Sunny spring days have changed to snow showers in Salo.
Back winter has surprised Salon Vilppa of Jacob Grandisonwho walks into the cafe in his windbreaker, shivering.
He laughs that the interview is done over pastries.
– Of course. Everyone knows I’m the bun king! Jacob Grandison answers when he is asked if it would be possible to order a coffee in Finnish.
Otherwise, the Finnish language is still not fluent, because the Californian has only lived in Salo for a little over a month. Ear sticks and beef eyeballs are the basketball player’s favorite treats, because the Finnish mother baked them in her childhood home in the United States.
The 198-centimeter pier also recognizes in itself character traits typical of Finns.
– I already noticed as a child that I am different from my friends. I was quieter than others. A certain subtle confidence connects me to my mother’s homeland.
Grandison says that in the last month, his Finnish identity has become even stronger.
– Now I’ve lived here for a while and you can see that humility is an essential part of the whole Finnish culture.
Through many twists and turns to Korisliiga
Before his first professional season, the 26-year-old Grandison played a multi-stage college career in the NCAA.
The first two years were spent at the small Holy Cross University. Convincing touches and an average of almost 14 points led him to a bigger university in Illinois. There, during two seasons, Grandison was one of the key players of his team.
Finally, the college sky ended last spring at Duke, one of the most famous basketball universities in the United States. Grandison, who was mostly substituted on the field as the sixth player, clocked an average of 16 game minutes in 34 matches.
The first season in Europe has also been eventful.
In the fall, the season was supposed to start in Croatian KK Cibona, but the contract fell through due to the club’s financial difficulties. After this, he ended up in Spain, where he stayed with Menorca for three months.
In February, Grandison played in the Finnish national team jersey in the EC qualifiers, but without a club team.
In that case, he put his spoon in the soup Teemu Rannikkowho belongs to both the men’s national team and Salon Vilppa’s coaching team.
– Other coaches who were interested in me came to the national team’s training, but Teemu and I were able to talk every day, Grandison says.
When the transfer window was closing, he knew that Vilpas would be the right address.
Now he assures that the choice was right. Salo has turned out to be a fairly calm place, where it has been nice to settle in after a fast-paced early season.
– This is the perfect environment because I can focus only on basketball. The city is not big, but you can find everything you need here. I’ve lived in places in the middle of the forest before, and I enjoy being in nature.
When Grandison is asked what is the best in Finland, the answer comes lightning fast.
– Water! You can drink it straight from the tap, and it tastes really good. It’s an incredible thing.
European style of play
Grandison has managed to play nine games with an average of 13 points on the basketball league floors. Although the winger joined Vilppa’s strength only at the end of the regular season, he has integrated well into the team.
– “Jake” learned the team’s way of playing very quickly and showed that he wants to get to the carts at both ends of the field. He brings breadth and different options, especially at the offensive end, Vilppaa’s head coach Jussi Savolainen tells.
Rannikko also praises Grandison’s adaptability and is satisfied that he was lured to Salo.
– He is a smart player who can make baskets in many different ways. We have a wide rotation, so his role varies. Grandison has been very receptive to what has been offered.
The experiences of the men’s national team have also helped to adapt to the Korisliiga. Grandison has played 14 national matches in Susijeng, which is when the European style of play has become familiar.
– I compare it to football, because it is a constant movement. For example, in the United States, driving is taught to stop near the basket. In Europe, on the other hand, transportation is also continued under the body and various solutions are found through that.
“I was a bit out of sorts”
On Thursday evening, Grandison and Salon Vilpas are facing a must-win, so that the season does not end in the quarterfinals. Kauhajoki Karhu leads the match series 2–0, and three wins are required for a place in the semifinals.
Although Grandison is currently only focused on taking down the Bear, his hopes for the future are bright in his mind. He believes that Korisliiga serves as a good springboard for a career.
– I want to play at the highest possible level. In Europe it could mean in France, Germany, Spain or Italy.
Dreams also include Olympic competitions with Susijeng. The Olympic qualifiers will not be held in Valencia until the beginning of July, just a few weeks before the Paris Olympics.
Grandison is already looking forward to the summer of the national team, when Finland will face Poland and the Bahamas in the first group of the qualifying tournament.
– I came to the national team a bit out of the blue, because I wasn’t part of it when I was younger. Although last summer’s World Cup didn’t go as hoped, it was great to be part of the team.
However, Grandison emphasizes that his journey is just beginning.
Even though you have, for example, a college basketball conference championship in one of the toughest schools in the league, you have your eyes firmly set on the future.
In the same context, we return again to the edge of Finnishness.
– I’ll be proud of myself, maybe later in life. I don’t celebrate success while the journey is still underway. That’s also how you can tell that I’m Finnish, Grandison observes.