After a stint in Spain, notably in Barcelona, Ibou Badji will discover the G-League, this year with Milwaukee. A championship that the young Senegalese international pivot, aged 20, is eager to discover.How is your debut with your new team, Milwaukee, in the G-League? Everything is going well, Alhamdulilah.I was well received by the group, the staff and the leaders of the club.I admit that I had no trouble integrating.In fact, I was able to train with the team for the first time, just after I signed last September.When I came back, it was even easier.So, I feel good and everything is going well, as I said.Precisely, how does it feel to sign in the G-League, naturally hoping to join the NBA in the future? It’s a dream come true.I’m really happy to have been able to sign in the G-League.When you play basketball, you want to play in the NBA.At the moment, I’m in the G-League.Which means I’m on the way.It’s up to me to keep working to reach the top.And Inchallah I will do everything I can to achieve this goal.I know it won’t be easy, but the ambition is to be among the best.And for that, it is only the work that pays.Was the beginning easy, knowing that you were in Spain before joining the United States? It’s never easy to change environments because you’re discovering new things.But we remain professionals.You have to adapt to all situations.When you are a professional, you focus on the most important.We should not pay too much attention to what is happening around.We have to focus on training and what we can do.And like I said, I found a good group with nice people and it helped me fit in.Are the training methods, even if you are in the G-League and not in the NBA, different from those in Spain? Yes, they are different.Here, there is a lot of emphasis on the physical.There is basketball naturally with game systems, but the physical takes up a lot of space.You have to run a lot.On the other hand, I would say that the passage in Spain helped me a lot.Basketball is technical with a lot of game systems.When you have the chance to go through Spain, you learn a lot.It’s a good thing to have gone through the Spanish league.Are there any African players in this team? I can only consider Giannis‘ (Antetokoúnmpo) younger brother as an African.For the rest, they are almost all Americans.I think I’m the only foreigner on the team.Even though, in terms of communication, I don’t have many problems.There is one of the players on the team who speaks Spanish and one of the coaches too.At this level, I have no worries.I can communicate with the staff and the players, even if my English is not yet at a good level.The first game of the season is scheduled at home for November 4. How are you preparing for this first release? We are ready to have a good season.We expect tough games because the level is very good.Matches are often hotly contested.Even the friendly matches we had to play recently.You have to be ready on all fronts to have a good season.Personally, I can’t wait for the season to start.Beyond the coach, Desagana Diop, there are other Senegalese who will play this year in the G-League, are you in contact?There is BabacarSané (former resident of the NBA Academy and the National Team A) who has just signed, with whom I speak almost every day on the phone.There are other young people who were at Seed Academy with whom I am also in contact.This is our first year, we talk a lot about how to approach the season.So, what are the ambitions for the season? I hope to be able to participate in some NBA games.But the most important thing is to focus on G-League games first.After that, the rest will come naturally.We all dream of the NBA, but it will come with the good results and performances made during the season.I am aware of the expectations of the leaders of the club, my entourage, but also the Senegalese.And as I said, I will do everything I can to meet all these expectations.At the back of your mind, do you think about the National Team A?Of course!We are patriots and obviously the dream is to continue to defend the colours of our country every time we are called upon.
Interview by Woury DIALLO / wdiallo@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH