Tomas Satoransky: 'Playing with Vesely in Barcelona would make me happy' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Rodolfo Molina/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Rodolfo Molina/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Tomas Satoransky has had a turbulent season. He struggled in New Orleans, but after returning to the Washington Wizards, he started playing basketball again.

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Now, the Czech guard is back in his home country, looking forward to joining the national team ahead of the 2022 EuroBasket

The season in the NBA ended prematurely, but from a personal point of view he can be satisfied. He scored above-standard numbers in the Wizards jersey.

Where will he play in the new season?

"Both the NBA and Europe are options, I haven't decided yet," Satoransky said at a meeting with journalists on Wednesday.

"I can't plan anything long-term. I've been training with the fitness trainer for about three weeks now, and just today I started practicing with the ball.

I plan on joining the team in the third World Cup qualifying window from June 14. And most of all, I'm with my family I hadn't seen in Washington for a month and a half."

Speaking about his future, the former FC Barcelona player, who left Spain for the NBA in 2016, said he's "in a different situation" than when he went overseas.

"My wife and I have two children. It's challenging for a family when it's lacking stability, and that will never exist for me in the NBA. The NBA is harder for me every year, a lot of young players come there.

The recent trend is to give young people a chance, which was not the case when I was there. It is always important for the player to realize what situation he is in and what he would like to prove in the future," he stressed.

The 30-year-old was also asked about a possible return to Barcelona.

"I'm still undecided where I'm going. I saw that Barcelona are also interested in Jan Vesely. Of course, it would make me happy if we could play there together. But he's not sure either."

Free throws this season

81%14,1Points made:14,1Accuracy:80,9%Place in standings:3Record max:42Record min:4Most made FTs:Nikola MiroticTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Satoransky joined the Wizards in the summer of 2016, while Vesely had concluded his stint with the NBA franchise in 2014.

Talking about his NBA season, Satoransky admitted he "didn't make it in New Orleans."

"I don't think their interest in me was as they said at the beginning. After a few months, I felt that there would be a change, and both myself and my agent I wanted it to happen. I'm glad we decided to move to Washington, that's where I could be a good fit," he added.

"Washington allowed me to play my game, we sat down with my coach and teammates, after eight years I played again with Kristaps Porzingis. I remember the last month and a half very well," Satoransky pointed out.

The Czech international said he's been following the NBA playoffs and admitted that he's like to see the Warriors and the Celtics play it out in the finals.

"My former teammate Otto Porter plays for Golden State, he has been worried for the last few years, but he fits into their system. I wish he got the ring."

One EuroBasket group will be hosted in Prague from September 2 to 8, 2022. The Czechs will compete in the O2 arena along with Serbia, Poland, Finland, Israel and the Netherlands.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Satoransky said.

"There are 100 days left, which is still a lot, but since I'm back in the Czech Republic and I'm heading to training with the national team, I feel like it's near. We hope this will be the highpoint for our team."

Addressing the role of the favorite, the experienced point guard said that there's another team that fits the description.

"The biggest favorite of our group is definitely Serbia, a basketball nation with a big number of great players. For example, Bogdan Bogdanovic has already told me that he is looking forward to drinking 'Staropramen' (editor's note: a famous brand of Czech beer).

So I told him that this is not exactly the best Czech beer (smiles). We joked, he is great friends with Jan Vesely, they played together in Partizan and Fenerbahce. Bogdan and me know each other very well."

Satoransky further recalled that he experienced "the most tumultuous environment ever" in Belgrade, where Barcelona played against Red Star.

"The match was attended by over twenty thousand spectators, who were on their feet and shouting throughout the match.

Serbs are famous for their turbulent atmosphere. I'm curious about their fans in Prague. Overall, we have rivals with good fans like Finland, Poland... I believe it will be a great event and hopefully we will finally experience success in front of our spectators," he concluded.

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