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http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_4668.shtml
1-on-1 With Suns Top Pick Zarko Cabarkapa
By Dusan Ljubanic
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jul 25, 2003, 05:00
Dusan Ljubanic
Basketball News Services
Zarko Cabarkapa is Proving to be one of the more interesting players picked up in this year's NBA Draft although he was somewhat a mystery to several teams prior to last month's selections.
The just turned 22 year old 6-11 Cabarkapa came over to the U.S. in June and started a series of workouts for teams as had been scheduled by his agent Rade Filipovic. Yet a family illness back home was to cut that schedule shorter than planned. Luckily for the Suns, one of his first stops was in Phoenix where he showcased his skills before having to unexpectedly return to Serbia & Montenegro.
The Suns have been delighted with the great potential they see as well as the performance shown so far in the summer league from their 17th overall selection in round one and they look forward to seeing what he will produce for them in this coming season's battle's shaping up in the NBA's highly competitive Western Conference.
Though arriving with less media exposure than other more high-profile draftees, Cabarkapa is a player capable of contributing to the Suns team in a very short time. His performance in the Rocky Mountain ***** where he is averaging nearly 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on a squad that is now 1-4 is proving out to be a strong confirmation of that train of thought.
So you can see for yourselves how he is starting to fit in with his new team while still adjusting to life in the United States, plus everything else that has happened to him in the past few months, Hoopsworld.com went to Cabarkapa himself for you.
Through his agents at BDA Sports, its media officer Aneta Skumpija, and Zarko's personal agent Rade Filipovic, we were able to get in a few personal moments with Cabarkapa after Thursday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
Hoopsworld: First of all, congratulations on your selection at the 2003 NBA Draft going at the 17th pick in the first round. Just a few days ago you signed a three-year contract with the Suns, what are your first impressions?
Cabarkapa : Thanks for the congratulations and let me say how thrilled I am with the team I came to play for plus the whole Suns organization in general. I already feel that I'll have a place on this team during my rookie year. Of course I can't say how many minutes I might be able to play at this early stage but I think I'll be given a good opportunity this first season.
It will be up to me to prove if I can really play here. As for the team, it really is fantastic. I've got great teammates and great coaches. Everything surrounding a player coming into the NBA for the first time is all I could wish it to be. I don't know what other organizations are like, but I'm really thrilled to be here with the Suns.
Hoopsworld - Zarko, you just finished playing against the Nuggets, your team lost and now you're 1-4 in the Rocky Mountain ***** being held once again at Salt Lake City in Utah.
Cabarkapa - Yeah, we played Denver and I think we lost by something like 40 points. They just outplayed us in all elements of the game. We played very poorly on defense and allowed them to score way too many easy baskets.
I don't know, I guess we're a bit tired at this point but I suppose they are too so I don't know what excuse could I possibly use to explain the pretty poor game we played today.
Hoopsworld - Going back to the Suns organization, you already have some experience with them. There was that excellent workout you did for them before the draft plus now you've played in summer league too there in Utah. What are your impressions on the people from the organization, it seems they have really accepted you into the fold quickly?
Cabarkapa - Yes they have. Here in this summer league I play with the only guys that are under contract. Four or five of us, I don't know exactly. But as for the people here and the way they're treating me, they're really great.
During the games I get my chances, I play usually something around 30-35 minutes and I get a lot of touches. My teammates don't pass on me when it comes to sharing the ball, and they're really great. From the very start, I've had nothing but great treatment from the guys on the team and all the people in the organization.
Hoopsworld - Do you get the feeling that even though you were the Suns' first round pick this year, they are a bit surprised at how good you really play? After your first few games Phoenix head coach Frank Johnson himself said you are a better player then he had originally thought you were? Could you comment on your performances there in Salt Lake?
Cabarkapa - Actually they haven't seen me play that much. They saw that pre-draft workout in Phoenix as well as some tapes of me playing, but that's it. I play the way I've always played, basically I just fit in well with this program and with this style of the game.
It's lots of running and fast breaks. That's the game I'm most comfortable with. I don't like the half-court game that much. I just feel this faster up-tempo game fits me well and that it brings out the best of me.
Hoopsworld - Most, if not all, European players coming into the NBA need a certain time period to fully adopt to many things, a different style of game, as well as a different kind of life. You have put six full professional seasons in the YUBA league behind you, and you played in the Euroleague too. Do you feel that kind of experience will help you make a smoother transition than the one which guys coming out of high school or those with very little professional experience behind them are facing when they enter the NBA?
Cabarkapa - Everybody says that this first year is the toughest one. It takes time to adopt to new surroundings and a new kind of game. I'll possibly also have some similar problems along the way but I think I'm prepared for that.
I've mentally readied myself for possible problems with the transition, but like you said, perhaps the fact I've played professional basketball for six years will help me.
It's true that I am a bit more experienced than most of the guys selected at the draft this year. It's a fact there is always a certain period of time needed to go through the changes.
When I changed clubs in Yugoslavia I needed some time. Back then I only changed towns and here I've changed continents, so definitely it will take some time for me to fully adapt but I think I'll do fine.
Hoopsworld - Are you already in a position to know what position you'll play most of the time? Can you already see your place on the team? You can play any positions across the frontline, but in your opinion which will be the one you'll spend most of your minutes at?
Cabarkapa - Yes, that's right. Even here I've played at different positions. Mostly at small-forward and power-forward although today I played center for the first time in my life.
Most of the time I spend at the four, or the power forward spot. I feel it fits me the best at this point. When we're on offense, I get guarded by heavier guys so usually I play them OK since I'm quicker than they are.
On defense, we deal with different situations. Sometimes we are double-teaming my guy and sometimes we're using other solutions.
I've also talked to the coach and the way I see it, right now most of my playing time will be at power-forward although I have also played the small forward here.
Hoopsworld - Are you are satisfied with your level of physical fitness? Are you working on putting more muscle your body-frame? It's gonna be a long hard season in the Western Conference where you are going to be facing the top power forwards in the league.
Cabarkapa - At the present time I can't be satisfied with my physical fitness. By no means. I need to get much stronger if I plan to play here seriously and to be more ready physically because right now I can only play for 10 or 15 minutes tops. After that I'm pretty much dead beat. So if I want to do as much here as I intend to, I'll need to bulk up more.
I still haven't decided exactly what to do about it or which way to deal with it, but now is the moment I need to make up my mind. With my current shape I can't play here at the level I need to. After all, it's a much tougher and more physical game here. The match-ups are stronger. At this point, I'm pretty light so I mostly get bounced off if I play someone tight.
Hoopsworld - Are you already thinking about living in Phoenix at this point? Have you been checking out any houses already, and is any of your family coming to Phoenix with you?
Cabarkapa - People from the Suns have offered to help search for my house and they've asked me to go and check them out. I've postponed it for the time being since I'm planning to bring my entire family, mum, dad, and brother, to Phoenix.
I didn't want to go and look at houses all by myself. I'll wait for them to arrive in September. I think it will be better for me as well as them that we'll all be together this first year. After that we'll see.
Hoopsworld - Before we wrap this up, could you tell us something more about your plans in the days to come? Will you be joining the Yugoslav National Team preparing for the European Championships in Sweden this September ? Also, when will you be coming back to the U.S.?
Cabarkapa - I still have one more game to play here and after that I'll go back to Yugoslavia. I still haven't heard from the head-coach of the Serbian National Team. I should call him to see what the plans are.
I don't know anything yet. I should join the team, but as I said, I still don't know. I need to call the coach and talk to him.
