FIBA Basketball

    24 seconds with Davis Bertans

    RIGA/LJUBLJANA (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men) - Our first guest is the bronze medal winner in the 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship, “Nike Hoop Summit 2011” participant and NBA Draft 2011 candidate, forward DAVIS BERTANS.

    RIGA/LJUBLJANA (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men) - Our first guest is the bronze medal winner in the 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship, “Nike Hoop Summit 2011” participant and NBA Draft 2011 candidate, forward David BERTANS.

    Born: 12.11.1992
    Height: 205 cm
    Team 2010./2011.: KK Union Olimpija Ljubljana (founded in 1946)
    Home court: Arena Stožice, capacity 13 000, EuroBasket 2013 headquarters
    Coaches: Dainis Bertāns, Ziedonis Jansons, Miro Alilović, Jure Zdovc (Union Olimpija)
    EC stats: 2008 FIBA Europe U16 Championship (10th place): 8 games, average 26 min., 9.6pts, 3.9reb; 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship (3rd place): 9 games, average 30 min., 14.8pts, 7.7reb

    My choice
    SLOW FOOD or FAST FOOD > SLOW FOOD
    Bike or motorbike > Bike
    Tennis or golf > Bowling
    Giraffe or antilope > Giraffe
    Ice hockey or football > Ice hockey
    Swimming or fishing > Fishing
    Airplane or yacht > Airplane
    Morning or evening > Evening
    Sea or lake > Sea
    Gunta Baško or Ieva Kubliņa > Gunta Baško
    Māris Štrombergs or Martins Dukurs > equal
    Sprinters or marathon runners > Sprinters
    Andrei Kirilenko or Milos Teodosic > Goran Jagodnik
    Internet or TV > Internet
    Facebook.com or Draugiem.lv > Facebook.com
    Estonia or Lithuania > Lithuania
    Euroleague or EuroBasket > EuroBasket

    My to-do list for the next four years: to improve in all possible ways

    Three impressions in 2011: Ljubljana is a beautiful city, it`s raining in Portland, Euroleague is awesome

    Form your dream starting 5:
    PG Dairis Bertāns
    SG Michael Jordan
    SF Myself
    PF Goran Jagodnik
    C Raitis Grafs

    On and off the court
    First coach: Dainis Bertāns
    First basketball gym: Rujiena High School
    High school: Riga State Gymnasium No. 3
    Role model in Latvia: Uvis Helmanis
    Role model in Europe: Juan Carlos Navarro
    Role model in the world: Michael Jordan
    Best team I ever faced: Belgradas "Partizan"
    Room in which I spend most of my time: guest room and basketball court
    Traveling ritual: Basketball trips aren`t real travels
    Favorite take-out food: I have tasted horse meat burger here in Ljubljana and it tasted good


    If I could be a standout athlete in any other sport it would be:
    Ice hockey

    Favorite mode of transportation: with car

    If I could live in any city in the world it would be: Rujiena, Latvia

    One piece of clothing I can`t live without: underpants

    Always in my fridge: food for breakfast

    Favorite sport aside from basketball: ice hockey

    Favorite athlete aside from basketball: Alex Ovechkin

    Most far away place I have ever played basketball: Portland (Oregon, USA)

    Best game I ever watched: Union Olimpija vs Regal FC Barcelona (Top 16, first round, second game)

    I want to go one-on-one against: my brother Dairis

    Most read online website: Sportacentrs.com

    Favorite team in the NBA: Chicago Bulls

    Favorite team in Euroleague: Union Olimpija

    Hobbies: unfortunately, I have no time

    I can`t live without: food

    My first foreign trip: don`t remember, Estonia most likely

    Stranded on an island, I would: make the basket and the basketball

    Favorite basketball element: three point shot

    Recommended film about basketball: Just Wright

    Favorite songs which inspires me most: Drake-Up all night and Over, Kanye West-All of the lights

    Film which doesn`t make me indifferent:
    “Goal: the dream begins” and “Living the dream”

    Recommended place to visit: Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Rank the songs 1, 2, 3 etc.

    4.I DON`T WANNA MISS A THING, Aerosmith
    5.WITH OR WITHOUT YOU, U2
    2.THRILLER, Michael Jackson
    1.NOT AFRAID, Eminem
    3.NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, Metallica

    Top 5 Basketball Songs (at least 3 from the recommended list)
    I BELIEVE I CAN FLY, R. Kelly
    EYE OF THE TIGER, Survivor
    WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, Queen
    UP ALL NIGHT, Drake
    ALL OF THE LIGHTS (remix),Kanye West ft. Lil Wayne & BigSean, Rihanna

    FIBA/LOC