How Luke Sikma's bond with ALBA turned his father Jack into a EuroLeague expert / News - Basketnews.com

In the second part of his interview with BasketNews, Jack Sikma talks about his son's career with ALBA Berlin and the German team's unique system. He also explains why he never played in Europe and names Luke's favorite EuroLeague player.

Credit: Imago Credit Imago

If for the older generation, Jack Sikma is one of the best centers world basketball has ever seen, for the younger fans, the Hall-of-Famer is the father of Luke Sikma, currentALBA Berlinand former Valencia Basket power forward.

Luke Sikma

MIN:22.5PTS:7.64 (52.81%)REB:5.24As:4.82ST:1BL:0.12TO:2.52GM:33ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

Over the last few seasons, Luke has arguably developed into one of the most enjoyable EuroLeague players to watch. Starting from his court vision and understanding of the game, the 33-year-old makes everything easier for his teammates whenever he's playing.

The 2019 EuroCup MVP has been in Europe since 2011. After spending more than half a decade in Spain, starting from the country's second division (La Palma) and moving up to Burgos, Tenerife (then Canarias), and Valencia, he came to be acknowledged as a household name in Berlin.

In aninterview he did with BasketNewsin November 2021, Luke Sikma revealed some parts of his father's routine on EuroLeague game days.

"It's great for him because he can wake up in the morning. It's nine hours difference from Seattle to Germany. So, he makes coffee and watches the game since he always has the free time to do that."

"Luke's games are on around 10 or 11'o clock in the West Coast. That's some kind of ritual," Jack Sikma confirms.

Credit Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

The family, spearheaded by its oldest member, is sports-oriented. Nate, Luke's younger brother, used to play college ball for the Hartford Hawks. Jack occasionally plays golf, but he's also a big baseball fan.

"The Seattle Mariners made the playoffs. That's been a fun run. Now, it's baseball season, besides watching the basketball games," he notes. Now that the NBA season is underway, Jack will get to watch all sorts of competitions: from the MLB and the NBA to the German BBL and the EuroLeague.

Points this season

46%80,1Points made:80,1Accuracy:45,6%Place in standings:11Record max:100Record min:56Best scorer:Jaleen SmithTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Although he admits he doesn't watch EuroLeague games where ALBA aren't playing, he does tune in every time his son is there.

"Luke's playing 80+ games every season. I got EuroLeague TV and can stream German league games on Magenta Sports. My point is this: if I watch every EuroLeague game that ALBA plays, I see every team twice a year," he argues.

That's roughly how often Jack gets to see his son up close. Since Luke's days in Spain, the 7-time All-Star center has been a frequent traveler and visitor of Europe.

Jack says he and his wife Shawn have flown over to Berlin several times. They were in Germany last January and watched their elder son from the stands. That has always been the focal point of all their visits, after all.

The couple's next trip is scheduled for early December, when Luke and ALBA will be playing three home games in a row.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we went again next spring, now that the COVID restrictions are off," the 66-year-old retired legend notes.

The 2022-23 campaign is Luke Sikma's sixth with ALBA and his second as the team's captain, an honor bestowed upon him to recognize his leadership, loyalty, and dedication. In spite of him being a veteran, he still receives some piece of advice from his father.

"We've passed the time of him being a little bit of a coach. He gets fired up for the games, loves to talk about it, and always has some questions," Luke told BasketNews.

Jack points out that his observations after games usually don't revolve around his son's performance but are centered more on how the team is doing and who's stepping up.

"It's more from a coach's perspective of evaluating what went on. To be effective as far as helping or coaching someone, I feel it's got to be personalized and a face-to-face thing; you can't do it over a text," he elaborates.

Credit Imago

Jack thinks that there's always emotion involved in every learning and teaching process, and human connection reinforces concepts. However, he doesn't do a lot of that during the season.

"When I visit Berlin over dinner, we'll have some conversations on concepts, or the big picture. He's a 12-year pro; he's more connected with what's going on than I am. I just need to let him be. He can handle situations better than I can help him through it," he argues.

Nevertheless, this season, the retired player and coach has a special piece of advice for his son. Luke, known for his altruism on the court, has been ALBA's primary creator over the last years.

So far, he's averaged 10.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over his first four EuroLeague outings.

"This year, I told him, 'It's OK for you to be a little bit more selfish. You can't just be pass-first all the time.' And he knows that," Jack claims.

Whenever the Sikmas travel to Germany, Jack gets to spend some time with Berlin's coach, Israel Gonzalez. On some occasions, they sit and chat for a bit. But most of the time, Jack passes by, and he either pays the Spanish tactician a compliment or he just makes a general observation.

"I just tell them, 'You guys are playing well', or 'You got a real challenge in front of you because of the schedule.' It's more of an encouragement, but they do let me watch practices when I'm in town."

Sikma has no doubt about the quality of work that Aito Garcia Reneses and Gonzalez, his successor at the bench, have put in.

"They're established coaches, and they're doing a fabulous job," he remarks with enthusiasm. "The ALBA teams are recognized for being very well-coached. They keep coming at you. If they can get stops defensively, they're tough to beat."

A look at the EuroLeague standings would be enough to prove Jack Sikma's point. ALBA kicked off their campaign going off to a great 3-0 start before dropping their first game to back-to-back champions Anadolu Efes in Istanbul.

Although ALBA have yet to make the EuroLeague playoffs since Spanish coaches took over, Sikma doesn't believe they've settled for anything less than that.

"With their willingness to play young players and their development program, they're taking more of a patient route," he maintains.

"You see the number of players that are back with the team as opposed to what other teams are doing quite often. I know there's a pecking order of 6-7 teams that are the cream of the crop, have the higher payrolls, and can get guys that ALBA can't get. Still, if they can stay healthy, they got a shot at the playoffs this year," Jack holds.

As the former Seattle Supersonics star explained in the first part of his interview with BasketNews, he's always keen on watching new, young, and talented players take their first steps in the NBA. ALBA Berlin have been the stepping stone for many of Europe's talent, and the team's current version is no exception.

Sikma observes that ALBA's young guys "are stepping up" and credits general manager Himar Ojeda and the whole organization for "finding those diamonds in the rough."

He singles out two particular cases: Tamir Blatt andGabriele Procida.

The Israeli point guard is having a fantastic start to the year, recording one career-high after another. His 14.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 16.2 PIR averages fully reflect his contribution to ALBA's impressive beginning.

"There were a lot of people scratching their heads last year when he was going to be the backup point guard," Jack recalls.

As for Procida, Sikma thinks that the boy from Italy, whom the Pistons drafted last summer, is going to progress significantly during the year.

"Detroit has got to be ecstatic that he's playing this type of basketball in this system, and he's getting this much opportunity," he says.

And what about Luke? For his part, he's said that rebounding is how he best resembles his father on the basketball floor.

"We're both pretty good rebounders; it's the way we see the game. We may not be the best athletes on the court, but we find a way to get the job done," ALBA's leading man commented some years ago.

Jack says the two have more differences than similarities.

"Luke is more athletic than I was. Alley-oop dunks wasn't something I did. He's in a system in which those opportunities happen. He really has good hands and control. I was a decent passer but didn't have his court vision, his anticipation of where the guys are going to be, and his understanding of their system," he admits.

The 1979 NBA champion stresses that Luke has the advantage of taking on an important role in Aito's system, which Israel Gonzalez is now continuing. That's why he's grown so much accustomed to it.

"He knows it like the back of his hand," Jack comments.

However, there's one particular aspect in which Luke never came close to how effective his father had been in his heyday.

"I was a better shooter than he is," Jack points out, and goes on to say that every time his son misses a free throw, he pays close attention to his reactions.

"I can see him saying to himself, 'I got to be a better free-throw shooter.' But I'm so proud of his approach and what they've accomplished. He's a very good teammate and leader. I captained a couple of teams, but he really handles it well.

I enjoy watching him play, which I guess most parents would say about their kids. But he's had a good career and continues to be effective. I'm happy for him."

Throughout his career, Jack was a member of an elite caste of NBA players considered 'untouchables,' stars so closely identified with the city they play in that trading them would be unthinkable.

It's interesting that Luke kind of follows the same pattern in Berlin, as he's been playing there since 2017.

This loyalty to a certain club or franchise is something the two of them have in common, apart from wearing No. 43. For starters, Jack is certain that this is not coincidental. He even recalls Luke's arrival to Berlin after he won the Spanish ACB title with Valencia Basket in 2017.

"Himar Ojeda was looking for a particular skill set when he hired Aito. Luke had played for his teams before. I remember that it looked like Valencia were going to make him an offer, but ALBA came in all of a sudden, and it was an ideal situation for him.

They had specific goals they wanted to establish; a great development system, an offense where there's ball movement and sharing, spacing, and reads. Luke fit the bill for being a leader in a successful franchise - and he still does."

Three consecutive German league titles serve to prove Luke's success at ALBA. When he re-signed with the club for four years in 2019, some were taken aback, as American players rarely commit to a European team for so long.

However, the most surprising part is that not only did he agree to stay in Germany, but he actually stayed there despite his performances which could have brought numerous EuroLeague teams to ALBA's door.

"There's been an interest of other teams trying to sign me, for sure," Luke admitted talking to BasketNews last November.

"But I'm a person who trusts his gut more than his logic. Since I got here, I've grown as a player and really played my best basketball. I don't think that's any coincidence. Our style and my role here have allowed me to show my talents.

I want to represent the city. It's a kind of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" thing. I'm really enjoying coming to work every day. I know that's not the case with everyone playing overseas. It's a place that I came to love, a match made in heaven. I'm excited to see where it goes."

Addressing the way ALBA have managed to keep Luke Sikma for so many years and turn him into a franchise player, Israel Gonzalez told BasketNews last February that the player's happiness stems from the fact that he fits into the club's philosophy.

"He feels at ease and sees how we do things to help him improve. He senses that he's important, and maybe feeling well takes precedence for him over earning more money in other clubs with more pressure," Aito Reneses' ex-assistant said.

Nevertheless, next summer could signal the end of Luke Sikma's stint with ALBA. The blonde-haired forward will have turned 34 by then, and his current deal will have expired. In any case, and regardless of how the club envisions its future, the player's intentions are pretty clear.

"If things keep going so well, obviously [I see myself playing with ALBA] for a long time," Luke continued.

"I'm realizing that my dad played for 14 years, and this is my eleventh. It would be fun to play at least as many as him and maybe surpass him. That's a little goal for the future."

Jack is hopeful that his son will continue to play at ALBA.

"I don't think he'll need to take a hometown discount," he jokes.

"It's a decision on ALBA's part, and a lot has to do with how this year goes, but he would be a top person to replace if he didn't continue. He establishes the program and reinforces everything that the ALBA community, front office, and ownership want," the experienced NBA veteran underlines.

Despite the fact that when it comes to EuroLeague games, Jack Sikma is a 'homer,' as his son has described him, he does have an opinion about where the league is heading under its new management.

"I think it will grow," Jack utters and adds that it will be interesting to see how things will pan out with Marshall Glickman in charge.

"From what I've read, following the concept of trying to make the pie bigger can make a big difference for everyone," Sikma says.

Until then, he can comfortably bask on his chair or sofa and watch Luke deliver at Europe's top tier. Apart from working with big men from all over the world, like Yao Ming and Jonas Valanciunas, and besides being an influence for different generations of players, Jack Sikma enjoys and appreciates some athletes that don't bear his surname.

He names Vasilije Micic and Kyle Hines as two of them.

Credit Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

However, it looks like the big man from New Jersey is the one that has really captured the hearts and minds of the Sikmas. Jack calls the 36-year-old EA7 Emporio Armani Milan center "the old sage, a tough-nosed player who knows what he needs to do."

The Hall-of-Fame member has a theory: The best way to evaluate players is when the opponents say, "I would love to play with him."

Well, in the discussions he's having with Luke about the players he'd like to play with, Hines' name is being brought up over and over again.

"He'd love to play with Kyle Hines," Jack reveals, and clarifies that he has no intention of causing anyone of ALBA Berlin's bigs to be mad about it "because Luke has some talented bigs on his team and likes playing with them."

"This conversation has taken place over time," he explains.

Credit Imago images/Andreas Gora

One issue that Jack and Luke probably haven't discussed so far is the possibility of the latter obtaining another passport and deciding to play for a country other than the US.

"I don't have an issue with that at all if the circumstances were such that he would want to do that," Jack assures.

"That would be Luke's decision, and I would support him whatever he decided to do. He really likes Berlin, so who knows? He may end up living in Europe. We enjoy it when he's back in the summer for a couple of months, but he's spent the last six years in Berlin."

In contrast to Luke, Jack Sikma's only trips to Europe were with the Sonics for a couple of pre-season exhibition games in 1987, then called the McDonald's Open.

The retired legend has revealed that he considered playing a year in Europe at the end of his career in 1991, adding that "it would have been a great life experience".

The end of what turned out to be his last NBA campaign indicated that Sikma's role with the Milwaukee Bucks, or with any other NBA franchise for that matter, wouldn't be that of a starting center. In 1990-91, he averaged 25 minutes with 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, all career lows.

"I thought I'd play one more year with an NBA team," Jack now concedes. "It's one of those 'what ifs', but it would have been a great experience. I really liked visiting Europe and all the different places that Luke has been to."

For Jack and Shawn Sikma, there was also another obstacle that essentially precluded such thoughts from ever materializing.

"Luke would be about two years old, and his brother [Nate] would have been four. If they had been a few years older, it would have been a lot easier to assimilate. We were just a young family at that point in time. The thought of taking a year away from basketball was more important for us back then," Jack reflects.

Credit Imago Images

Since his availability was a well-kept secret at the time, no offers from wealthy European clubs were on the table.

"Teams had no idea that I would have considered playing there," he says.

As fate would have it, Jack Sikma's connection to European basketball was impacted by the fact that Luke has been playing there for 12 years.

"Because of that connection, I watched a lot of games," he notes.

His son would definitely attest to that.

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