Ben Kovac’s first season as a professional basketball player is in the books. The national team player has played a season with the Den Helder Suns in the Netherlands.
What conclusions can you draw from your first season as a professional player?
It was a great experience overall. In a semi-professional league like Luxembourg, you can not completely focus on basketball 100% since you have to think about other things all the time. I really enjoyed this experience of focusing completely on basketball for a year. My coach trusted me and I was able to play well for a first season as a professional player.
Was it a good decision to choose Den Helder as your first destination?
Yes, it was a good decision, I have no regrets since I am in the best possible situation for myself here in the Netherlands. My agent Misch Engel and myself were looking for a club where I can develop as a player and that was the case. I am taking better decisions on the court and I have gained a lot of confidence. Especially on the defensive end, I became a faster and better player, I have always been a scorer so that was easier for me.
Your team was eliminated in the first play-off round, how do you evaluate the season as a team?
With a complete team, I think we could have passed the first round, that would have been a possible goal. At one point this season, we had only 7 players available and we could not practice 5 on 5. These circumstances made it difficult for us to have a better result in the end. However, we had great wins during the season against some of the top teams.
How much basketball do you watch on a daily basis? What role does it play for you as a player to get better?
Like nearly all basketball players, I follow a lot of pages on social media where I can watch highlights every day, even from lower ranked leagues. Personally, during the season, we get film-material from other opponents, strengths and weaknesses of every player so that we can watch a lot of tape to prepare for the game(s). I watch basketball every day, I grew up as an NBA fan and that is the league I am following the most, even if I agree with my friends and other players that the Euroleague is more fun to watch. My favorite teams are the New York Knicks (that finally made the play-off again) and the Portland Trail Blazers because my favorite player Carmelo Anthony is playing for them. As a team, we regularly watch Euroleague games to see how these teams on the highest European level play. If you pay attention to detail, you can see the little things like how they set screens or other small things that make a big difference in a basketball game. Our coach always talks about that little things decide the games and if you watch how the top teams communicate or defend etc. you can try to copy some of their things on the court.
Your contract ended at the end of the season. What can you tell us about your future?
I like the situation I am in here at Den Helder and next season the Beneleague (championship cohesion between the Netherlands and Belgium) will start which makes the league even more interesting. I will talk to my agent and we will take the best decision this off-season, you never know what offers will appear. My dream is to play in the Euroleague one day. Some people might call me fool for that goal, but if you work hard, I think it is a possible goal. However, I am concentrated and focused on the moment. Playing in the German Bundesliga might also be interesting.
