Victor Claver: 'It's realistic for Valencia to be a EuroLeague playoff candidate' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Reuters – Scanpix Credit Reuters – Scanpix

Valencia Basket forward Victor Claver talked to the Spanish team's website about his injuries and the goals he has set to accomplish with the four-time EuroCup winners, who returned to the EuroLeague this summer.

Victor Claver

Team:Valencia BasketPosition:SF, PFAge:33Height:207 cmWeight:107 kgBirth place:Valencia, SpainProfileNewsStatistics

Last season could have turned out better for the 33-year-old Spanish international and his team, who was eliminated in the EuroCup by eventual winners Virtus Segafredo Bologna and made the ACB playoffs, losing to Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

"The truth is that I wanted to have a good year, to feel good again. And the beginning of the season was like that. But after the injury, aside from all the time I was out, I wasn't quite the same again. I was always thinking about the foot and my physical condition. And although I have been able to play, I have not yet played as I would have liked," Claver admitted.

For that second campaign of Claver's second stint at Valencia, the team has kept a core of players who went through a lot in the previous year, something that the experienced forward considers important for the future:

"I think that has been the most positive thing this year. Players will get to know each other better next season. In the decisive games last year, we lacked experience and cohesion," he noted.

A few days ago, coach Alex Mumbru stepped in, replacing Joan Penarroya who moved to Baskonia.

Claver further elaborated on this idea, pointing out that "it is clear that with the change of coach it will take some time to adapt, to get to know the system and what coach wants from each one. But knowing each other well, will make it easier for us to take on our roles."

The 2022-23 season will see Claver returning to the EuroLeague more than eleven years after his previous participation with the taronja team, in which he stayed one game away from the Final Four. That was in 2010-11, when Valencia went down 2-3 to Real Madrid in the playoff series.

Now, Claver acknowledges that playing this competition again with his home team makes him "very hopeful".

"I think Valencia deserve to be among the best teams in Europe. I think it's realistic for us to continue growing and to be a playoff candidate, which I think has to be the objective. A good job has been done in recent years and our new arena can make some things happen, but I think the wild card the club received is more about its past than it is about its future," Claver said.

Asked about his first contact with the new coach and the fact of being coached by Mumbru, his former teammate, Claver acknowledged that "we have greeted each other, but we haven't had time to talk about many things. I'm excited," he added.

The former NBA forward also pointed out that while Fernando San Emeterio, another retired player was around, the two had "good communication", something he expects to happen in Mumbru's case. "With good communication, things are going to turn out very well," Claver concluded.

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