Kyle Wiltjer isn't worried about next season, but has decided where he wants to retire / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA Media Credit FIBA Media

When BasketNews connected with Kyle Wiltjer for this interview, the American-Canadian forward was relaxing on his couch in Tenerife, basking in the afterglow of his team's second Basketball Champions League title win.

Player of the Game EFF 20 Marcelinho Huertas Points 13 Accuracy 6-10 Rebounds 3 Assists 14

However, Lenovo Tenerife's triumph over BAXI Manresa in Sunday's final in Bilbao was to be succeeded by a demanding ACB League game against Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Celebrations were over, as players and coaches had to dry out as soon as possible to catch up with the team's next goal.

"It's classic European basketball. You celebrate, and then you got to get back to work. I'm used to it at this point," Wiltjer cynically remarks.

Besides, this is his fifth overall season in Europe. It's also his first continental title, which makes the feeling all the more intense. For someone who's had to bounce back after painful losses and eliminations, winning his first trophy can whet his appetite.

"We're excited about that, but the ACB League is very important to our organization. We're trying to win another one, that's for sure," Wiltjer stresses.

The 29-year-old former NCAA champ with Kentucky went for 17 points in the BCL final. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in the 2021-22 season.

His numbers took a dive compared to how productive he had been with Turk Telekom over the past campaign (15.2 points and 5.3 rebounds). But his solid run with the Turkish side wasn't accompanied by a trophy.

"Yes, we came just short with Turk Telekom, although we had a very good team and could have made the Final Four," Wiltjer remembers.

"I chose Tenerife because it's a winning organization. I didn't care about the numbers this year. For me, to join a team that's very unselfish was the main goal; I wanted to win. I'm glad that I was able to contribute, make history and be a part of something special.

Kyle Wiltjer

MIN:19.69PTS:11.78 (55.14%)REB:3.22As:1.06ST:0.33BL:0.22TO:0.61GM:18ProfileBCL2021/2022

At the end of the day, making a championship in any competition is difficult to do. I'll have a championship, no matter how my playing career ends up," he adds.

For many outsiders, the image of Manresa fans chanting 'Tenerife' after losing a final must have come as a shock. Wiltjer was amazed at that sight for sore eyes and expressed his feelings on Twitter by writing that he had "never seen anything like this or yet be a part of it."

"It was amazing because, during a championship game, you get the fans booing at you. That arena was 90% Manresa fans. They were everywhere."

Kyle Wiltjer came to Europe in October 2017, following his father's footsteps almost two decades after Greg Wiltjer, a second-round pick in the mythical 1984 NBA Draft, played for Brescia, Barcelona, and Aris Thessaloniki.

Kyle's first overseas destination wasn't northern Greece, where his father stayed for two seasons (1987-89), but Piraeus.

"I've been a part of Olympiacos-Panathinaikos games, but I hadn't seen anything like that," he says, referring to Manresa fans.

"They respected us enough to stay after the game, watching their team get second place and us getting the trophy, while they were still chanting us. It's a really good accomplishment for Spanish basketball - and also a good model for European basketball. You always read a lot of headlines of fans doing crazy things."

From 2018 through 2021, when he signed with Tenerife, Kyle Wiltjer played in Unicaja Malaga for one year and another two with Turk Telekom.

"Every place I've played, fan culture is different, but the love of the game is the same," he maintains.

"The only different thing is the love for football which is intense in Spain. But it's cool because it trickles into the basketball scene, which is awesome."

As a member of the 2018 Olympiacos team, Wiltjer registered his first-ever EuroLeague playoff participation. However, the Greek powerhouse succumbed to Zalgiris Kaunas and didn't make the Final Four.

On May 4, Kevin Durant's visit to Wiltjer's former home, the Peace and Friendship Stadium, coincided with something that Tenerife's forward would probably have experienced first-hand had Olympiacos eliminated the Lithuanians in that playoff series.

For someone who has been there, the court invasion, the flares, and firecrackers definitely ring a bell.

"It's insane!" Wiltjer exclaims.

"Up to this day, I tell stories of some of those games between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. I love that kind of atmosphere because it made basketball really fun. Those Greek fans are different; they're amazing, and they really care about their basketball teams. I still have some friends on Olympiacos, and I was really happy to see them make the Final Four."

It's interesting that in 2012, the year Olympiacos won the EuroLeague in Istanbul, Wiltjer lifted his career's first title, the NCAA championship with Kentucky. It's also ironic that the current Olympiacos team actually succeeded where its 2018 predecessor failed - qualifying for Belgrade.

"I liked their team from the beginning," Wiltjer says.

"I think they have very good talent and a good system. EuroLeague's tough, and anything can happen. For them to get there, they have a chance. I know they will have their fans' support as well."

Nevertheless, choosing who to root for in the EuroLeague Final Four is tough, as Wiltjer concedes, because he has friends on all the teams.

His ex-teammate at Gonzaga, Nigel Williams-Goss, will be competing in Belgrade with Real Madrid.

"I just want to see them do well. But I'm definitely cheering on Williams-Goss and Olympiacos. I've played with Moustapha Fall (at Turk Telekom). (Giorgos) Printezis and (Kostas) Papanikolaou are great people. I understand that not everyone can win. But I hope they all stay healthy," Wiltjer says.

Life in the Canary Islands can be completely different than Ankara, Malaga, or Athens. However, there is something that all four places have in common - a shining sun.

"I've been very fortunate to play in some beautiful locations," he acknowledges.

In 2019, when it came down to deciding where to get married, Greece was a no-brainer for Kyle Wiltjer and his wife, Charday. She immediately fell in love with the venue on Ios island, and the couple thought it would be a good place for their friends and family to meet.

"Now, I'm on an island. It's safe to say that we like the good weather," Wiltjer observes.

Kyle Wiltjer, who played 14 NBA games with theHouston Rockets in 2016-17, moved to the Clippers and the Raptors before making the overseas leap.

Going into the summer, the experienced power forward makes clear that finding another ACB contract on or off Tenerife is less important. What really matters to him is being able to play at the highest level possible.

"Whether that's the EuroLeague or the NBA. That's the top level. But I'm not too worried about that," he goes on to add.

In his interview with BasketNews, Kyle Wiltjer also touches on the ways Tenerife unlocks their opponents' defense, his individual improvement since he moved to Europe, and his future ventures with the Canadian national team, starting from this year's FIBA AmeriCup.

He also reveals the team he'd like to retire at.

Just a few days before taking on Manresa in the BCL final, you faced them in the Spanish League also. You went for 19 points on 5/7 from behind the arc in a win that sealed Tenerife's ACB playoff spot. Was it the morale-boosting win that you wanted ahead of the Final Four?For me individually, it got me into a good rhythm. For our team, playing Manresa was very important. We were all locked in. Going into the Final Four with a win was important for our confidence and style of play.

Since coach Txus Vidorreta hails from Bilbao, how big was it for him to win the BCL in his hometown?All year, he was talking about that, even before Bilbao was chosen as the host city. Tenerife had made the Final 8 the year before and lost to Strasbourg. I wasn't part of that team, but it was important to redeem ourselves.

Once Bilbao was chosen, it was clear that he wanted to make it there. For all of us, we knew we had to do it. If we didn't, we would get a very different Txus in practice. It's really special to win a championship in your hometown. We were able to get the job done, and he had a special time with his friends and his family.

How has your co-existence with Sasu Salin liberated both of you on the offensive end? He's an incredible shooter. When you play with a guy like that, sometimes we're on the same side of the court, and it's like you have to pick your poison. Having two shooters like that on the wings is very important for our offense, and we complement each other very well.

Apart from Giorgi Shermadini, who's the obvious pick&roll finisher, how does Marcelinho Huertas manage to get everyone involved?He's a point guard who sees the court as none of us can. He's a magician out there. 14 assists in a Final Four is an incredible accomplishment, especially at his age. He treats every game and every practice seriously. When you have a point guard like that, who's leading the show, and then you got Bruno Fitipaldo, it makes the game easier for all of us.

Credit FIBA Media

You first came overseas in 2017. After five years in Europe, three of which were spent in Spain, to what extent do you feel you've become a different player?I've continued to work on my strengths, but I've been able to understand the European game a little more. I've grown my back to the basket game on the low post.

When you're a shooter and teams, use switch defense, being able to punish smaller defenders is very important in Europe. I feel like I have improved there. I've also worked on my defensive and rebounding weaknesses.

Have you ever tried to fit the mold of the modern-day ‘stretch four' to facilitate your career?Shooting is a big part of my game, but I didn't let that mold dictate how I played. I learned the game by watching some of my favorite players, like Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Love. I have different skills. My dad was more of a low-post player, and he was able to teach me some skills there. That's why I feel like I'm a unique player.

Last year, you and Sam Dekker were teammates for the first time in Europe, at Turk Telekom, after your time together at Houston. This spring, you won the BCL, and he lifted the FIBA Europe Cup with Bahcesehir. Did you get to talk or text each other? Would you like to team up with him again?For sure. Sam is an incredible player. We came up short of the BCL last year, which is really disappointing. But we've been through a lot in our careers and to finally get a championship is something special.

More importantly, he just had his first baby. I congratulate Sam on that. I know how it feels like because I have a one-year-old daughter. So, I feel like we're winning on and off the court.

Credit FIBA Media

Last summer, Canada hosted the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria. Do you think it was a big missed opportunity?It was obviously disappointing. Although I couldn't be there because of some stuff with my daughter, I was following the team. I think it was a learning experience for the program and that we're going to be back stronger than ever. Canada has done a great job of getting everyone on board and ready for the future.

What does the future hold for a team full of NBA players, and where do you come in? Will you play in the upcoming FIBA AmeriCup 2022 in Brazil?Yes, I plan on competing this upcoming summer. I think I can provide good knowledge of the European game and a lot of value for the team, whether NBA players come or not. Even a guy like Kevin Pangos is an important piece as well.

In terms of the future, getting a commitment from as many guys as possible so that we can build a core that knows how to play with each other. Sometimes, you play these countries that have been together for many years. That's an important factor.

Unlike your decorated high school careers, Kevin Pangos and you didn't stay in the NBA for long. Pangos actually got a chance after his great season with Zenit. Do you think you'll be able to get a second chance there?Whenever the summer comes, I don't really worry about what's next. I kind of let my agents do their job. It's always been a dream to play in the NBA just because that was the game I watched growing up.

Tremmell Darden said he'd like to retire with Real Madrid. How about you?I would like to retire with the Portland Trail Blazers, my hometown team. Sounds good to me.

Last January, Gonzaga University suspended John Stockton's season tickets over his defiance of the Covid-19 mask mandate. Do you think being a public figure should bring more responsibility to how one acts as a role model?Being a professional athlete, you have a platform that can be used for good or for bad when players say things they don't think through.

It's important when you're a public figure to make sure you're doing your research before making statements, but also know that you can have a positive impact.

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