One-on-one with Luka Doncic’s trainer: Inside his Slovenian quarantine workouts由asjkfj 发表在翻译团招工部 https://bbs.hupu.com/fyt-store
Luka Doncic returned to Slovenia two months ago following the season’s abrupt pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was probably for the best: Slovenia has recorded fewer than 1,500 cases with barely 100 deaths as a country. While less important in the larger scheme of this deadly virus, Doncic has also had better access to basketball courts in Ljubljana, the country’s capital and the city where he grew up. The league has asked international players who left the United States to report back to their home markets on June 15. During these weeks in Slovenia, however, Doncic has been working with a Slovenian strength and conditioning coach named Jure Drakslar. This week, I spoke with Drakslar about their workouts, what Doncic is like as a person and what he represents to Slovenia in general.
If you have heard about Drakslar, it was probably earlier this week when he was quoted saying that Doncic is “not in the best shape” right now. Drakslar was understandably upset about that quote because it wasn’t an accurate translation of what he said in a Russian interview he gave to the website RSport.ria.ru. If you understand Russian, you can read that here. Unfortunately, a European basketball site mistranslated his comments into English, leaving out a crucial word that changes the context. Drakslar released this statement to The Athletic on Thursday afternoon:
The interview was made for Russian media. Originally my sentence in the interview was, “Luka is not in top game shape yet,” and “game” is the word that was missed out here during translation of some international media. It’s impossible right now to be in top game shape because there are no games, and there is no difference with all the NBA players at this moment. Luka is actually in a very good physical shape, he is practicing hard every day, having strength and conditioning workouts, basketball practice including 5-on-5 and strictly taking care of his diet. There was a misinterpretation or the poor translation of the international media. I guess using Google translator is not the best way to go.
I also let Drakslar clarify what was said in our Q&A before we move onto other topics. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
First off, let’s clarify some comments that were going around. Some people were freaked out when they heard your “quote” that Luka was “out of shape.” But you were mistranslated. What was the actual intent of what you were saying?
The interview was (conducted) in Russian. I think people use Google translator too much, and Google translator, it translates differently. What Google translator was missing is that, “Luka is not in game shape.” And “game” is the word that was missed out here. It’s impossible right now to be in game shape because there are no games. He’s in good shape, he practices five-on-five, he’s having strength and conditioning workouts. He’s working really hard, but he doesn’t have games. The misinterpretation or the poor translation of the international media, they just used Google translator right here because I tried; I put in the Google translator, and I saw this is how it translates. But if you translate like it’s supposed to be translated, there’s the word “game” over there. That was the main part that was kind of missed.
Right, there’s no NBA player in “game shape” right now since there are no games like you said. It was meant as a statement more about the situation every basketball player is in, right?
Exactly. There’s no basketball player right now (in game shape), especially in the NBA because there’s no games, so how can you be? The question was, “Can he play tomorrow?” Yes, he can play, you know? But he’s not practicing with his teammates. He’s got good teammates over here in Slovenia, but this is not teammates from his team in Dallas. It’s completely different. This is it. The quarantine has taken a toll on every player.
There are some positives and some negatives over here. Players get some time to mentally refresh. The season is very stressful for the players. (And players got some time) to solve injuries, to rehab the small overload syndromes. … Of course, this took a toll on every player. But if media only reads those words not in the context, that’s a problem.
I’m glad we could clear that up. And you mentioned the fatigue and the nagging injuries. Luka had a couple of those injuries. He was playing through ankle and hand injuries. Even if he’s not in game shape, since no one is, I would assume he’s probably feeling refreshed and healthy right now, right?
Yeah, exactly. The time without games and without the hits he’s receiving (from) the games, for sure, it’s helped him. This was one of the parts of our work, actually, we put a lot of focus on it; on his ankle, on his thumb and on his wrist, also. He had a problem with his wrist when he came back. He still felt the pain in all of those three parts of his body. He felt pain in the wrist, thumb and ankle. He could not work properly, so we focused a lot on this. This was not our main goal, but one of the main goals, the (injuries) that were bothering him and would bother him a lot probably if the season would continue, as there is no time to recover and rehab.”
You’re working for the Russian team BC Khimki Moscow Region right now. How long have you been a strength and conditioning coach?
I think this is the 17th year I’ve been a strength coach. I have been with the Russian team, this is my second season right now.
Were you an athlete when you were younger? Is that how you started working as a strength coach?
Yeah, I was an athlete. I was not a team-sport athlete, but I was a swimmer, actually. I was a swimmer for 10 years and in college, in the third year of college, I decided to put the theory in practice. I started to work in a professional basketball club developing athletes, young basketball players and it was one really good thing. There were great basketball players like Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic, Jan Vesley who were developed, which started in this project, and since then, I (mostly train) basketball as a strength coach. I had some period of working with the (Slovenian) national swimming team and national rowing team. … But basketball was the main (focus) and working with other athletes individually.
How did you end up working with Luka? Have you known him for a long time?
Actually, when he was 12 years old, I did a couple of practices with him (when he was) on Olimpija Ljubljana. He does not remember that. He had really big feet already, he couldn’t control his legs, but he was a super good young basketball player already. But he had a problem controlling his big legs so we tried to do some movement control exercises at that time. But since then, we were not in contact. In Slovenia, the last eight years, I’ve been working with a couple of Slovenian national team players, and one of them is Luka Rupnik (who plays professionally in the Belgian Pro Basketball League). He’s a good friend of Luka Doncic, also. Luka adores Slovenia. He loves being in Slovenia, and he was searching for someone to help him during the offseason part, and he probably got a recommendation from the other national team guys. We met and we started to work, and (it’s been) successful until now. (laughs)
When I visited Slovenia, I remember people telling me that they wondered how Luka felt towards Slovenia. This was in 2017 right before he became nationally famous for the country’s EuroBasket championship. He had left so young, he left when he was 13. But in the years since Luka has become famous in Slovenia and now famous everywhere, it’s very clear how much he loves his country and feels pride for his country. As someone who’s around him, how obvious is it that he really does care his country and countrymen?
Sometimes, when you see some athletes saying good words about their country, you think, “OK, maybe this is only for media.” But for Luka, you can feel this every day. He loves Slovenia, he adores it and you can feel it on a daily basis. You can feel his, how do I say it, patriotism? His love to his country.
Patriotism is a good word for that. You used it right! The fact he even went back during this break shows he loves his time there, I think.
All Slovenians, we are attached to Slovenia. This is a really beautiful country, and we always really, really love to come back. Also, in my time in Russia, this whole coronavirus started later in Russia, so I was really predicting what will happen in Russia, and I just said, I really want to go (home) to spend time with my family during these times.
I can’t blame you. It’s a beautiful place. How do you feel pride toward this country? Other Slovenians tell me it’s often from the athletes you send out into the world who are successful. Like, when the 2017 EuroBasket happened, what was that feeling like to see your country’s national team win this entire continental contest?
All of Slovenia, everywhere around, (it was) people speaking only about that. I would say (it) like this. I didn’t feel that feeling because I was in Poland. I was working (for) a Polish basketball club, BC Stelmet Enea Zielona Góra, at the time, so I watched this from Poland. So I didn’t feel the atmosphere, but when I was talking with my friends and reading some news, it was all about that. It was all about the EuroBasket and how successful and important it was for Slovenia when you are in Slovenia.
But you have been in Slovenia and felt that feeling before, right? Because if you have a cyclist that’s doing well, or a swimmer, or anybody, it’s a national feeling to be proud and support successful national athletes, right?
Yes, yes. Definitely there are some people (who) love team sports, some people (who) love individual sports. But in general, when (a Slovenian athlete) is successful, and we have a lot of internationally successful athletes, yeah, it’s unbelievable. We’re so small, and we have so many successful athletes, international level, in sports and individual sports, it’s unbelievable. This is probably the biggest marketing or commercial… how we would say that?
Marketing or commercialization? I think I know what you’re saying.
Not just marketing, but this is how the word of Slovenia goes out. It’s really important, I think. It’s really important. We have beautiful nature but we also have very good athletes.
You’ve been around Luka now for the past month or two. What is he like as a person?
Luka, he’s 21, but you will never say when you are around him that he’s 21. He still has some, let’s say, teenaged behavior. But he’s unbelievably correct and mature. He’s respectful. He’s a good friend. You will never say he’s an international superstar. When you’re around him, you will never say that, really. I don’t know how to explain it, but he’s a really good person in general.
I don’t think a lot of people could go down the path he did where he left home so early and was a superstar like he was so early. Even really successful athletes aren’t this famous and successful this young. I think it speaks to the person he is that he’s handled it like he has.
He went through a not-easy path going from home so early to a foreign country. He was still a young kid. He definitely used this opportunity that he was given with his talent, but still, human-wise, it’s not an easy task. It’s not an easy way to go. And he survived it really well. He’s a strong person. He’s an amazing person.
What is his work ethic like while working out?
The energy level that he puts into the work and each individual exercise is unbelievable. When he gets to work, he gets to work. The level of execution of (him) practicing, it’s on the level of his game and how he plays. It’s unbelievable.
He’s already had so much success that it would be easy for him to say, “I’m already this good. I don’t have to try as hard as others.” But it doesn’t seem like that’s him at all.
He’s 21 years old and achieved so much at this young age, and he’s still willing to work as hard as anyone who still wants to get to this level. It’s unbelievable.
I mean this next question in good fun. How’s his Slovenian? Has it gotten rusty? He speaks so much Spanish and English in Dallas.
His Slovenian’s alright! It’s OK! All of us who are abroad, or out of the country for a while, we lose a little bit of, how do you say this…
Fluency?
Fluency, yeah, but the word… let me (look it up).
What’s the Slovenian word?
Besedišče. Let me see. Vocabulary!
Oh!
So we lose a little bit (when we go abroad), and even I, when I come home after a season, I usually, it’s easier for me to talk in English than in Slovenian. Sometimes I ask my girlfriend, like, “Hey, what’s the word?” So it’s funny. But he’s normal, he’s fluent and even though he was out of Slovenia more than half of his life almost, he’s still OK.
Right. And, of course, his mom and his girlfriend are with him in Dallas. He does have Slovenians around him to speak to. You mentioned the workouts you were focusing on with him earlier: his ankle, his hand, the injuries he suffered this season. What else have you guys been focusing on? What have the workouts looked like?
As I said, one of the things was solving the small injuries he had. The second thing … is improving his body composition. You know what I mean by that, yeah?
Explain it just so everybody knows.
So body composition is to decrease the percentage of body fat and increase the percentage of muscle mass. So this is one important part of getting rid of the consequences of quarantine. And the third thing is developing his athleticism, his strength, his ability to play on his level.
He has a really special type of athleticism, I would say. I talked to others about how he’s not the fastest runner, he doesn’t jump the highest, but he stops really quickly, he starts really quickly, he has more flexibility in a lot of his muscles than anybody else does. As a strength coach who works with a lot of other athletes, do you see Luka’s special athleticism? Can you really tangibly see that in him?
I would say that his impressive basketball mind is the first thing that he has. He has the way to use his body much more efficiently because of how he understands basketball, how (he has) basketball vision. And then the body comes, and the body he has, he’s unbelievably strong. There were articles talking about his eccentric, decelerating strength that he has, which is unbelievable. He’s a little bit on the (larger) side of the guards, and he still can use his body in a fast way. He can still be fast, he still can jump and penetrate with ease, so, you know, his strength is … he’s amazing. I could go into details about his physical characteristics, but this would take a completely (different) interview.
Well, I might have to call you back at some point for that. But that’s perfect since I had just one more question for today. What do you expect for him when the season comes back?
I expect he will be in really good shape. Let me be clear (laughs). He’ll be in a great physical shape and game shape, so I believe that, you know, he’s maintaining all the basketball (skills) and the feeling for the game. I think he will get this super quickly, especially as talented as he is. He will get that super quick. I suspect he will be like he was at the top level.
Luka Doncic returned to Slovenia two months ago following the season’s abrupt pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was probably for the best: Slovenia has recorded fewer than 1,500 cases with barely 100 deaths as a country. While less important in the larger scheme of this deadly virus, Doncic has also had better access to basketball courts in Ljubljana, the country’s capital and the city where he grew up. The league has asked international players who left the United States to report back to their home markets on June 15. During these weeks in Slovenia, however, Doncic has been working with a Slovenian strength and conditioning coach named Jure Drakslar. This week, I spoke with Drakslar about their workouts, what Doncic is like as a person and what he represents to Slovenia in general.
If you have heard about Drakslar, it was probably earlier this week when he was quoted saying that Doncic is “not in the best shape” right now. Drakslar was understandably upset about that quote because it wasn’t an accurate translation of what he said in a Russian interview he gave to the website RSport.ria.ru. If you understand Russian, you can read that here. Unfortunately, a European basketball site mistranslated his comments into English, leaving out a crucial word that changes the context. Drakslar released this statement to The Athletic on Thursday afternoon:
The interview was made for Russian media. Originally my sentence in the interview was, “Luka is not in top game shape yet,” and “game” is the word that was missed out here during translation of some international media. It’s impossible right now to be in top game shape because there are no games, and there is no difference with all the NBA players at this moment. Luka is actually in a very good physical shape, he is practicing hard every day, having strength and conditioning workouts, basketball practice including 5-on-5 and strictly taking care of his diet. There was a misinterpretation or the poor translation of the international media. I guess using Google translator is not the best way to go.
I also let Drakslar clarify what was said in our Q&A before we move onto other topics. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
First off, let’s clarify some comments that were going around. Some people were freaked out when they heard your “quote” that Luka was “out of shape.” But you were mistranslated. What was the actual intent of what you were saying?
The interview was (conducted) in Russian. I think people use Google translator too much, and Google translator, it translates differently. What Google translator was missing is that, “Luka is not in game shape.” And “game” is the word that was missed out here. It’s impossible right now to be in game shape because there are no games. He’s in good shape, he practices five-on-five, he’s having strength and conditioning workouts. He’s working really hard, but he doesn’t have games. The misinterpretation or the poor translation of the international media, they just used Google translator right here because I tried; I put in the Google translator, and I saw this is how it translates. But if you translate like it’s supposed to be translated, there’s the word “game” over there. That was the main part that was kind of missed.
Right, there’s no NBA player in “game shape” right now since there are no games like you said. It was meant as a statement more about the situation every basketball player is in, right?
Exactly. There’s no basketball player right now (in game shape), especially in the NBA because there’s no games, so how can you be? The question was, “Can he play tomorrow?” Yes, he can play, you know? But he’s not practicing with his teammates. He’s got good teammates over here in Slovenia, but this is not teammates from his team in Dallas. It’s completely different. This is it. The quarantine has taken a toll on every player.
There are some positives and some negatives over here. Players get some time to mentally refresh. The season is very stressful for the players. (And players got some time) to solve injuries, to rehab the small overload syndromes. … Of course, this took a toll on every player. But if media only reads those words not in the context, that’s a problem.
I’m glad we could clear that up. And you mentioned the fatigue and the nagging injuries. Luka had a couple of those injuries. He was playing through ankle and hand injuries. Even if he’s not in game shape, since no one is, I would assume he’s probably feeling refreshed and healthy right now, right?
Yeah, exactly. The time without games and without the hits he’s receiving (from) the games, for sure, it’s helped him. This was one of the parts of our work, actually, we put a lot of focus on it; on his ankle, on his thumb and on his wrist, also. He had a problem with his wrist when he came back. He still felt the pain in all of those three parts of his body. He felt pain in the wrist, thumb and ankle. He could not work properly, so we focused a lot on this. This was not our main goal, but one of the main goals, the (injuries) that were bothering him and would bother him a lot probably if the season would continue, as there is no time to recover and rehab.”
You’re working for the Russian team BC Khimki Moscow Region right now. How long have you been a strength and conditioning coach?
I think this is the 17th year I’ve been a strength coach. I have been with the Russian team, this is my second season right now.
Were you an athlete when you were younger? Is that how you started working as a strength coach?
Yeah, I was an athlete. I was not a team-sport athlete, but I was a swimmer, actually. I was a swimmer for 10 years and in college, in the third year of college, I decided to put the theory in practice. I started to work in a professional basketball club developing athletes, young basketball players and it was one really good thing. There were great basketball players like Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic, Jan Vesley who were developed, which started in this project, and since then, I (mostly train) basketball as a strength coach. I had some period of working with the (Slovenian) national swimming team and national rowing team. … But basketball was the main (focus) and working with other athletes individually.
How did you end up working with Luka? Have you known him for a long time?
Actually, when he was 12 years old, I did a couple of practices with him (when he was) on Olimpija Ljubljana. He does not remember that. He had really big feet already, he couldn’t control his legs, but he was a super good young basketball player already. But he had a problem controlling his big legs so we tried to do some movement control exercises at that time. But since then, we were not in contact. In Slovenia, the last eight years, I’ve been working with a couple of Slovenian national team players, and one of them is Luka Rupnik (who plays professionally in the Belgian Pro Basketball League). He’s a good friend of Luka Doncic, also. Luka adores Slovenia. He loves being in Slovenia, and he was searching for someone to help him during the offseason part, and he probably got a recommendation from the other national team guys. We met and we started to work, and (it’s been) successful until now. (laughs)
When I visited Slovenia, I remember people telling me that they wondered how Luka felt towards Slovenia. This was in 2017 right before he became nationally famous for the country’s EuroBasket championship. He had left so young, he left when he was 13. But in the years since Luka has become famous in Slovenia and now famous everywhere, it’s very clear how much he loves his country and feels pride for his country. As someone who’s around him, how obvious is it that he really does care his country and countrymen?
Sometimes, when you see some athletes saying good words about their country, you think, “OK, maybe this is only for media.” But for Luka, you can feel this every day. He loves Slovenia, he adores it and you can feel it on a daily basis. You can feel his, how do I say it, patriotism? His love to his country.
Patriotism is a good word for that. You used it right! The fact he even went back during this break shows he loves his time there, I think.
All Slovenians, we are attached to Slovenia. This is a really beautiful country, and we always really, really love to come back. Also, in my time in Russia, this whole coronavirus started later in Russia, so I was really predicting what will happen in Russia, and I just said, I really want to go (home) to spend time with my family during these times.
I can’t blame you. It’s a beautiful place. How do you feel pride toward this country? Other Slovenians tell me it’s often from the athletes you send out into the world who are successful. Like, when the 2017 EuroBasket happened, what was that feeling like to see your country’s national team win this entire continental contest?
All of Slovenia, everywhere around, (it was) people speaking only about that. I would say (it) like this. I didn’t feel that feeling because I was in Poland. I was working (for) a Polish basketball club, BC Stelmet Enea Zielona Góra, at the time, so I watched this from Poland. So I didn’t feel the atmosphere, but when I was talking with my friends and reading some news, it was all about that. It was all about the EuroBasket and how successful and important it was for Slovenia when you are in Slovenia.
But you have been in Slovenia and felt that feeling before, right? Because if you have a cyclist that’s doing well, or a swimmer, or anybody, it’s a national feeling to be proud and support successful national athletes, right?
Yes, yes. Definitely there are some people (who) love team sports, some people (who) love individual sports. But in general, when (a Slovenian athlete) is successful, and we have a lot of internationally successful athletes, yeah, it’s unbelievable. We’re so small, and we have so many successful athletes, international level, in sports and individual sports, it’s unbelievable. This is probably the biggest marketing or commercial… how we would say that?
Marketing or commercialization? I think I know what you’re saying.
Not just marketing, but this is how the word of Slovenia goes out. It’s really important, I think. It’s really important. We have beautiful nature but we also have very good athletes.
You’ve been around Luka now for the past month or two. What is he like as a person?
Luka, he’s 21, but you will never say when you are around him that he’s 21. He still has some, let’s say, teenaged behavior. But he’s unbelievably correct and mature. He’s respectful. He’s a good friend. You will never say he’s an international superstar. When you’re around him, you will never say that, really. I don’t know how to explain it, but he’s a really good person in general.
I don’t think a lot of people could go down the path he did where he left home so early and was a superstar like he was so early. Even really successful athletes aren’t this famous and successful this young. I think it speaks to the person he is that he’s handled it like he has.
He went through a not-easy path going from home so early to a foreign country. He was still a young kid. He definitely used this opportunity that he was given with his talent, but still, human-wise, it’s not an easy task. It’s not an easy way to go. And he survived it really well. He’s a strong person. He’s an amazing person.
What is his work ethic like while working out?
The energy level that he puts into the work and each individual exercise is unbelievable. When he gets to work, he gets to work. The level of execution of (him) practicing, it’s on the level of his game and how he plays. It’s unbelievable.
He’s already had so much success that it would be easy for him to say, “I’m already this good. I don’t have to try as hard as others.” But it doesn’t seem like that’s him at all.
He’s 21 years old and achieved so much at this young age, and he’s still willing to work as hard as anyone who still wants to get to this level. It’s unbelievable.
I mean this next question in good fun. How’s his Slovenian? Has it gotten rusty? He speaks so much Spanish and English in Dallas.
His Slovenian’s alright! It’s OK! All of us who are abroad, or out of the country for a while, we lose a little bit of, how do you say this…
Fluency?
Fluency, yeah, but the word… let me (look it up).
What’s the Slovenian word?
Besedišče. Let me see. Vocabulary!
Oh!
So we lose a little bit (when we go abroad), and even I, when I come home after a season, I usually, it’s easier for me to talk in English than in Slovenian. Sometimes I ask my girlfriend, like, “Hey, what’s the word?” So it’s funny. But he’s normal, he’s fluent and even though he was out of Slovenia more than half of his life almost, he’s still OK.
Right. And, of course, his mom and his girlfriend are with him in Dallas. He does have Slovenians around him to speak to. You mentioned the workouts you were focusing on with him earlier: his ankle, his hand, the injuries he suffered this season. What else have you guys been focusing on? What have the workouts looked like?
As I said, one of the things was solving the small injuries he had. The second thing … is improving his body composition. You know what I mean by that, yeah?
Explain it just so everybody knows.
So body composition is to decrease the percentage of body fat and increase the percentage of muscle mass. So this is one important part of getting rid of the consequences of quarantine. And the third thing is developing his athleticism, his strength, his ability to play on his level.
He has a really special type of athleticism, I would say. I talked to others about how he’s not the fastest runner, he doesn’t jump the highest, but he stops really quickly, he starts really quickly, he has more flexibility in a lot of his muscles than anybody else does. As a strength coach who works with a lot of other athletes, do you see Luka’s special athleticism? Can you really tangibly see that in him?
I would say that his impressive basketball mind is the first thing that he has. He has the way to use his body much more efficiently because of how he understands basketball, how (he has) basketball vision. And then the body comes, and the body he has, he’s unbelievably strong. There were articles talking about his eccentric, decelerating strength that he has, which is unbelievable. He’s a little bit on the (larger) side of the guards, and he still can use his body in a fast way. He can still be fast, he still can jump and penetrate with ease, so, you know, his strength is … he’s amazing. I could go into details about his physical characteristics, but this would take a completely (different) interview.
Well, I might have to call you back at some point for that. But that’s perfect since I had just one more question for today. What do you expect for him when the season comes back?
I expect he will be in really good shape. Let me be clear (laughs). He’ll be in a great physical shape and game shape, so I believe that, you know, he’s maintaining all the basketball (skills) and the feeling for the game. I think he will get this super quickly, especially as talented as he is. He will get that super quick. I suspect he will be like he was at the top level.
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