POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Cory Higgins
He started oversees career in Moscow, and after one year experience in Turkey, he is back in Moscow but with a much bigger club, maybe the biggest. This is a story of Cory Higgins (195-G-89, college: Colorado) so far and he gave an exclusive interview Eurobasket.com Turkey, like he did last year.
In an interview with eurobasket.com one year ago, you mentioned that you were focused on playing as good as possible and then you would see where this fact was going to take you in season 2015/16. It took you to CSKA Moscow, was this something you expected?
As I said one year ago, I don't expect anything for the future. I stay in the present and whatever is meant be in the future will work itself out. The fact that last year took me to CSKA Moscow is great and I'm grateful for the opportunity. Now I am here and I have that same mindset going forward.
At the same interview you mentioned that you wanted people to know you are much more than a scorer. This year, besides scoring you also have the major defensive role in guards doing a great job stopping the best guard of the opponent. How comfortable are you with this role and how was the transition to this role?
I am extremely comfortable with this role, I always have been. I believe I showed last year in the very powerful Turkish league that I can contribute both on offense and on defense and I am comfortable doing it at the highest Euroleague level as well. The transition was easy because it's always something I knew I could do and have shown at different points in my career. Now that I'm on a bigger stage, I feel that people will respect that fact now.
Just a few days before your first final-4, how do you feel about your presence there?
People always ask me about how I feel about me first Euroleague experience, first big club, first final four, ect... I have been around basketball all my life and learned from some of the best. At the end of the day it's a basketball game and I feel good about it.
This might be one of the first times that Cska is not considered the indisputable favourite of the final-4 and the first time the team is not built with too many superstars but with good chemistry and roles. How do you see your chances of wining the entire thing?
I feel that everyone in our locker room is confident. We have great guys and like you said great chemistry. We will be locked into the game plan and everyone will be ready to contribute. Therefore I like our chances.
This is your first year in Euroleague, how different is it playing in Euroleague and especially how different is it playing for a huge euroleague club which has all this pressure of succeeding in everything?
Euroleague is different because every game is a big game. Therefore you can expect maximum effort from both sides every game. The difference here is that you are expected to win every game. I think Cska is careful in who they decide to bring here, needing high character guys that can handle this type of pressure. I feel that the pressure makes you more focused and makes play better so it has been fun.
Coach Dimitris Itoudis is considered one of the best coaches in Euroleague being also watched by NBA clubs. You have experienced many NBA coaches and also European ones, How has coach Dimitris Itoudis helped you improve your game? And how do you compare him to the NBA coaches and the NBA style of coaching?
I think that he has has helped my basketball IQ grow. If you are playing for coach Dimitris Itoudis , as soon as you walk in the building you have to be mentally locked in. Even if you are practicing 5 on 0 offense he is challenging you to visualize what defense you will play against and make the correct read. I always felt I had a high basketball IQ but he has made me smarter. The style of coaching is completely different in Europe as to the NBA. In Europe it is all about the club and the coach has more power, while in the NBA it is more about the players and the coach doesn't have as much power. In the NBA it's all about how coaches can get their players to want to play for them. Coach Dimitris Itoudis ' personality and style of coaching is like the NBA and allows for that to happen
