David thanks for sitting with us. Where are you now and how is your basketball summer going?
Thanks for allowing me to speak with you. I am currently back in the U.S training in North Carolina. Basketball has been going very well. Since I've been back home I've taken a few vacation trips to spend time with my friends and family but now it's back to training . I've been also playing in a local Summer League, against college and professional talent getting ready for the upcoming season. The summer is a time to relax and rest but I love to use this time to work on things in my game, so staying in the gym is a must for me.
How have you found this season in the Tauron Basket Liga?Any changes you would make?
I really enjoyed my season in the Tauron Basket Liga. At first I didn't know what to expect but soon learned it's a very competitive league! I felt that there was a high level of play from all teams. During the last stages of the season, each team showed they had a lot of talent and were good enough to make a push for the championship. I was exciting to see so many close series in the playoffs. I also liked how there was much more television coverage of the league games. This made it a lot easier for friends and family to watch the games. I loved the fans of the Polish league! Almost every arena was full of loud cheering fans. Poland made it very clear they were passionate about their sports! This made it a very fun environment and brought more energy to every game! I wish there was more of a break to allow foreigners to travel home to spend time with family during the Christmas holidays. A lot of players are fathers with families and would love to spend valuable time with their children. Domestic players with less travel get to spend this special time with family. Why can't foreigners? This would also allow players to rest mentally and physically, to better prepare for the playoff race.
Last season you started in Greece, then moved to Lithuania. Where would you rank Polish basketball? Where do you see it going in the near future?
Comparing the leagues after my time in Greece and Lithuania, I see Poland moving up in rank among other countries in Europe. Greece and Lithuania both have a very strong tradition in basketball, playing very well in all European leagues, including the Euro-Championships and the Olympics. I feel the level of Poland has increased tremendously. I have gotten to play with and against a few of the talented Polish National Team players and they are very skilled! I am proud to say that I played in Poland and I believe many others feel the same way! Construction of new arenas will only make the sport even more popular. There are several teams that are very solid now, full of local and foreign talent and have strong ambitions to excel at the international level. I was really impressed with the young Polish prospects that will develop into great players in the future. The future for Polish basketball is very bright!
How do you like living in Slupsk?
Slupsk was amazing! Loved my time there! The fans of Energa Czarni Slupsk are the best in Poland! It may be a smaller city but the fans love basketball! In Slupsk you feel like you are part of the community. The games are always sold out and when I was out in the city, I always got attention from fans wanting the very best for our team. Gryfia hall made it almost impossible for opponents to play comfortably due to the crowd hassling their every move! It is a beautiful city with a lot of history, close to the sea and of course strong basketball!
Who do you look up to as a player?
As a player I look up to Amare Stoudemire. Not only does he play the same position and similar playing style, but I love how he plays with passion every time he is on the court. He dunks hard, I dunk hard; sending a message to the opponent. I try to pattern my game around his and how aggressive he plays. He's athletic, a leader by example and is a great person off the court doing many great things in the community. His focus and intensity serves as a model of how I want to be as a player.
You're 25-year old player. What can we expect from David Weaver in the near future? Would you say that your game has improved?
Yes, I'll be 25 this season and I am looking for a major jump in productivity and improvement to my overall game. This summer I have really concentrated on extending my shooting range so I can be more of a danger on the perimeter. Inside play with a lot of powerful dunks will always be my main focus, but you will see a more versatile player who can play both forward and center positions. I feel that my game has improved tremendously since getting to Europe. Having success at the EuroCup level and competing in various leagues has taught me many things and made my game much better.
What are you plans for the upcoming season 2012/2013?
This season I am committed to competing for a league title. I hate to lose and I set my expectations very high for myself and my team. Winning a title of some kind is what I have my eye set on. At the moment I have not decided where I will play, but I plan on giving my team all I have to win! Plan to still see high-flying dunks and hard play from me! Do you want to share anything with your fans?
I would just like to thanks all my fans for always showing me support! Please continue to support and I promise to give it all I have. I love hearing from fans so feel free to follow my progress via my Facebook or Vimeo fan-page. Stay tuned for more exciting play and the best is yet to come!
Maciej Lampe selected the top Polish players playing abroad in last week's games - May 20, 2013
POSTED BY:
EUROBASKET CENTER
follow us on
Here is the weekly review of the top performing Polish players, who play currently abroad. This week's number one is an international power forward Maciej Lampe (211-85), who plays in the Spanish ACB. He could not help Caja Laboral (25-9) in their last game. Despite Lampe's very good performance Caja Laboral lost 94-99 on the road to the much lower-ranked (#10) CB Canarias.
[read more]
Here is the weekly review of the top performing Polish players, who play currently abroad.
#1. This week's number one is an international power forward Maciej Lampe (211-85, currently plays in Spain), who plays in the Spanish ACB. He could not help Caja Laboral (25-9) in their last game. Despite Lampe's very good performance Caja Laboral lost 94-99 on the road to the much lower-ranked (#10) CB Canarias.
He was the second best scorer with 25 points. Lampe also added 5 rebounds in 28 minutes on the court.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be critical.
Lampe has relatively good stats this year: 12.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 2FGP: 56.2%(149-265), 3FGP: 30.8% and FT: 86.1% in the 32 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Polish and Swedish.
Lampe is currently a member of the Polish senior national team.
#2. Second place goes to an international swingman Thomas Kelati (195-82, agency: Beo Basket, college: Washington St., currently plays in Spain). He contributed to a Valencia Basket's victory against the closely-ranked Gescrap BB (19-15) 72-61 in the Spanish ACB last Sunday.
Kelati scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
Valencia Basket (22-12) is placed fourth in the ACB.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial.
This season Kelati has relatively solid stats: 11.3ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.8apg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 55.1%(38-69), 3FGP: 41.5% and FT: 91.9%(34-37).
He is another player who holds two passports: Eritrean and Polish.
Ex-BOT Turow Zgorzelec player is in the roster of the Polish senior national team.
#3. The Polish player who performed third best last week abroad was an international center Szymon Szewczyk (209-82, currently plays in Italy), who plays in the Italian SerieA. Szewczyk was not able to help Umana Venezia (16-14) in their last game. Despite his very good performance Umana Venezia lost 79-93 in Varese to the leading Cimberio.
Szewczyk was the second best scorer with 15 points. He also added 6 rebounds in 24 minutes.
Szewczyk has reliable stats this year: 12.0ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 57.3%(90-157), 3FGP: 38.0% and FT: 82.4% in the 32 games.
He is also a member of the Polish senior national team.
#4. Guard David Logan (185-82, college: Indianapolis, currently plays in Israel) helped Maccabi T-A win their game against the second-ranked Hapoel Tel-Aviv (13-14) 80-67 in a derby game in the Israeli Winner League in Sunday night's game.
Logan scored 8 points.
It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in group Places 1-6. Maccabi Electra Tel-Aviv (22-5) is placed first.
It's Logan's first season with the team.
His stats this year are: 10.9ppg, 2.0rpg and 1.9apg.
Logan is a naturalized American.
He used to play for the Polish national team
back in 2009. Logan played also for WTK Anwil Wloclawek in Polish league.
#5. Former U18 international center Szymon Lukasiak (208-87, agency: Promotex, college: Jacksonville, currently plays in Portugal), who plays in the Portuguese LPB was not able to secure a victory for Academica (15-5) in their last game on Sunday. Despite his very good performance Academica was crushed 94-62 on the opponent's court by the leading Benfica.
Lukasiak was the top scorer with 21 points. He also added 5 rebounds.
Lukasiak is ranked fifth on the list of the best blockers in the league.
He has very reliable stats this season: 11.4ppg and 4.6rpg.
Lukasiak used to play for the Polish U18 national team
eight years ago.
#6. Forward Aleksander Czyz (200-90, agency: Priority Sports, college: Nevada, currently plays in Italy) couldn't help Lottomatica Roma (20-10) in their game against Trenkwalder RE (18-12) in the Italian SerieA.
He scored 8 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Lottomatica Roma was badly defeated 89-69 in Reggio Emilia by the lower-ranked (#6) Trenkwalder RE.
This year Czyz averages: 6.4ppg and 4.0rpg in the 35 games.
He is an international player who is currently on the senior Polish National Team roster.
#7. An experienced international forward Michal Ignerski (207-80, agency: Stanley International, college: Mississippi St., currently plays in Italy) couldn't help Banco di Sardegna Sassari (22-8) in their game against Cantu (17-13) in the Italian SerieA.
Ignerski recorded 6 points.
Banco di Sardegna Sassari was edged 82-80 on the opponent's court by the lower-ranked Cantu (#7).
Ignerski's stats this season are: 12.2ppg and 4.7rpg.
He is also Polish national team player.
#8. Power forward Jakub Wojciechowski (210-90, currently plays in Italy) was the major contributor in Torino's victory against the 13th-ranked Recanati (16-18) crushing them 93-64 in the Italian Nazionale A (third division) on Sunday night.
Wojciechowski scored 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 27 minutes.
PMS Torino (26-8) is placed first in the Nazionale A.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
They will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is quite important.
Wojciechowski averaged so far 14.9ppg, 9.1rpg and 1.1spg in the 34 games.
He plays currently for the Polish national team.
#9. International point guard Robert Skibniewski (183-83, currently plays in Slovakia) couldn't help Inter Bratislava (20-15) in their game against Komarno (24-11) in the Slovakian Extraliga.
Skibniewski scored 6 points and added 3 passes.
Inter Bratislava was edged 73-72 at home by the second-ranked Komarno.
Skibniewski is currently sixth on the league's list of best passers.
His overall stats this season are: 6.4ppg, 1.6rpg, 4.7apg and 1.1spg.
Skibniewski is also in the roster of the Polish national team.
The list of other players, who all have Polish passport but never been selected to any of Polish national teams:
#1.Gal Mekel (190-PG-88, college: Wichita St., currently plays in Israel) contributed to a Maccabi Haifa's victory against the leader Galil Gilboa (14-13) 93-87 in the Israeli Winner League last Thursday.
He had a double-double by scoring 10 points and making the same number of passes. Mekel also added and 3 steals in 36 minutes.
It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in group Places 1-6. Maccabi Bazan Haifa (17-10) is placed third.
Mekel is ranked fourth on the list of the best passers in the league with 5.0apg.
This year he also averages: 13.1ppg, 2.6rpg and 1.3spg in the 24 games he played so far.
Mekel has a dual citizenship: Polish and Israeli.
#2.Konrad Wysocki (201-F-82, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Princeton, currently plays in Germany), who plays in the German BBL could not help EWE Baskets (25-9) to beat Telekom Baskets (18-16).
Wysocki recorded 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
EWE Baskets was defeated 88-82 on the road by the lower-ranked Telekom Baskets (#8).
Wysocki's overall stats this season are: 6.4ppg and 3.4rpg.
He is another player who holds two passports: Polish and German.
#3.Francis Jonathan Han (185-G-87, college: Fairfield, currently plays in Puerto Rico) managed to help Cangrejeros de Santurce in a victory against the seventh-ranked Brujos (10-11) 102-93 in the Puerto Rican BSN last Sunday.
Han recorded only 4 points, 4 rebounds and 11 assists in 32 minutes.
Cangrejeros de Santurce (15-6) is placed first in the BSN.
It was his team's seventh consecutive victory in a row.
This year Han's overall stats are: 1.3ppg, 2.2rpg and 2.5apg in the 21 games.
He has both Polish and Puerto Rican nationalities.
Polish National Team 2013
Chylinski
Czyz
Dloniak
Gielo
Gortat
Michal Chylinski190-PG-86PGE Turow
Aleksander Czyz200-F-90Acea Virtus RM
Jakub Dloniak192-F-83Siarka Jezioro
Tomasz Gielo206-F-93Liberty
Marcin Gortat211-C-84Phoenix Suns
Adam Hrycaniuk206-C-84Valencia
Michal Ignerski207-F-80Banco di Sard [read more]
Polish U20 National Team 2013
Grzelinski
Grochowski
Kowalczyk
Schenk
Michalak
Jan Grzelinski180-PG-94WKK Wroclaw
Grzegorz Grochowski180-PG-93MKS DG
Sebastian Kowalczyk190-PG-93Start Gdynia
Jakub Schenk185-PG-94Rosa Radom
Michal Michalak196-SG-93Trefl Sopot
Mateusz Ponitka196-G/F-93Asseco Prok [read more]
Copyright (c) 1998-2013 Eurobasket Inc. Disclaimer
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site !
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the site, nor will you attempt to do so.
