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Euroleague.net interview: Esteban Batista, Maccabi Elite
On a per-minute basis, very few Euroleague players this season can claim to outperform a newcomer who arrived late from a country that never had a Euroleague player before.
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
0 Name:
Esteban
Batista
Frankie Sachs, Euroleague.net
Maccabi Elite
Interview
On a per-minute basis, very few Euroleague players this season can claim to outperform a newcomer who arrived late from a country that never had a Euroleague player before. Esteban Batista of Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv has been 15 minutes per night of pure gold for the Israeli champs, especially after All-Euroleague center Nikola Vujcic was injured early in the season. Since then, and through a coaching change, Maccabi has climbed to an early Top 16 berth with Batista coming off the bench for 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in just 15 minutes per night. Although he hasn’t been around too long, Batista knows what the people of Tel Aviv expect from Maccabi. In the Euroleague.net interview, Batista talks about his past, what it was like joining Maccabi and why the team has improved recently. But more than anything else, he reminds everyone what the goal for the Israeli champ is. “It’s the same as with my team and all the people in Maccabi: To make the Final Four,” he told Euroleague.net. “We didn’t start well, but now we are in a good position in the group and since we are playing better, I think we can do it.”
Hi Esteban. As a late addition to Maccabi, how is your first Euroleague experience going for you this season?
“It was like a really good surprise, because when I first came over hear, I didn’t really have an idea about the Euroleague or Maccabi. And the team is really good and the league is at a really high level. So I am really happy to be a part of the Euroleague.”
Your route to the Euroleague is a unique one, from Uruguay to the second division in Spain, to the NBA and back again to one of Europe's historic teams. How do you handle so many interesting transitions?
“In the past years my career has changed a lot because I was playing in the second division in Spain then also came to the NBA. And after the NBA I come to one of the best teams in Europe. And this is a great opportunity to be here. I decided to come to Europe because I didn’t get a chance to play in the NBA and here I can prove that I can play.”
Other South American players have had big success in Europe, but you are the first Euroleague player from Uruguay. How much attention does your basketball success get back home in Montevideo?
 “Everybody there knows the Euroleague. Everybody watches the Euroleague games. They only get one game a week, but everybody watches. And now that I’m here, everybody wants to what’s going on, to see if my team loses or my team wins. Or whatever. So they are paying a lot of attention to the Euroleague."
When you first left Uruguay, it was to sign with Real Madrid, but you were loaned to smaller clubs in Spain. Were you disappointed at the time, and how did you overcome that?
“Well, I was too young. I was just 19 years old. And I only began playing basketball when I was 15, so I really only had three or four years of experience. They sent me to a smaller team and I understood that wanted to see me play more. It was nice to be a part of Real Madrid, but it doesn’t really count because I never played there. But I’m really happy with my situation now.”
Maccabi has turned around a tough start to the season, including a coaching change. How has the change of coaches affected you?
“I think the change of coaches was really great for the Maccabi players. We started the season with great energy. I don’t want to say the other coach was bad, but we had to find where we were going. And now I think we are starting to feel more energy from the coach and to play more aggressive on defense. I think that’s the change with the new coach. Right now I think the team is going well, but we still have a lot to work on to get better.”
Now that you have seen the competition and what you can do here, what are your personal goals for the rest of this season?
“For me it’s the same as with my team and all the people in Maccabi: To make the Final Four. We didn’t start well, but now we are in a good position in the group and since we are playing better, I think we can do it.”
For most of your time at Maccabi, All-Euroleague center Nikola Vujcic has been injured, but now you might play together starting this week in Zagreb. What can fans expect when you are both on the floor together?
 “I don’t know. I think Nikola is a great player. For example, before he was injured, I felt really comfortable playing with him. I think he’s in really good shape right now and I think it will be great for the team. We need a player like Nikola. Everybody knows what qualities he has and I think he’ll be great for us.”
Maccabi has one of its deepest frontcourts ever, with five big guys. As a player, do you appreciate the team's depth or is it frustrating as it takes away from your playing time?
“I think it’s good for us. You know, maybe we have too many bigs, and the game time for us is a little bit less, but if in the game it helps the team to win, it’s really good for us. And we all really want to win. The most important thing for us all is that Maccabi Tel Aviv is in the Final Four. We have five really good big men and we have to use them all.”
You are second in the Euroleague in offensive rebounds per minute. How do you describe your talent for grabbing offensive boards?
“It’s something natural, you know. I try to be there. That’s my way of playing. It’s one of the best things I do.”
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