Jerebko impressed by progress of young Swedes in Qualifiers
SALT LAKE CITY (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Sweden have relied on a number of their top younger players during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers and this hasn't gone unnoticed by the country's veteran star Jonas Jerebko.
The 31-year-old forward, a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz, watched the November and February windows from afar and has been left impressed with what the young Swedes managed to do in Group B, where they are 1-3.
"There have been close some games, some tough losses. We play a young team with a lot of good up-and-coming players that are playing in some European leagues and doing good," Jerebko said. "It's good to see that progress is being made."
So far on the Road to China 2019, Sweden lost by eight points against Ukraine at home in addition to a nine-point defeat in Latvia and an 11-point loss in Ukraine. But the February window also saw a one-point victory at home over Turkey, in front of 8,045 fans that packed Stockholm Hovet Arena - a record crowd for a senior men's national team game.
Through the first two windows, nine players aged 25 and younger have taken the court for Sweden. And they are being assisted by long-time veterans in 38-year-old Joakim Kjellbom, Thomas Massamba (33) and Carl Pahlmbad (31).
"WE PLAY A YOUNG TEAM WITH A LOT OF GOOD UP-AND-COMING PLAYERS THAT ARE PLAYING IN SOME EUROPEAN LEAGUES AND DOING GOOD. IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE" Jerebko
Despite being fourth in the group, Vedran Bosnic's team remains alive for a spot in the Second Round with upcoming games at home versus Latvia on June 28 and in Turkey on July 1.
Jerebko said it is unclear if he will be able to play this summer but indicated it would mean a lot to him to do so.
"I LOVE TO PLAY FOR SWEDEN AND ALSO TRY TO BUILD BASKETBALL IN MY HOME COUNTRY" Jerebko
"Of course I want to play for Sweden and represent my country, but we have to figure things out with my work situation and all that," said the Boras native. "But I love to play for Sweden and also to try to build basketball in my home country."
Jerebko, who has been playing in the NBA since 2009, admits he does feel like a role model for people back home.
"I try to carry myself in the right way and play in the best league in the world and be the only Swede to do this for so long. I hope I am a role model for kids back home and show them that it's possible to come from a small country like Sweden and be in the NBA and live your dream," he said.
Jerebko started playing for Sweden internationally in 2005 at the FIBA U18 European Championship Division B. He made his senior national team debut in 2008 at the FIBA EuroBasket 2009 Qualifiers and averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists at the 2013 edition of Europe's biggest basketball competition - the last time he suited up for the blue and yellow.
Jerebko likes the idea of playing Qualifiers at home.
"IN ALL MY TIME THAT I HAVE PLAYED WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM I HAVEN'T PLAYED MEANINGFUL GAMES LIKE THAT. SO IT'S FUN TO SEE THAT THEY CHANGED THE FORMAT A LITTLE BIT AND THE GAMES MEAN A LITTLE BIT MORE" Jerebko
"It's big. In all my time that I have played with the national team I haven't played meaningful games like that. So it's fun to see that they changed the format a little bit and the games mean a little bit more," he said. "It's good to see and hopefully the interest grows with the games."
That means more and more people in Sweden are watching the country's young talents - just like Jerebko.
FIBA
