A little more unknown to the large Finnish basketball audience Olivier “Olli” Nkamhoua exudes self-confidence in an interview with Urheilu at the beginning of August.
– It’s no wonder I’m not known here yet. If we’re being completely honest, my junior career was nothing special. I disappeared to play elsewhere at the age of 17, just when I started to make a little noise as a basketball player, says the player who has played the last four seasons in the American College League and his father Chuman Nkamhoua, who moved in at the time.
Nkamhoua, 23, was with the national men’s basketball team all last summer 2022, but in the end, to the surprise of many, instead of Susijengi’s EC final tournament, he chose university basketball and Tennessee’s NCAA club.
For those who follow the national team, the name became familiar during the Belgium international matches played in Tampere last August, in which Nkamhoua was Susijeng’s best scorer (14/10 and 19/5). Lauri Markkanen did not play in matches.
– After all, it was a bit of a shame, as I would have liked to get to the European Championship, of course. However, sometimes you have to make difficult choices, reflects Nkamhoua.
Nkamhoua an important piece in the rotation of big players
The 203-centimeter Helsinki NMKY graduate believes that Susijengi has the potential to surprise at the World Championships starting on August 25. In addition to Finland, Australia, Germany and the tournament host Japan will play in Finland’s tough first group. The World Cup will also be played in the Philippines and Indonesia.
– We’re going there to fight. There will certainly be challenges every day and in every game, but you still have to be pretty confident and not be afraid of making mistakes. You have to think about your opponents in such a way that who is moved from the front.
Even though Nkamhoua has played in a different environment in Tennessee in recent years, he knows Susijeng’s game system inside out.
Finland has not had too many mobile and athletic so-called big players in its crew. Nkamhoua brings a great extra spice to Susijeng with his own strengths.
– Finland has been good in international basketball, but in my opinion we have never had such a big gang before, Nkamhoua refers to himself Lauri Markkasen, to Alexander Madsen, To Alex Murphy and Federico to Federico.
Olivier Nkamhoua, the first-time winner of the adult championships, has not yet been officially selected for Susijeng’s World Championship team. He is a strong candidate for a racing machine.
– Selection would be a really big deal for me personally, to be able to play for my motherland and, of course, to play against the world’s top players.
Howard taught better positions for the NBA draft
After his fourth college season, Nkamhoua wanted to transfer from Tennessee to another high-class university, Michigan, for the next season.
Nkamhoua opted out of this summer’s NBA draft for young players. Based on feedback from NBA camps, Nkamhoua felt it would be good for him to play one more, preferably consistently good, season in the NCAA and then try to earn an NBA reservation.
– I have received feedback on what needs to be improved to play in the NBA. I feel that on the defensive end you have to show that you can defend anyone. After that, you have to show that you can catch rebounds and use athleticism on both ends of the court. I think I have a pretty good throw, I have to show more of that in the future.
– I’m sure the NBA will be realism for me one day, Nkamhoua smiles calmly.
Michigan’s head coach seems to be someone who once played a handsome career in the NBA, mainly at the position of a big winger Juan Howard.
– I expect that he will be able to teach me a lot of small, important things about the basket. He has played the same position as me, which is also an advantage. I believe that thanks to him and other coaching, I will be able to grow as a player and take big steps, “Olli” line.
Thanks to mom and dad – “No financial worries”
Last season at Tennessee, Nkamhoua averaged 11 points, five rebounds and two assists on a 51.3 shooting percentage.
Nkamhoua says his decision to play one more extra season at the NCAA’s top club had nothing to do with money.
According to Urheilu’s sources, Nkamhoua will receive compensation for a college player for playing in Michigan.
College players aren’t actually paid a salary, but today they can make money through a system similar to sponsorship deals.
– It’s great that university players, who spend all their time training and playing, have been given the opportunity to use their own name, develop and earn a little pocket money at the same time, says Nkamhoua.
The star athletes of the universities have earned up to millions of dollars at their best.
– I have never had financial worries because my mother and father have taken care of me. I have been in such a fortunate situation that I have always been able to focus on basketball, Nkamhoua praises.
Before the final naming of Susijeng’s World Championship team, there are four preparatory national matches in the program, the first of which will be played on Friday, August 4 against rock-hard Lithuania in Tampere. On Wednesday, August 9, Finland will arrive in Espoo to challenge Jukka Toijalan coached by Estonia.