The semi-finals of the State Cup will take place next week at Hafis Arena in Jerusalem where Iruni Nes Ziona will meet Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Ahead of the match between Elad Hossein's team and the Yellows and a few days after he made history and broke the record for assists for the season in the Premier League, DJ Cooper was available for an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom.
At the age of 32 and just after entering the history books of the league, the center feels comfortable to sit and talk about everything, as you have never heard him before.
In a candid interview, the coordinator tells about the big mistake that changed his life, the difficult years he went through, the image that stuck to him, the conversion process and the season of restoration in the heart of the colony.
You started the season wonderfully, but in the last month we see a decrease in your ability. What happened?
"We lost a few close games that could have easily gone our way, but that's part of the process in a long season. When a team is in good shape and starts the season strong, it puts a target on its back. Teams prepare for us differently and understand our quality, if we know how to react we'll be fine."
enough.
J.
Not afraid of Maccabi Tel Aviv, photo: Danny Maron
Last year you came to Bnei Herzliya but didn't end up staying for another season?
"I returned to Israel for my company, I started a conversion process for her and I see my future here even after my career. I knew that if I didn't get an offer from the Euroleague I would want to return for another season in Israel. It wasn't for money. I have no anger towards Herzliya, they offered me a contract but I didn't take it."
If the Israeli national team turns to you and offers you to play in their ranks as a citizen, would you like it?
"Of course I would like to play for the Israeli national team. This is a great opportunity that I would like to try. The reason I came back was to strengthen my relationship with my girlfriend."
This week you broke the record for assists for an entire season in the league and we're only in February?
"The truth is that I didn't know about it in real time, only afterwards my teammates came and told me. It's a great achievement for me and for the club and my teammates who trust me."
DJ Cooper: opens the heart,
We've seen a lot of quarterbacks over the years but none have posted the averages you're posting
"I returned to play last season after a two-year suspension, that's what I've been doing well for many years. I feel today in the best shape of my career. God blessed me with this, it's something that's hard for me to explain. Over the years I learned to read the game and everything became simpler for me. This is a gift I received."
Do you believe someone will break your record in the future?
"Everything is possible, I believe anyone can break the record, but I will be watching closely and hope to keep it for a long time."
The mistake that changed the course of his life
In 2018, when he was playing for French side Monaco, he failed a routine drug test after it was discovered that he had tried to cheat on the test and used his partner's urine.
When the test results came back, it was discovered that according to the laboratory results the actor was pregnant, and because of this he was removed from all activities for two years.
DJ Cooper: an amazing record already in February,
Cooper arrived in Europe in the 2013/14 season when he signed with PAOK Thessaloniki, and since then he has been through many impressive stops in Europe such as Panathinaikos, AAK Athens and Monaco.
Among his titles you can find selection for the top five of the season in the Greek league in 2014, as well as the title of MVP of the French league in 2017.
In the past, he was chosen as the king of assists in colleges, in France, Greece, Israel and VTB.
Do you have a sense of missing out on what it did for your career?
"Of course, I am not where I want to be in my career today. In terms of abilities, I need to play at the highest levels of basketball. I play with a 'monkey on my back,' every game I am hungry to prove that I belong to the highest levels, but I believe that God has placed me in the right place for me
Next year I have no doubt that I should play in the Euroleague, I am determined to get there.
I feel like I've finished serving my sentence and now it's my time to return to the spotlight."
DJ Cooper.
Soon in the national team?, Photo: Liron Moldovan
If you could go back and do things differently would you?
"Of course, without a doubt. I would not act in a way that would lead to my suspension. It was an event that changed my life, in one background everything stopped. I lost huge sums of money, millions, money that I will probably never be able to return or earn again. However, five years have passed since then, I have learned From that, I accepted it and moved on."
After the suspension, you didn't play for two years and worked as a truck driver for the company you founded, did you have thoughts that you might never return to the courts again?
"It was the hardest time in my life, not only in basketball but also in my personal life. It took me a while to digest it but you had to provide for me and my family, I found ways to survive, looking back it's even harder for me to think about it and the fact that I was able to get out of it. I thought That my career would end, I didn't know if I would ever return to play."
enough.
J.
Cooper in action.
Regrets,
Do you think professional coaches or managers are afraid to sign you today because of what you've been through?
"Yes, that's my biggest fear."
If I ask you to choose something good that still came out of this situation, what would you choose?
"I learned how to live without basketball, how to make a living like an adult without my profession."
You have a bad boy image
"I don't agree with her, every game they put the opponent's best keeper on me who tries to get into my head through dirty words and 'trash talk', it sometimes creates friction. I'm not excited about it, people can say or think what they want but it's not Affects me, it's part of the sport."
DJ Cooper.
Wants to play for the Israeli national team, photo: Danny Maron
What do you have to say to people who doubt you?
"Keep following and enjoy the show. I try to always remain positive, today in the age of social networks people are quick to judge without knowing the person."
You meet Maccabi Tel Aviv next week in the semi-finals of the cup
"This is a special and exciting time of the year, for a club like Nes Ziona that has not always been in the spotlight, this is a special opportunity. It is only two games away from the title, in two games everything is possible."
Tyler Bay and DJ Cooper.
Enjoying together, photo: Liron Moldovan
Do you believe it can be done?
Of course, Maccabi Tel Aviv is a great team, but we believe in him.
Cup is a great enterprise to come to as an underdog."
At the age of 32 I guess thoughts of retirement arise, what would you like to do the day after?
"Of course, thoughts come and go. I want to continue playing for a few more years, but after that I would like to do something related to the industry, maybe a coach or an instructor."
Where will we see you next season?
"In a perfect world I would like to stay in Israel, but this is also business. Israel is a great country, if I receive an offer from one of the top teams in Israel I would love to return."
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