate life after basketball.

Credit: Sonia Canada/Getty Images Credit Sonia Canada/Getty Images

Victor Claver's ties with the sport are as close as one can have. Paco, the father of the Valencia Basket forward, was a handball player and coach. However, his son chose to play basketball and succeeded at all levels.

Victor Claver

Team:Valencia BasketPosition:SF, PFAge:34Height:207 cmWeight:107 kgBirth place:Valencia, SpainProfileNewsStatistics

So far, he's won two EuroCups (2010, 2015), two Spanish Cups (2016, 2018), and seven medals with the Spanish national team (three gold and a silver in EuroBasket, a silver and a bronze in Olympic Games, plus the 2019 World Cup).

Claver is a versatile player who can play defense, attack the rim, shoot the ball from beyond the arc, and power the boards. He's averaging 5.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.1 in 14 EuroLeague games as a part-time starter this season.

He's also shooting the ball with high percentages (64.3% 2FG, 39.1% 3FG), as he's done for the better part of his career.

Valencia present a 6-8 record in the EuroLeague, which keeps them in playoff contention. The 34-year-old Spanish international notes that the squad's current version is more athletic than last year and has players who can play multiple positions.

"I think in the EuroLeague, where you play many games, you must have different options. We are in a moment where every player is finding his role day by day," Claver recently told BasketNews.

Credit Juan Navarro/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

The experienced forward has lived the era of Giorgos Bartzokas, Sito Alonso, Svetislav Pesic, and Sarunas Jasikevicius at Barcelona. Alex Mumbru, who took over Valencia last summer, has some common elements with one of Claver's former coaches.

"In the way of understanding basketball, he is a bit like Saras in getting the team prepared," the veteran player pointed out.

"Starting from defense, he wants to create a squad that can find an offensive flow. He's a coach who sticks to details. Some coaches leave a little more freedom than he does, but he's very organized as a person and as a coach. He sends clear messages of all the details he wants his team to put on the court."

Victor Claver

MIN:19.96PTS:5.57 (58.21%)REB:3As:1.36ST:1BL:0.14TO:0.93GM:14ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

Claver's words echo what another Valencia player, Klemen Prepelic, had told BasketNews some weeks ago.

"Our system's completely different than last season," the Slovenian guard pointed out.

"We're playing much more open-court [basketball] right now, trying to get easy baskets. We're more aggressive and vertical in the basket, especially with two point guards that came - Jared Harper and Chris Jones. We play faster than last year, try to get in transition, and avoid 5-on-5."

Just as much as Mumbru is a coach who tries to take the best out of Claver's talents, the same goes for other tacticians who have helped him throughout his European career.

"[Giorgos] Bartzokas is one of them without a doubt," Claver starts the count.

"[Svetislav] Pesic, both in Valencia and at Barca, has pushed me a lot so that I could play better. He has always been very supportive, and so has Sergio Scariolo over the last few years in the national team."

And what about Saras? Well, that's more complicated.

As mentioned in the first part of the interview with Victor Claver, the Spanish forward decided to sign with FC Barcelona in 2016 despite receiving an offer from Panathinaikos. But his most productive year in the Catalan outfit turned out to be his first, when he averaged 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds.

From then on, he was only a role player, his time on the court reduced dramatically, and the 2020-21 season saw him average an all-time career low of 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds.

Over five seasons, Claver played 118 EuroLeague games with Barca, averaging 5.1 points. The games in which he scored in double digits (18) were fewer than the ones where he went scoreless (19).

By the summer of 2021, it was clear that Claver would soon end his Barcelona stint and look for his next destination. Sarunas Jasikevicius showed that the Valencia-born player wasn't part of his plans.

"I was under contract with Barcelona, but last year, it was a weird situation," Claver told BasketNews a few weeks ago.

The club decided to cut the player, who had another year left on his contract. When asked about Claver and Adam Hanga departing from Barca, Jasikevicius hinted that the decision was more financially-based.

"Their departures were two decisions we made and which were unpleasant," the Lithuanian coach told El Mundo Deportivo. "They are two great guys with whom I was absolutely satisfied. But in this situation, we did what the club decided."

"I would have liked to continue," Claver said, looking back at the situation at Barca.

"I had an injury that year. I left the team with some bad feelings, playing little at the end of the season, but I understand that this is a business decision most of the time.

In the end, Saras wanted another type of player for the team. It's one of those situations that can't possibly hurt your pride."

Some months ago, Claver had to miss out on the 2022 EuroBasket that Spain ended up winning. Before the preparation for the tournament began, he had a conversation with Scariolo where he explained his position and why he wouldn't be able to join the team.

"I told him how I felt. The injury I had last year was very hard, both physically and mentally. I wanted to leave it behind and recover well," Claver said.

The former Blazers forward is sure he could have played with the squad had he been called up. But watching his teammates win another gold medal wasn't painful, even though he would have liked to be there.

"The environment and the chemistry we got there make it a very special place. This year, I had to sit out and watch the other guys play. Since Xavi Lopez-Arostegui and Jaime Pradilla were there, I wanted the team to win it for them as well," Claver said of his Valencia teammates.

In any case, he does intend to return to the Spanish NT as soon as possible. The 2023 World Cup isn't too far ahead, and Claver wants to finish the season strong and healthy so Scariolo can count on him.

Credit Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images

"Of course, I'd like to play with the [national] team again," he assures.

"Last summer, I wasn't able to for personal reasons and because of my physical condition. It's a demanding season with us playing in the EuroLeague. That was the reason I didn't play, but I would like to go to the World Cup this summer," he admitted.

"We won the last World Cup, and, at least, I would like to be there with the national team. After the Olympic Games, Scariolo and I discussed the plan for the next few years. My intention, if I'm okay, is to be there. As long as he's counting on me, I want to keep helping the NT."

Victor Claver lived the dream of playing in the NBA, as from 2012 through January 2015, he appeared in 82 games with the Portland Trail Blazers. He's won everything there is to win at the national team and the club level.

The EuroLeague is the only trophy that's escaped him, but time isn't on his side anymore. He came close to winning the title in his last season with Barcelona, but the Catalans came up short in the final game against Anadolu Efes.

For now, his goals are identical to those set by Valencia Basket, but he doesn't hide that the contract that links him to the Spanish club might very well be his last one. This means that by 2024 when the next Olympic Games will take place, he might be a retired player.

Claver admits he occasionally thinks about retirement, albeit "not every summer."

"Life needs to be made a little easier, too," he stressed. "Every year, you have to think about that. But my goal is to be able to enjoy this EuroLeague season with Valencia."

As the end of a decorated career is approaching, Claver has inevitably started making some thoughts about his future off the courts. While he's still uncertain about what he'd like to do, there are somethings he has in mind.

"As time passes, I realize I'm more interested in things happening off the court," he said.

"It's mostly business-related issues; for example, how the world of sports and business works, but without going into details. I talk to a lot of people who have played basketball. Even if I've not decided yet, I think I should at least be prepared for whatever comes."

Unless Valencia renew their temporary EuroLeague license, Claver will have plenty of time to think about his next moves the following season.

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