Arnoldas Kulboka was selected in the draft 2018 by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round, but still plays for Brose Bamberg this season. In an interview with SPOX, the 20-year-old Lithuanian talks about his summer, his experiences in Las Vegas and his goals with Upper Franconia in the Basketball Champions League. Bamberg is in action at AEK Athens today, Wednesday (live at 18.30 on DAZN).
SPOX: Mr. Kulboka, it was an exciting summer for you. They were selected by the Charlotte Hornets at position 55, were in Las Vegas and were also presented to the people in Charlotte. Have you at least been able to catch your breath?
Arnoldas Kulboka: There really was a lot going on. I was drafted, could get a little used to the bigger field in the USA, played in the Summer League. Sure, it was extremely exhausting and demanding, but I enjoyed the months.
SPOX: Did you know before the draft that you were drafted and that it would probably be Charlotte?
Kulboka: I had a total of seven different team workouts, but the Hornets weren’t one of them. So it was a little surprise, but on the other hand it wasn’t. I knew that some teams here had watched me during my time in Bamberg. Charlotte was one of those teams.
SPOX: What convinced the Hornets of your skillset and what do they expect from you in the future?
Kulboka: You were very satisfied with my game and the level it is currently at. At 2.08 meters, I am very tall for a wingman and can score a little, which they liked. Of course, I’ll keep working on myself, and when I’m ready, they’ll call me.
SPOX: As you mentioned, you were also in the Summer League for the Hornets. And that went really well – in the first game you scored 12 points in 13 minutes.
Kulboka: That’s true, but otherwise I didn’t play too much. But I was present at all training sessions and got a feeling for the team. I met all the coaches and General Manager Mitch Kupchak. That alone was a good experience for me.
SPOX: I’m sure you also spoke a little with Kupchak. What are the Hornets’ plans for you?
Kulboka: First of all, I have a two-year contract in Bamberg. Charlotte will look carefully as I develop now. When they think that I’m ready and that I’ve developed well, they’ll come for me. But above all I have to work on my defense, become more offensive and more variable and also strengthen my body.
SPOX: The Summer League has become a real event in recent years, and the big stars are also dropping by. What did you take with you from your stay in Las Vegas?
Kulboka: For me it was simply important that I could experience this. I’ve dreamed of coming to the NBA since I was a kid. It’s incredible that I could now stand there on the field. You look around and see all these incredibly athletic players, that’s a huge difference compared to European basketball.
SPOX: But before you could even dream of the NBA, you decided to move from Lithuania to Germany. This is an unusual step, since the training in the Baltic States is actually good. Isaiah Hartenstein, for example, took the opposite path. How did this happen?
Kulboka: I had different possibilities, Germany was one of them, but I could have stayed in Lithuania. At the age of 17 I travelled with my agent to Bamberg, looked at everything and the conditions were great. The coaches here really wanted to work with me and that was my top priority at the time. I have never regretted this decision either.
SPOX: But most of the time you spent in the ProA with the farm team, the Baunach Young Pikes. So how important was the loan business last season when you were allowed to play in Italy?
Kulboka: That definitely helped me a lot. The environment was a bit different and we didn’t win many games with Orlandia, but I got a lot of playing time, had an important role and was named the best young player in the Champions League. It was exactly what I was looking for. I’d say it paid off. Also in Bamberg they were very satisfied with this loan. I hope that I can now fight for my minutes at Brose and help the team win matches.
SPOX: I’m sure it was helpful for you that a small upheaval took place in Bamberg and that you wanted to bet more on younger players. Was that a happy coincidence?
Kulboka: That will show, but I hope that I will get the opportunity to prove myself. But for that I have to show myself in the training sessions. I need to prove I can play defense. If the coach needs me, I need to be there and take my chances.
SPOX: What can this team achieve after this season’s upheaval?
Kulboka: Of course we come from the EuroLeague, even if we are a little younger now and have a smaller budget. The opponents want to prove themselves accordingly and we have to be careful. In the Basketball Champions League we want to go to the Final Four to play at least for the title.
SPOX: The veterans who are left should also help. Who do you think are the players in the squad you look up to, from whom you want to learn something?
Kulboka: Ideally, of course, by everyone, but especially by Nikos Zisis. He has played so many years in the EuroLeague at a high level, has so much experience and has played against the best players in Europe. When he says something, of course you listen and try to put it into practice. It’s really great how he helps the young players on our team.
SPOX: What’s so special about a player like Zisis?
Kulboka: He is simply himself. He is calm, does not let himself be guided by his emotions and simply concentrates on the game. He knows what to do – as simple as that may sound. And as a young player you just try to copy that from him.
SPOX: Let’s conclude by coming back to you: When would you talk about a personally successful season at the end of the season?
Kulboka: Of course, the first priority is for the team to win as many matches as possible. When the coach needs me, I will try to implement everything he wants from me. But of course I also want to defend my title as the best youngster in the Champions League.