“How did I end up playing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina team? exclaims John Roberson. “Well, basically the coach chose me and asked me if I wanted to be a Bosnian. Since then, the rest is history. The native of Kansas City did not think so well: 72 hours later following making these remarks, he flooded Slovenia with a rain of long-range shots (7/13 from three points), finishing as the best scorer in the biggest victory ever recorded by Bosnian basketball (97-93 once morest Slovenia, reigning European champion). “It’s weird to see him in the jersey of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” smiles Moustapha Fall, his former teammate from Chalon. “I keep asking him what he’s doing there and he laughs every time. »
Because yes, in reality, John Roberson is one of those naturalized people who have no connection with his adopted country. In eleven years of career, he played in Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, Hungary, France, Russia, Australia, Turkey and Spain. But never in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Except that his name did not come out of nowhere in the bosom of the Dragons… Coach who resigned last June, Vedran Bosnic had trained John Roberson for three years in Sodertalje (from 2013 to 2015), for three Swedish championship titles in end. While Bosnia-Herzegovina was evolving without a naturalized player since the retirement of Alex Renfroe at the end of EuroBasket 2015, the current Mons-Hainaut technician simply thought of his former leader when the permit to “recruit” him was granted.
“I knew the history of basketball in Bosnia”
“It’s a real honor that Vedran has done me by setting his sights on me,” engages Roberson. “I knew the history of basketball in Bosnia and I knew how passionate people are there. For two years, it has been a blessing to play for them. “Especially since, in addition to the non-negligible possibility on the transfer market of having a European passport, this allows him to touch peaks usually inaccessible to him. While he certainly had the talent, the 2017 French champion never played in the EuroLeague, having to settle for five FIBA Europe Cup (C4) campaigns and a single year in the EuroCup, with ASVEL , in 2017/18. A passage from Villeurbannais which certainly constitutes a missed turning point in his career: then on the roof of tricolor basketball with Elan Chalon, he had succumbed to the Rhone sirens but he had finally been very far from winning unanimous support at the Astroballe. Thus, instead of a big club, the American-Bosnian had been forced to emigrate to the depths of Siberia and then to Australia therefollowing.
Three years later, John Roberson shines with a thousand lights on the biggest European stage. After planting 18 units once morest Hungary, he held off Dennis Schröder (13 points and 4 assists) before stealing the show from Luka Doncic, the former Dallas high school student. “It’s an incredible experience,” he breathes. “Even in my wildest dreams, I never imagined playing a EuroBasket. It’s great to face players that I usually watch on TV, once morest whom I have never measured myself once morest before. It’s also an opportunity, which I know how to do on the court. “Like his recital once morest Slovenia, which indirectly revealed the ignorance of the continental behemoths in relation to his profile. The Slovenian pivots only came out very little on him, leaving him maximum space to draw from afar. “Personally, I’m not surprised by his performance,” says Moustapha Fall, who at least shouldn’t be caught in the act of ignoring his strengths on Tuesday. “They have a Big Four, with a need for offensive leaders and four players who put up points. However, John is really a weapon in terms of shooting. »
Before the reunion with the Blues, the praise of Nurkic
In fact, along with Dzanan Musa, Miralem Halilovic and Jusuf Nurkic, John Roberson is one of the driving forces of the team which enchants European basketball with the quality of its game and its cohesion. “We have a great group,” he confirms. “There’s great chemistry between us, great guys. It’s fun to play together! We knew we might make noise on this Euro because it’s hard to face us. No one respected us in this pool, people saw us already eliminated, we used that as motivation. “One more, in the end, for players carried by a feeling higher than a simple sporting quest, returned from hell from a disjointed preparation and without visibility on the future. Even if the neo-Bosnian didn’t follow the adventures of his selection this summer… “I don’t know anything regarding what happened, I can’t understand the local press anyway,” he laughs. While telling an American journalist last week that he knew nothing regarding Europe before arriving there in 2011, “because you don’t learn anything regarding European geography at school”, the future player de Manisa seems to have integrated perfectly humanly within his new national team. When we slipped him the name of his new teammate, Jusuf Nurkic’s face broke into a broad smile. “Johnny! Johnny is a great guy. He became our guy. The way he fit in with us is incredible. It’s rare to see such a cultural adaptation in a naturalized player. And even when he doesn’t understand what we’re saying, he goes with the flow. Since he is a very good person, everything else is then facilitated. And then, since he can plant a distant banderilla or two from time to time…
Ten days following having taken full part in the Bosnian surprise once morest the Blues counting for the qualifications of the 2023 World Cup, John Roberson will stand up once more on the road of the tricolors this Tuesday followingnoon, with the firm intention of reoffending. “It’s going to be a different match”, warns the one who still displays a 100% success in free throws in international career (34/34). “The French team now knows what we are capable of doing. “Also the opportunity for him to remember the good memories of his LNB years…” The best moment was obviously in Chalon, with our title of champion. I have many images that come back to me from my French seasons, the one spent in Strasbourg was also pleasant. It’s special to face Les Bleus because I know I have a lot of French friends who will be watching me. Among them, one will even be on the pitch, his 218 centimeters determined to make his life impossible, just as their 1-5 axis ignited the Pro A five years ago. “I have very good memories of John”, slips Moustapha Fall. “When you win, it always creates links but he is a really good guy. We tease each other a bit: during the match in Bosnia, he sent me a message to ask me what was wrong with me but above all to tell me: “Please don’t come”. I am happy that he is successful in his Euro, I just hope that it will not go very well for him tomorrow. That’s good, the Bosnian scorer is ready for the challenge. “Mustapha was upset not to be in Sarajevo. We meet at the hotel and he repeats that he wants his revenge. The appointment is made for 2:30 p.m.
In Cologne,
par
September 6, 2022 at 7:00 am
“How did I end up playing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina team? exclaims John Roberson. “Well, basically the coach chose me and asked me if I wanted to be a Bosnian. Since then, the rest is history. “The native of Kansas City did not believe so well to say: 72 hours later following making these remarks, i…