Artem PUSTOVOY: “I am ready to join the national team of Ukraine under 40”

Before the decisive Euroleague matches, the former Barcelona player shared his thoughts on his experience playing for Blue Garnet, playing under Sarunas Jasikevicius and much more.

How did you start playing basketball?

– When I was 14, the family moved to Kakhovka. There at school a high school student stopped me and offered to go with him to the basketball section, they say I am tall. Coach immediately took me to the varsity team. After that, everything turned upside down.

The school coach started taking me to team review. First we went to Nikolaev, but they told us to wait there. Then we went to Khimik. They said they had it and told them to come with something. This is how my career started in Khimik.

– It’s always been a strong academy, right?

– Everything was done in Yuzhny for children, for young basketball players: food, shelter, school, training. It was also an opportunity to watch the game of old men from Major League and Super League and learn from them. Motivate yourself to get into the first teams.

Also, when I started studying at the Academy of Chemistry, the guys there were stronger than me. It was very difficult for me in the beginning.

– Who was your childhood idol?

I like Kevin Garnett.

– At the beginning of your career, could you imagine getting what you have now?

I didn’t have big plans for this. I lived in the present moment and could not have imagined that I would play professional level basketball, play for the Ukrainian national team.

When I started playing on the reserve team, about a year after that, when they started letting me play on the main team, I already understood that basketball was a lifetime for me.

– Do you remember the first call-up to the Ukrainian national team?

– They took me because of my height (laughs). I was called to U-16, U-18 teams, I played two European Championships in U-20 in a row. At the age of 21, I got my first call-up to the Ukraine National Team and it was for me: “Wow!” I felt like I was making progress. Also, the coach of our national team at that time was Mike Fratello. I learned a lot from him.

Even though I played a lot, general training with the best players in Ukraine helped me a lot in the future.

***

– Will you come to the national team to qualify for the Olympic Games?

– Yes. Vitaly Stepanovsky called, we talked. When we got together, the coach told me about his plans for the national team. “Of course I will,” I replied.

– What are your expectations from the Olympics qualifying?

– I want to win. I think we will change our offense and defense a little bit. This should be good for the team. Everyone knows what Vitaly Stepanovsky is as a coach: responsible, demanding first of all from himself and only then from the players. It may be difficult for us at first. But I am sure we will pass this stage.

FBU. Artem Pustovoy

– Have you crossed paths with the current head coach of the Ukrainian team in Khimik before?

– Yes, at that time he was Zvezdan Mitrovic’s assistant. He did a lot of exploratory work, helped us in the analysis of competitors. Vitaly Stepanovsky is constantly learning from every coach he works with, he learned something new for himself. He loves basketball and is dedicated to his work.

An indicator of his talent is the victory of “Khimik” in the Ukrainian championship in 2015, despite not having the largest budget in the tournament.

– What do you consider the success of the pre-selection for our team?

– Go further, qualify. It cannot be said that we will go to the tournament in August to win a game or two. I believe that getting to the next round should be considered a success. And then there is the transition to the Olympics. Success in the Olympics will be the exit from the group anyway.

– Do you plan to play in the national team after the Olympic Games? What is your personal wish?

– My desire? I would still play and play for our national team. I want to play in the national team. I have always enjoyed going there. Well, there – how will it be. If they call, I will always come. And I will come at 35 and 40.

***

Let’s go back to club basketball. Can you tell us how you came to the Spanish championship?

– Obradoiro wanted to sign me a year before he moved – in 2014. But then the club wouldn’t let me go. After winning the championship, the club president came up to me at a banquet and said the club would let me go if I made an offer. Another offer came from Obradoiro. And a week later we agreed to go to Spain.

– What were your impressions when you first took the field in a stronger European championship?

The hall was full of people. We played at home Before the match, the audience sang the club’s anthem. It gives a lot of energy when five thousand people sing and support it. I like that every hall is full here, people come and get sick to the end. It doesn’t matter if you lose or win.

We fought to survive the first year and with only one round left of the regular season, we kept our records for the next season. When we flew home, 20-30 people greeted us. At the time, I thought to myself: “Is it normal? We almost flew out.” Another 200 fans were waiting for us outside the arena. I didn’t understand what was happening. We fought for the last row, but people greet us as heroes. It was good.

– How did Barcelona come to you?

– I finished the third season in the ACB league. He started as the third center overall in Spain, then spent 5-6 games in second place. And then they started to release me in the beginning. My third season was pretty successful (34 games, 26 minutes; 11.1 points; 5.9 rebounds), then Barcelona came to me. We signed a three-year contract already in June 2018.

– How did you find this experience?

– The first two seasons were a complete failure due to the lack of playing time. I played more in the third year, but that’s not what I wanted. In my first year, I was patient and calm. In the second year, things got even worse. He approached the coach and asked me to leave. But he refused.

Overall the experience is interesting but I wanted to play. Yes, the performances in the Euroleague were unbeatable, but I was disappointed that I didn’t play enough.

– If you could turn back time, what would you choose: a smaller team but constant practice or would you leave everything unchanged in Barcelona?

– Playing. If I had known that I would play there so little, I would not have signed a contract. But it is impossible to know in advance. I went with great ambitions to show myself. But – it turned out as it is.

Barcelona BC. Artem Pustovoy

– What positive moments would you like to highlight during your stay in Barcelona?

– This is participation in the Euroleague. Especially last year. Then our main center got injured and I played 15-20 minutes (8.7 points; 2.8 rebounds). Yes, and just sign up for one of the best clubs in Europe, work with experts, see inside how this organization works. Being in the same dressing room with great players and managers: Ante Tomic, Navarro (as team manager), Mirotic.

– Can you tell us about your situation when you played against Real Madrid?

– Yes, as usual. I’m trying to keep my head cool or unnecessary emotions and energy will ruin everything. Before the game, you shouldn’t set the bar for yourself to go out and smash everyone right away. When I’m on the field, I clear my head even before the warm-up game. Now there is no such thing as “let me go out” and “tear” that man from Madrid. I prepare the same for every opponent and come out with a clear, calm head. When I go to the game like this, it develops successfully for both the team and me.

– What do you remember about Sarunas Jasikevicius?

We worked together last year. Sometimes it was too much, but very demanding from the players. Probably not always useful. Jasikevicius always wants to make the most of it. For example, when a team scores 20 points, someone yells when they make a mistake, and yells when a team loses and someone makes a mistake. This is not always good for basketball players.

– Is this one of your strongest coaches?

– As a coach, as an expert, he knows a lot, worked hard. Jasikevicius is tired of basketball – that’s all he has. He learned a lot from Zeljko Obradovic, under whose leadership he played for Panathinaikos – this is one of his best coaches. It looks like Obradovic adopted this aggressive style of the coach who screamed for 40 minutes while the match was going on and no matter what.

If he had come to Barcelona sooner, I think I would have played more. Because he spent two years on the bench before him. Training is training, but I lost my game rhythm and self-confidence. He gave me a chance. I wanted to use it, but I got a little lost, I couldn’t find my rhythm. I needed time for this. But this time he wasn’t – an ambitious coach. He let him play but not too much.

– Does Sarunas Jasikevicius remind you of yourself? Maybe he’s the one who will inspire you to become a coach over time?

– If I become a coach, I will not be so “crazy”. I’m going to let my players breathe a bit, because it’s the constant screaming with it. If I become a coach, I will check myself more often. But I didn’t think about it. Focusing on the player’s career.

– What would you recommend now to young basketball players, who may not be able to do everything right away?

– Keep working. Listen to the coach’s instructions, do his exercises, do not pay attention to anything else. And business. You also need to go to the game and help your team. Don’t think I’m going out now and getting 100 points. But take the field with the idea of ​​helping your team.

Vyacheslav Shevchenko