The Spanish international player Usman Garuba lived on Monday his first experience of “Press Day” as a rookie for the Houston Rockets and showed ready to meet the challenges that he has set in his new stage as a professional.
Among them, changing the idea that most sports experts and analysts have that he is still not a good offensive player and showing on the field that he is much better in attack than they think. “I know everyone talks about my weakness in the game being attack, but I consider that I am much better than what they say and when I am in the field it will be seen. In my interior I have no doubt that I am also a good offensive player, “he told EFE.
Garuba, 19, has no doubt that he will do it not only to prove critics wrong about his assessment of offensive performance, but to do it on himself because he works “to get it.” From his first impressions with the team and the new teammates, Garuba highlighted that they have already started to work hard and with a great atmosphere. “The goal is to be in top form when the regular season rolls around and outperform myself in every aspect of my game. I want to get to training camp in good shape and put a lot of energy into everything I do. “
It will be the basis that allows him to achieve the goals that he has established as an NBA professional after the Rockets selected him with number 23 in the past ‘draft’, a position that he considered low for what he thinks he can offer in the field of play. “The truth is that I had imagined many options regarding my future within the NBA“, valued the Spanish international power forward in his statements to EFE.” There have been many places where you can go with a much lower or higher selection, “he added.
Personally, Garuba, He reiterated that it was a “low” selection, but the important thing was that he had made it to the NBA and is “happy” to be in Houston. Although he had to overcome the always complicated and unpleasant task of having to organize the new residence, he has already left the luxury hotel where he was staying on his arrival in Houston, owned by the owner of the Rockets, Tilman Fertitta.
“Finally, after several busy weeks I have completed the move to my apartment, where I still need to put things, but more or less I have it furnished and little by little I am improving in those tasks,” said Garuba. With his mind set only on basketball, Garuba is ready to start working in order to see the goals that have been established for the arrival of the best basketball in the world. “My first goal is to improve day by day, establish myself as a good player and have a long professional career,” Garuba listed. He decided to leave Real Madrid to reach the best basketball in the world, when he had the most prominence in the team of the capital of Spain.
“For me the biggest dream would be, regardless of the titles or individual awards that I can get, to achieve a championship with the team that has selected me and that is why I will fight,” Garuba stressed. At the moment, nothing he has experienced so far has been negative for him and, on the contrary, he wants the Houston experience to be of great value to him as everything returns to normal. Although he recognizes that the change from Madrid to Houston has generated everything a new world of contrasts, in the environment, the type of life, but above all in the “need” of having to use the car for any management that has to be carried out.
“Houston is a very big city. No walking. To go anywhere you have to order a taxi or use the car“Garuba commented.” But I like that there are so many things and I am excited about the experience, “he said. The same thing that happened with his first photo session in which he had to participate to show the Rockets jersey with the number 16 that he will wear next season in 2022. “The truth is that it has been a very fast and cool session,” Garuba said. “It has made me feel very happy.”
