Betfair Big Interview: British basketball star Pops Mensah-Bonsu

Basketball / Ralph Ellis / 08 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

We've talked to some big stars but few bigger than British basketball ace Pops Mensah-Bonsu. He's six feet ten inches tall, after all! We found him in Washington where he's expecting to sign to play in the NBA again soon.

Hi Pops - we know you went to the States for treatment after your contract playing in Spain for DKV Joventut got ended because of a shoulder injury, so how's that coming on?

It's good. I just got fit to play again maybe two weeks ago. The shoulder is 100 per cent now and I'm just working out in the gym to get fit and back in shape. I feel like I've got to do whatever it takes to get back to the NBA.

You went to University in Washington so we assume you've got friends there to help?

Yes that's right. There's been people here who have been real helpful both with sorting out the injury and getting me training properly again. I learned a lot when I was here and not just about playing basketball because I also did my major in psychology.

Was that sports psychology then? If so you must be treating yourself to get through the hiccup you've had in your career because of the injury?

Well that was part of the course but it was much bigger than just sports. And yes, it helps me in my everyday life, you know, so I can apply it to my career and I can apply it to how I interact with people. It's helped me understand how people deal with things, and how people are, so it's been a great help to me.

It must be important to have a positive attitude at the moment about what's coming next?

Definitely. You know I feel real confident about me being in the NBA this year, I definitely have high hopes. and I'm very positive about what's going to happen to me. You know the last time I played basketball I was playing pretty decent, and before I got hurt I was playing at a high level. I've got some things lined up, and I feel real confident in the next month or so I should be back in the NBA. I feel very positive about that.

That's great news for you, is there anywhere particular you can tell us about?

No, it's kind of up in the air right now, but I definitely feel sure that I'll be back.

Of course you played NBA for Dallas a couple of years ago and then had some time in Europe, how big a difference is there in standard?

I wouldn't say there's that big a difference now. A lot of NBA players have been coming to Europe, and you know if you saw the Olympics last year the Spanish team was not too far off the USA team, and the USA team won convincingly. You have teams like Argentina, Lithuania, Serbia, these teams are very good and half of those players are in the NBA anyway. The rest of the world is catching up. But that said the NBA is still the place to be. The difference might be getting smaller but it still exists and you want to play at the highest level that you can.

How will that all fit with your commitment to the Great Britain team? There have been positive signs about what's possible in the next Olympics?

The aim is to combine it all. I just feel like next two or three years are very important for British basketball. I am trying to do whatever it takes to put us in the best position to compete in 2012, and I'm looking forward to it, and I think we can have a real strong team. Things are coming in place and I feel like we can be very competitive.

The domestic game in England is going through a lean time, though...

Yes, but I feel like with the British team emerging, and some of the national players getting accepted to play in the NBA, some of the younger generation can look up to those players. They can see what they have been able to accomplish and get a positive outlook, and they will be able to have something to look forward to. They should be saying to themselves: 'If those guys can make it to the NBA, or make it big in Europe, there's no reason why I can't.' That's only going to help the squad and if we do well that will help interest in the sport which will be good for everybody

You were still in your teens when you first took the decision to go to America to follow your dreams of making it in the sport. How do you look back on that?

I maybe didn't realise too much what it was about when I just came over to go to High School first, but then maybe a year or two later I started taking it more seriously and I never looked back. I think when I turned 16 or 17 I started playing real organised basketball, and the love of the sport grew and I've not looked back since. I feel like I improved and grew as a player - and of course grew physically too and that all helped me.

What would you say to other kids who would fancy the same chance?

Do it. That's where the positive outlook has to be. When they see guys like me, I used to be walking around Tottenham maybe not that many years ago in the same position as they are now. But since then I've played in NBA, I've played in high level European basketball, and I intend to be back in the NBA soon. I don't see any reason why those kids are any different from me all the while. If they look in that light there's no reason why they can't be in the same position.

You mention Tottenham - bet that's the one thing you were missing from England this week?

I'm definitely missing that. I was searching for somewhere to find the semi-final against Burnley on the TV here! I always tell anybody I'm the biggest Spurs fan you are going to find, and that's both figuratively and literally! I've been a fan since I can remember, I know a couple of the players, I know they were struggling early but I know they are playing better now.

We give everybody we talk to in this series a free £50 bet for a favourite charity. You'll want to back Tottenham then, we assume!

Absolutely, put the money towards the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation which does an amazing job giving chances for sport and education to kids in the area I come from - and I'll back the boys to win the Carling Cup again at [2.44].