Berlin (dpa / bb) – The footsteps for winger Justin Bean could hardly be bigger at Alba Berlin. Because the 26-year-old newcomer is supposed to replace Luke Sikma. In the last six years he was an institution at the basketball Bundesliga club: captain, leader, top performer. “I watched a lot of him to see why he was so successful here. He always acted with passion, intensity and a high basketball IQ,” said the American on Monday.
And yet Bean doesn’t want to be just a copy of Sikma. “I don’t know if I can fill those footsteps, I want to be Justin Bean and be the best possible player for this team,” he said. For him, Berlin is his first stop outside the USA. There he was most recently active in the G-League for Memphis Hustle. “It’s a big step for me. But Europe is a good thing for my career and a great opportunity,” he said.
His career seemed almost over at the age of 18. After high school, he left his native Oklahoma and went to Nevada as a Mormon missionary. “Basketball is a big part of my life but it’s not who I am,” he said. He didn’t play basketball for two years and even thought about quitting. “I had my doubts, but I just love this sport too much,” he said.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230828-99-987402/2
2023-08-28 10:41:17
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