The American Guard is aware of some of the people's anger about the citizenship he has received, but that does not stop him from feeling connected • He is not moved by the criticism of the defense, waiting for the audience and talking about the book he is going to publish • Hapoel Haifa's
Rochesti.
"I wanted to return to Israel"
Photography:
Maor Alexelsi
The signing of Taylor Rochesti at Hapoel Haifa is one of the surprising moves in Israeli basketball in recent years, one that constitutes statements of intent on the part of the newcomer: she is here to stay.
"It all started with my desire to play in Israel," Rochesti told Israel Today in the first interview since returning to Israel, how he came to Hapoel Haifa. "It was clear to us that we wanted to return here, because we love this place, especially right now with the Corona "And the situation in the world. I started talking to teams, and as soon as I got in touch with Haifa I felt it was a family and a connection with the people. There is a special project here and great excitement because this is the first season, and I have a great passion for basketball, so it seems like a perfect match."
You also talked to Hapoel Holon, why did it not work out?
"I have nothing bad to say. A player looks at the options he has and has to make a decision. In the end my best match was Haifa. This is a special period of the club that I am happy to be a part of."
What are you going to add to the group?
"I'm part of the team puzzle and not the team part of my puzzle. They played well before I arrived, and my goal is to help achieve the goals. I'm grateful for the opportunity. I have a lot of experience, passion and love for basketball. I want to bring it to training and games every day. "To lead on and off the field. With my words I can push us to win games and I want to be a leader who is heard."
Rochesti, 35, was born in Houston to a Jewish father and a Christian mother, and later moved with his family to Los Angeles.
He developed as an actor at Washington State College where he collaborated with Clay Thompson, among others.
The next step was a professional career around the world that spanned 11 years and 16 teams - and the hand is still outstretched.
In the middle, he managed to win the king of the Euroleague baskets, play for Maccabi Tel Aviv as a citizen and also for the Montenegro team, and even signed huge contracts in the Chinese league.
In 2015, when you signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, many resented the way you received Israeli citizenship.
"This is an interesting conversation. There are many different people who feel different in this matter, and regarding the fact that I used to play for Montenegro and now I am Israeli. How can players come to Israel and serve in the army and get an ID? There are rules everywhere like in the Israeli league. There are rules and games. "One of the rules is what you have to do or what you have to meet to get Israeli citizenship. I meet some of the parameters and that's how I got my citizenship. When I arrived at Maccabi I signed as an American and my Jewish roots were not known. Only in retrospect did they start checking it out."
They said then that you go to churches and it is not appropriate for you to get citizenship on your Jewish roots.
"One of the blessings in my life is that I have been through many countries and experienced a lot of different cultures. For many years I have been with religious people and experienced many holidays and ceremonies of different religions. I do not see anything wrong with that."
That season (2015/16) Rochesti arrived in Israel with high expectations as the king of the Euroleague baskets and put together a talented and intriguing back line with Jordan Farmer.
But expectations quickly crashed, Guy Goodes was sacked and replaced by Jean Tabac.
The Yellows were eliminated in the first stage of the Euroleague, especially the farce in the away game against Drushpaka, in which Maccabi Tel Aviv tried not to win in order to drag the game to extra time. Later they were also eliminated from the Eurocup and even lost the championship in the Israeli league.
"Maccabi has high expectations and needs to bring results quickly, because this is a team that requires a lot, but I think the problem was the quick changes. I came and played for Guy Goodes, I loved him and felt he deserved to lead the team and then there were many changes. Bring in Vitor Fabrani, but he Was not healthy. Brian Randall was ill and we had many more injuries. The secret of success is to keep the team's central base for as many years as Real and CSKA do.
Also remember that the format at the time was very short.
Today, if you start badly, you have time to get back to yourself, but then a 6: 4 balance sent you home. "
Rochesti smiles awkwardly as he recalls that game in Turkey.
"The format needs to be changed so that the difference in baskets does not matter. If there is a tie in points between two teams, there should be another game between them on the rise. This situation where teams play on the difference instead of maintaining the victory is unpleasant. Imagine playing a decisive game between Maccabi and Drushpak "Instead of being neutral on the promotion to the next stage, it was great for the fans, the players, the teams and also for the factory. I also believe there should be a playoff instead of the Final Four."
Around the world
You're one of the most talented scorers to have played in Europe in the last decade and also won the Euroleague's king of baskets, so why change teams every year and not stay in the same place any longer?
You are not a problematic personality ...
"People who know me understand, but people in Europe have a hard time understanding. Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to travel all over the world, play basketball in many places and experience as much as possible. I always have the desire to change atmosphere, teams and countries and try new things. For example, in 2018 I had "Opportunity to stay in the Euroleague, but suddenly I got an offer from China that I was never there, so I went. I always love changes and this lifestyle. Now with family and children it is different and I want to go back to places I know so I was in Belgrade and now in Israel so we have more stability." .
However, Rochesti adds: "Maccabi is the only place where I signed a long-term contract and thought about staying a lot, but they decided not to continue."
In recent years, there have been rumors that she may return to Maccabi, as well as talk of Hapoel Jerusalem.
"I have enough experience to tell you that until you see a paper with a space available for your signature it's all rumors. There have been several times I have talked to my agent about returning to Israel because I love this place and I have citizenship, but there was nothing serious."
If your defensive game had improved could you have gone further?
"My agent told me something funny about it. We talked to a team, no matter what their name, and they said they were concerned about my defense. My agent replied that if I was as good as they wanted we would not talk to them," he laughs, "everyone has weaknesses and strengths, and I Chooses to concentrate on what I bring to the team, family and life. It is easy for fans and visitors to focus on weaknesses, but it is not an individual sport like tennis, but team. Everyone brings their strengths and overcomes weaknesses. I train all my life and still have weaknesses, there is no point in wasting Time for that. "
Let's go back.
Who would have won the threesome in college, you or Clay Thompson?
"Because you're recording so sure I'm," he smiles, "but if you ask privately I might say Clay. One of the reasons I'm who I am is that I've always had confidence in my abilities. I remember the first time I saw Clay he came in sandals, a T-shirt. And tossed pants and just stood on the side and threw to the basket. The man slipped something like 20 straight threes and we all looked at him and said 'wow, you score well'. He replied: 'I would have scored more, but I do not have my shoes here.'
This is exactly the type of slingshot that is - do not think, just hit.
He's one of the biggest catch-and-shoot machine guns ever. "
Rochesti says he recently spoke with a Golden State star shortly after suffering an injury that would cause him to miss the entire upcoming season.
"My heart - and I think everyone's - is broken for him because I know how hard he works and how much he loves basketball. He's one of the most fun players to watch."
"When basketball becomes a business - I will stop playing"
The new Hapoel Haifa player has been married to Agate for the past three and a half years, whom he met during the time he played for French side Le Mans.
The couple has two children, daughter Joy (2 years) and son Leon (6 months).
His wife and children are in Belgrade, and Hapoel Haifa is working to bring them into Israel immediately after the closure.
"I was blessed with a woman who supports me and my dreams of continuing to play basketball as much as I can. Besides Joy and Leon, she also has me, who is basically three kids, so she's a full time mom, and she does it great."
Have you already thought up to what age you would like to play?
"I always tell myself that once basketball becomes a business for me - I will stop playing. It's one of the things I'm grateful for, that I still have a passion. If my body stops me or my family I have to stop - I'm sure it will not happen at the end of this season, because I love playing in front of the fans so much that I do not intend to end my career on empty pitches. "
Do you know what you will do the day after?
"From the age of 5-6 I knew I wanted to be a basketball player, so I'm sure the world holds a lot of other great opportunities for me. We were a great and weird group of friends in Santa Barbara, and today one friend is a berry farmer and lives in Amsterdam, another friend does computers, another deals. "In the world of finance in Los Angeles, and the fourth is a DJ, so I'll find my direction too. When we decide I'm finishing my career, I'll sit down for a conversation with my wife and decide what the direction is."
For the past two years he has been reviewing a book called A NEW 20/20 VISION, which will be published this coming February.
"I'm excited about it, because I never grew up as a writer or even a reader. It just started with a letter I wrote to my daughter about my hopes for the future and this letter rolled and turned into a book. It's for all the people in the world, not just my daughter, with my vision and ideas. For example in the past I went to an ophthalmologist and he diagnosed me with poor eyesight and I thought to myself why? Then I realized that everyone has a different vision of the world. You and I see the world differently, so I started writing about these ideas, how everyone has their own truth, but in the end everyone "We are looking for love and happiness. That is the message I want to convey - we can live a better life."
My choices
Highlight:
Winning EuroChallenge with Göttingen (Germany) in my rookie season in Europe.
The painful moment: the
injuries.
People seek perfection in actors, but forget that we are human beings.
The five best players I played with:
Vasilis Spanoulis (magician), Brian Randall (I have not seen anyone with a talent like his, he just did not stay healthy), Giorgos Printzis, Trey Tompkins, Othello Hunter (one of the best players in Europe).
The best guard who kept me: in
training Brian Randall, and in games John Linhan (played in Nancy, YM). I think Kobe Bryant said he was the best defensive player he played against. Let's say I did not wait for games against him.
Most influential coach:
John Patrick who coached me during the rookie season in Göttingen.
He took me out of my comfort zone and that's something that has affected me throughout my career.
