Joffrey Lauvergne explains why he turned down Partizan to join Zalgiris / News - Basketnews.com

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If Zalgiris Kaunas have been struggling in the current Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, the long-term absence of Joffrey Lauvergne has definitely played a big part in their hardships.

3-pointers this season

35%8,4Points made:8,4Accuracy:34,7%Place in standings:13Record max:13Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Artūras MilaknisTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

The 30-year-old Frenchman sustained a shoulder injury in early October during a EuroLeague Round 2 game against Zenit Saint Petersburg, which kept him sidelined for almost four months. The initial diagnosis following a thorough medical examination stated that Lauvergne would have to miss at least 4-6 weeks, but that estimation didn't turn out to be true.

The experienced big man underwent surgery in his homeland, started the body strengthening process in late December, and came back around the end of January.

"The place where I had surgery is the best shoulder injury clinic in France, and this surgeon performs a lot of operations on rugby players - it's a common setback for them.

And the players are allowed to play after 3 months, so trust me, if the rugby players compete after 3 months, I should play too," the player told Zalgiris Insider in December.

Lauvergne, who averaged 10.7 points on 40% 3-point shooting and 5.6 rebounds over 32 EuroLeague games with Zalgiris last season, was indeed ready for his comeback.

He made his return in an LKL clash with Neptunas Klaipeda, scoring 9 points on 4/8 from the field while also adding 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

The King Mindaugas Cup Final Four, held in Vilnius between 19 and 20 February, provided the perfect setting. The former NBA forward made the best of the occasion, leading his team in consecutive wins over Siauliai in the semifinal and Lietkabelis Panevezys in the final match of the tournament.

His contribution garnered him the MVP Award, as Lauvergne tallied 34 points and 16 rebounds across the two contests.

While the start of February indicated that a potential Zalgiris EuroLeague surge wasn't around the corner, all of a sudden, the Lithuanian champs managed to get three consecutive wins in Europe's top competition for the first time this season.

Zalgiris Kaunas / Schedule

Zalgiris Kaunas FC BarcelonaFri18:00 Zalgiris Kaunas Olympiakos PiraeusTue18:00 Zalgiris Kaunas Anadolu Efes Istanbul03-1718:00

Of course, even with the Russian teams' suspension, their place in the standings hasn't undergone any radical changes. Like most (10 out of 15) remaining EuroLeague teams, Zalgiris will play six more games to finish the regular season. Even in the unlikely scenario that they win all of them, their current 6-16 balance looks absolutely prohibitive for them to go any further.

However, the progress is there. Joffrey Lauvergne amassed 40 points and 20 rebounds across Zalgiris's three wins, including an impressive 17+12 double-double against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens, a great follow-up to their season-first road win in Monaco.

He was also pivotal in Zalgiris' most impressive performance in the season so far, a 68-47 blowout of Real Madrid, which forced Los Blancos to an all-time scoring low.

The winning streak didn't extend to four, as ALBA Berlin put the breaks on the Lithuanian powerhouse. But now another test lies ahead for Lauvergne and his teammates, as coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and guard Rokas Jokubaitis return to the Zalgirio Arena as guests, defending the colors of FC Barcelona.Lauvergne is confident that Zalgiris's recent form is anything but accidental."I think we've been playing with much more intensity and energy over the last two to three weeks," the former Fenerbahce big man tells BasketNews.

"Results have started to show, and it's paying off. We're playing much better, and if we continue in this direction, we will win many more games. I am trying to play with the same energy against Lithuanian and EuroLeague teams."

Selected with the No.55 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies, the 2.11 m tall Frenchman was traded to the Nuggets.He spent two seasons in Denver, logging 24 appearances in his rookie season, while in 2016, he moved to Oklahoma, where he spent the greatest part of the 2016-2017 season, before being traded to Chicago.In the summer of 2017, Gregg Popovich brought him to the Spurs. Although Lauvergne expressed the wish to stay for several years in San Antonio, the team didn't get what they were expecting out of the player, and his average playing time clocked in at less than 10 minutes per game.

That being the case, he made the big decision to turn down the possibility of a second season with the Spurs in order to return to Europe for Fenerbahce in 2018.

"Many years after, it's easy to say that I should have stayed with the Spurs," he says now.

Lauvergne also talked to BasketNews about his former -and favorite- team Partizan Belgrade (where he played from 2012 through 2014), his former coach Zeljko Obradovic and the French national team, which he no longer is a part of. What's not working for Zalgiris this year?We changed many players, and sometimes you need time to mesh. My injury didn't help, while other guys got injured too. I'm trying to give my best for myself and the club.

I don't pay so much attention to our place in the standings. It's about how you play through hardships. We're not fighting for a playoff spot, but that's no reason for us to give up. The more wins we're going to get, the more fun we're going to have. Almost six weeks ago, you came back from a long-time absence but managed to make up for lost time almost immediately. How are you feeling, and how was it for you to watch the team from the sidelines for four months?It was tough. I was missing basketball a lot. The rehab process was not easy because I really managed to make it as short as possible. Of course, it did pay off. I'm enjoying being back with the team and playing again.

What's the biggest difference between Martin Schiller and his successor on Zalgiris's bench, Jure Zdovc?There are many differences. We made a lot of changes in the team and improved during the months. I was enjoying my season with Martin Schiller last year. I was playing, I was healthy, we had a great group of guys, and we were fighting for the EuroLeague playoffs. It was a lovely year. Then, the club made the decision to change the coach. I can say that I'm enjoying it as much. From all the coaches I've had in my career, I've found a way to learn things.

It seems like we're playing to win again - and that makes it more fun for everyone. We can't say we're enjoying basketball more under coach Zdovc.

Life in professional basketball is like that. The more wins you get, the more fun you're going to have. For sure, wins bring happiness.

Josh Nebo is having a pretty encouraging rookie season at the highest level. What do you think he needs to have in order to prosper further?He needs to learn from the game. His physical abilities are already through the roof. He has to improve his knowledge about EuroLeague players and what they like to do. It's normal, it's his first season, and he needs time. He has already started to figure out the direction he needs to go in. Apart from you winning the Lithuanian Cup, Adrien Moerman and Rodrigue Beaubois lifted the trophy in Turkey with Anadolu Efes, while Moustapha Fall and Livio Jean-Charles with Olympiacos in Greece. Do you keep in touch with other French players abroad?I've never played with them in the national team, and I can't say we're close friends. I just follow what they do. French basketball is really big in NBA and EuroLeague. In terms of how a basketball player is being treated and supported, which place is best - Serbia, Turkey (and I mean Fenerbahce fans), or Lithuania?Honestly, I've enjoyed Serbia a lot for different seasons. Lithuania is a nice place to play, and I'm enjoying it also. The organization of the club is amazing. Do you feel vindicated for your choice to skip the second year on your contract with the Spurs in order to pursue a EuroLeague title with Fenerbahce in 2018?Now, it's very easy to talk about what your decision should have been. When I took it, I thought and believed that it was the best decision for me; what I wanted at the time. Many years after, it's easy to say that I should have stayed with the Spurs.

You will always be in the position to ask yourself, "Should I have done differently?". I don't think about it too much, but some people have asked me about that. I'm trying not to think about it.

You'll always be in this position. I can't change what happened, and I'm trying to enjoy life and basketball.

What do you think of your former coach Zeljko Obradovic having taken over your favorite team Partizan Belgrade?I really wish they will have success and make the EuroLeague next season. That's the main goal of the club, and it will be really fun to see them again in EuroLeague. I wish them to achieve that.

Considering that the club has started to attract EuroLeague-level talent and that you've said that you'd like to end your career there, is it possible to see you return to Serbia sooner than expected - in any case, after 2023?I don't know. That's a question for Partizan management. It's true that I want to play for Partizan again at some point.Do you think that two years ago, when Partizan made a push for you, the timing was bad, and you didn't end up returning?Yes, it wasn't the moment. They showed some interest, but I thought it wasn't the right decision for me. I've found a club and a city where I'm having a lot of fun. Last year, I had my greatest time since I left Partizan almost ten years ago. I wanted to stay in Zalgiris and play in EuroLeague.

You were formed in the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance, the well-known INSEP. Some of his notable graduates include Nicolas Batum, Tony Parker, Rony Turiaf, Evan Fournier, Boris Diaw, and Clint Capela. What's the most important lesson you learned in your two-year presence there (2007-09)?It was a very nice experience. You had the chance to go to classes and play basketball. I've enjoyed it and created many friendships. It was a no-brainer for me. I took a test, and I was like, "If they take me, I will go. I will work all the way to Paris to go there."Zalgiris is the EuroLeague club that has taken the most radical stance towards Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating that they intend to forfeit all games against Russian teams if necessary. Of course, this is the club's policy, but what do you think the future of the competition will be like?Very good question. It's really hard to think about basketball when something like war happens in the world. I hope EuroLeague clubs will find a solution to keep the season alive. I don't know how long this situation will last.

Russia has three competitive teams, and it will be bad for EuroLeague and for basketball in case they're out. On the other hand, life is bigger than basketball. These are tough times for everybody. We'll have to continue without them.

Why isn't the French national team on your agenda anymore? The last time you played for France was in the 2017 EuroBasket, right?I decided to skip the national team obligations one time for personal reasons. From that point on, they stopped calling me. I'm not sure how they took it.

People ask me whether I want to go or not. There's no reason to talk about it because they're not calling me anyway.

So, it's not about whether I want to go there or if I'm available or not. It's about them not calling me anymore. If they want to see me again one day, we'll talk, and I'll decide if I want to go or not.

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