Euroleague.net interview: Kaya Peker, Efes Pilsen

May 25, 2012

EUROLEAGUE INTERVIEWS 2005-2006

by: Gokhan Ture, Istanbul

November 28, 2005

He has already started off by proving this is no ordinary season for him and by the time it's over, the Euroleague MVP for November, Kaya Peker of Efes Pilsen, hopes to prove it is not going to be the same ending for his team, either. Peker and Efes have found themselves on the doorstep of the Final Four for three consecutive seasons. Far from letting that bring them down, the Turkish champs are more unified than ever after starting the Euroleague season 4-0 in Group B. As Peker says in this Euroleague.net interview, he and Efes are taking every game seriously on the path to their ultimate goal: the Final Four. "The biggest advantage in Efes is that there's no difference between the foreign players and the Turkish players," Peker told Euroleague.net. "We are all very good friends, like brothers. When friendship is at the highest level, then success is just a step away."

Congratulations, Kaya. Efes Pilsen has finished the first month undefeated and you have been chosen the MVP for November. How does it feel to be recognized with this honor?

"I really feel very happy right now. It's a big honor for me to be selected as the player of the month in this kind of tough competition. And it's plus big motivation for me to be recognized for my work on the court. I have been hoping to win the award, but since I didn't win the MVP of the week so far this season, this makes me a little surprised, too."

Efes has had longer Euroleague winning streaks than four games in recent years, but having beaten teams like Maccabi and Barcelona, do you consider this start to the season a big accomplishment?

"Well, it's really very important for us to start the season like this. Of course, we beat very important opponents like Maccabi and Barcelona, but those games we played on our home court. I think we only did what we must do. As a team that is aiming for the Final Four, we cannot handle a loss at home. We have had a really good start, for sure. But the most important thing is to keep going like this."

Efes won these four games by an average of just over 3 points. Does that show how strong Group B is?

"Of course. Each game we have played in our group until now has been more difficult than the last. We defeated Armani Jeans Milano away, but it was as tough as the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. It was also the same in the game against Olympiacos away. So that means that there's no such thing as a weak team in our group. By the way, it doesn't matter for us to win by 20 points or 2 points. Winning is better than losing in any case."

Let's talk about your expanding role: You are playing more minutes than ever and your stats are improving with the added time. How do you like the extra responsibility you are getting?

"I did my homework very well during the summer. The European championships was great extra preparation for the Euroleague in my case. I played very well for the national team and I took that as a sign that I could play more time than in previous seasons in the Euroleague. So my minutes expanded naturally. It's not a surprise for me. I'm always trying to do my job in the best way."

At 25, entering the prime of your career after five seasons at Efes, as long as any other player, do you see yourself becoming a team leader?

"I agree with that. I'm spending my sixth season with Efes and have become a very experienced player with the team. I'm a kind of leader at the position I play and also with my experience. But the system in Efes Pilsen can bring responsibility and a leadership role to any player on the team, depending on the game. There's no doubt that I'm ready for any kind of challenge and responsibility in the difficult moments."

It's true that you always seem very calm under pressure. How do you handle stress in the critical moments?

"It's my type of personality that you see on the court. I'm very calm in every situation. This is my character and an extra advantage for me. And I'm trying to use that advantage during the games. Our coach, Oktay Mahmuti, decides who is going to take the last steps in the critical moments. But I can honestly say that I always enjoy myself when I take the last shot or a very critical free throw in the game. It's my nature."

Efes has had great success in the Euroleague, but we all know that the club's true goal is the Final Four. Is that something you think about a lot?

"I'm always dreaming about that goal. I've only been to a Final Four only of the SuproLeague in Paris, but I felt the excellent atmosphere there. We have been coming so close and missing at the last step the last three years. It was always a last-second three-pointer or something else like it that kept us out of the Final Four. But this time, we are highly motivated as a team and trying to do everything we can to reach our target."

Having come within a step or two of the Final Four each of the last three seasons, do you feel frustration from not making it or confidence from having come so close?

"We were very disappointed especially when we lost the chance two years ago, losing to Climamio with a three-pointer by Gianluca Basile at the last second in Bologna. This was a real big disappointment for us. It was a really incredible three-pointer and Basile was really on fire. So we have lost our chance always in the last minute. But this season, we are making our steps very carefully and patiently. Our first target is to reach the Top 16 on top of this group."

Efes has resisted big changes from year to year, putting its trust in the same coach and several players who have been with the team several years, or even come back to it. How much does that trust and continuity help the team?

"It's really not easy to resist big changes and still stand strong. The main thing is to select the right players to replace those who leave. Efes Pilsen is really expert at selecting the right players in the right place and that pays off in results on the court. When they are selecting a player, they are making a character choice, also. I have to say also that the backbone of the team is also nearly the same since than many years. The biggest advantage in Efes is that there's no difference between the foreign players and the Turkish players. We are all very good friends, like brothers. When friendship is at the highest level, then success is just a step away."

Is there anything different about Efes this season that can help you make that extra step to the Final Four?

"The biggest difference from the past is our will. We want to make the Final Four more than any time before. And if you look at the past couple of seasons, you can see how big our desire was. It would not be precise to say that Efes Pilsen is stronger than previous seasons. We are not the kind of team to have a lot of specialists, like Maccabi Tel Aviv. But we are a very good team. When we come together, we can beat any rival."

Of course, that big goal is several months away. What do you and the rest of your team need to do now in order to be ready for the most decisive games when the time comes?

"We are taking all the games one by one. Another advantage for us this season is the toughness of the Turkish League. We are unbeaten in the Euroleague but already have lost two games in the Turkish League. So the games in the Turkish League are giving us good exercise. We've had a good Euroleague streak winning against very strong teams. But we still have plenty of games that are as hard as those were. We need to keep going forward like this with the same motivation."