Washington Wizards pick Jan Vesely weighs in on the NBA lockout
The NBA lockout has entered its fifth month as players and owners are yet to reach an understanding on collective bargaining agreement - CBA. Now with every passing day, chances of whole season getting terminated are aggrandizing.
The annulment of the first complete month of regular NBA season without an ambiguity is a massive setback for players both professionally and financially, but there is a group of players that has been hit more hardly than the other
players.
That group comprises of the new NBA draftees, who were supposed to make their debut this season. This extended offseason is turning into a nightmare for them and instead of cashing their first pay checks; few of them are applying
for loans to complete their college degrees.
Not quite the NBA lifestyle they would have anticipated.
For 6 ft 11 Czech Republic’s flamboyant draftee Jan Vesely, who was selected by the Washington Wizards earlier this summer, the extended wait for his NBA career to start is becoming torturous.
Jan was supposed to announce his declaration for NBA two years ago; however he decided against it and continued playing for Partizan Belgrade to augment his game further before coming into NBA.
On the surface, this was a smart move at that time but he would be regretting it now for sure.
He arrived in US a month ago, and in that period has kept himself busy discovering new places, enjoying NFL and NHL games. However he did not land to US as a tourist. He came here for completely basketball purpose and that is what
is starting to trouble him now.
“It’s disappointing, I was ready to play in the NBA. You wait one more season for Partizan, then you have lockout and you have to wait longer. It’s November and nothing is happening for me. It’s really sad, you know? It’s not real
yet, I’m in L.A. working out. I’m not with the team and I’m not in Washington. It’s not like I feel like I’m in the NBA”. Vesely added
Basketball is not that famous in Czech. Once the deadlock ends and season commences, Vesely will become only the third player form Czech Republic to play in NBA after Jiri Welsch and George Zidek. Confirming the lack of popularity
of the game in his native country and his family’s and friend’s reaction when he was selected by Washington Wizards, Jan said
“People back home don’t know. Basketball is not big in Czech. But my friends and my family, they were happy for me. They know that I get drafted. But basketball is not so popular in Czech.”
If the lockout lingers any further, Vesely is considering to move back to his native club.
Tags: