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Petteri Koponen, the 30th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft who was acquired by the Trail Blazers from the Philadelphia 76ers, recently lead his team in Finland, the Honka Espoo Playboys, to a second consecutive championship while also earning league MVP honors. Koponen is now back in Portland preparing for the Las Vegas Summer League with hopes of making the regular season roster. Trailblazers.com's Casey Holdahl caught up with Koponen after a recent workout to discuss playing in Finland, the improvements he's made over the last year, spending time in the Finnish army and and his plans for the future.
Casey Holdahl: What are you working on improving right now?
Petteri Koponen: I’m working on getting ready for the summer league, that I’m ready there. I’m not sure about next week if I’m going to Gonzanga for a camp. I will go there, maybe. I’m not sure.
Casey:Are there any specific skills that you’re focusing on?
Petteri: Not really, just how I have to do different things in the NBA, because there’s some things you can’t do there that I can do in Europe. Some little details to get my game better, but nothing special. Just shooting and getting ready.
CaseyHow was your season in Finland?
Petteri: We won the championship again, and I played good. I was player of the year in my league. I think the last year was good for me. I got lots of playing time and I think I got stronger. Everything moved a little bit forward and that’s good. I played lots of minutes and I improved my stats. I think I played well and I improved a lot.
Casey: Did you improve on your shot? Ball handling?
Petteri: I think so. I have one more year of experience. I worked hard over there with my coach, who is also here. We worked hard and I had that as my goal that I would get into the league this year. I think I improved a lot last year.
Casey: What do you think your chances are of making the roster this year?
Petteri: We’ll see in the summer league, but I’m confident. But we’ll see in the summer league what happens.
Casey: Do you follow the Blazers back home?
Petteri: Of course. I downloaded a lot of games because they didn’t show a lot of games in Finland. I had to watch them through the internet, especially when these guys won 13 in a row. That was amazing.
Casey: Is there anything unique that you bring to the point guard position that the Blazers don’t already have?
Petteri: There are lots of point guards right now, three good guards. I didn’t say it would be easy to be on the team, but I’m confident. I can bring lots of passing and I can read the game and make other players better. I think that’s my strength. I think I can lead the team on offense. That is my strength. All of them are good guards but I think I can challenge them for playing time.
Casey:Some think the Blazers don't currently have a point guard that can get the team to the next . Do you think you might be that player?
Petteri: I hope so. I’m working on it. I’m still 20, so I’m not sure it will be this year or next year, but that is my goal. I want to help take the team to the next level.
Casey: How would you categorize your defense?
Petteri: We improved that in the last year. Of course, there are lots of quick guys in the NBA, but I’m bigger than them. And when I can get my body a little more physical I think I’ll be ready for them.
Casey: Have you been working on your body?
Petteri: Of course. When I was here last year they said that’s my goal and something I should be working on. We did lots of work on that. The first day when I came here they said “Oh, you are taller and bigger and you look good.” So I think I did some good things.
Casey: Have you grown a little bit?
Petteri: That’s what they all say, but I’m not sure. I don’t know. They said that Steve Blake is like 6-4 and that I look taller than him. But I don’t know.
Casey: I read that you had some offers to play for other teams in Europe.
PK: I think it’s up to [the Blazers] what I will do. Of course, I have to keep my options open in Europe. We’ll see if the NBA is an option for next year. Right now my goal is to work hard now and play good in the summer league and show the Trail Blazers management what I can do and be on the team next year. Like I said, I have to also keep that Europe option open. There are lots of teams who want to get me and I have to be ready for that if the NBA doesn’t happen this year.
Casey: Are you looking to play outside of Finland next year?
Petteri: Sure. I think now I have to take the next step and play in the good leagues. If it’s not the NBA, then I have to go to Europe. The only problem is that the teams want to make long contracts and then it’s much harder to get to the NBA after that because there are big buyouts. That’s tough. That’s why I’m looking to make the team this year.
Casey: Did you come in early because you wanted to make a good impression?
Petteri: Yeah. Actually, they asked me if I could come earlier and practice. They want to see what I can do in practice and be ready for summer league.
Casey: How was your experience in the military?
Petteri: We have to do that in Finland. Everybody has to do that one year. Now I’ve done that and it’s over, so I’m free to leave.
Casey: Was it hard?
Petteri: Well, it was hard, especially when you’ve slept like, four hours then you go to the forest to do something with those big packs, they you go to play basketball after that. Sometimes I felt real tired. The army where I was was like the sports army for the best athletes in Finland. It wasn’t like the normal army where you have to go four weeks in a row then you get one day off and go back. It was more like I had good chances to practice and play.
Casey: It looks like you’ve gotten stronger. Did being in the military help build your body?
Petteri: I don’t think so. I can say that the military was good. If we had a game and I played bad, when I went to military I didn’t have to think about other things because I had to focus on the army stuff.
Casey: What kind of response do you get from people in Finland? How well known are you over there?
Petteri: Well, basketball isn’t that big in Finland. It’s like the third biggest sport there behind hockey and soccer. Hockey is huge there. But I can say that I’m pretty well known because there are not a lot of NBA players from Finland.
Casey: So if you’re walking down the street do people say, “Hey, there’s Petteri Koponen!”
Petteri: Yes. Somebody might say that, especially little kids. Young people who especially like sports know me. Sometimes it’s not very fun when you’re in a shop and somebody comes up to you, but I think it is part of this and you have to just accept it.
http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Q__A_wi ... -1218.html |
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