Who is your role model on and off the court?

Growing up my brother (Derek) was one of the best players in the area and had scholarhip offers to some of the best colleges in the country so most local basketball players looked up to him. I wouldn’t say I have a role model but seeing someone close to me have their hard work payoff and see him achieve his dreams was something that motivated me...There’ve been a ton of players throughout the years in the NBA I looked up to and loved watching...growing up I really liked watching Allen Iverson because he was so small but he was fearless and it always seemed like he found ways to make big plays. I also liked watching Jason Williams aka White Chocolate when he played for the Sacramento Kings... my brother and I use to try to tape his games and then practice his moves later on at the gym. But if I had to pick my favorite player today I’d pick Manu Ginobili...I love watching him because he’s really crafty and finds ways to get by bigger and faster guys.

In high school you played for Moutain View High School and Santa Rosa JC, you were one of the best players of states. Did you learn a lot in those years?

Yeah I really did... In high school I was fortunate to have my older brother on the same team as me and show me the type of work ethic necessary to be successful. He was a big star in the area so I was lucky to have a workout partner who knew what it took to get to the next level. After high school I had to go to a junior college because the few Division 1 schools who showed interest never offered me a scholarship and I knew I was good enough to play at that level. The main problem was that when I finished high school I was really small I was 6 feet (182cm) and 150 pounds (68kg). I hated being small and getting pushed around but it made me focus on my skills and then by the time I finally grew and got stronger I ended up passing up a lot of players.

Please tell us something about your NCAA carrier…

I had a great experience at the University of Portland. It was about a half hour from my hometown and I ended up playing there for 3 years. When I first got there we weren’t very good our record was 9-23 and then the next 2 years we won 40 games and cracked the Top 25 rankings after we beat Oregon, UCLA, and Minnesota in a row.

Why was you redshirted player in 2006-2007?

I ended up breaking my right clavicle (collar bone) right before my second junior college season started going for an offensive rebound. I was really disappointed at the time because I felt like I was going to have a breakout year but sitting out allowed me to save 3 seasons of elgibility at the Division 1 level instead of only 2 years. My junior college coach at Santa Rosa (Craig MacMillan) was great to me and I definitely grew as a player in my short time there. After not having any Division 1 scholarhips after high school I had about 10 offers and ended up choosing the University of Portland to help turn around the program and play near my hometown.

What kind of experiences do you have from the NCAA? What was your biggest success in those years?

My experience from my time playing in the NCAA was amazing. Other than beating some of bigger  teams (Saint Mary’s, Washington, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, UCLA) looking back my best memories were probably hanging out with teammates and when we would spend time together as a group. I injured my foot early on in my senior season and eventually had to sit out the rest of the season after it got worse. That was tough because our team was having a big year luckily we had some younger guys who stepped up and ended up playing well. I think having to miss games or deal with an injury makes you that much more appreciative and makes you come back tougher. The biggest success from my NCAA years was being part of the group that helped turn around the program from the bottom to the top of the West Coast Conference.

You’re not selected in 2010 NBA Draft, but in January of 2011 New Mexico Thunderbirds give an oportunity for you in Developement League. How did you felt yourself there?

I was excited and am thankful that New Mexico picked me up for the last month and a half of the NBDL season. From my experience, we had a lot of roster changes and I came late to the team so I had to really be ready to play since playing time changed based on the roster. The thing I liked the most about New Mexico were the practices and coaches. We had 3 coaches who had experience playing in the NBA so for me it was great to be around them and get advice on what to improve on. The coaches were passionate about developing players so it was a real good place to be if you were serious about getting better. It was also good to go up against former NBA players and to get a feel of how I stack up against them. I tried to learn as much as possible in my short time there.

You started the last season in Belgium, but played only 7 games. In next summer You signed a contract with Kaposvar. What were your first impressions about city, coaches, fans and Hungarian Championship? How did you feel yourself there?

I was in Belgium for the first month of league games and played in a EuroChallenge match. I had a guaranteed contract in Belgium and was not released from the team. I was encouraged to stay but I chose to leave the team for personal reasons. The following summer I had a hard time getting offers in Europe, so when my friend and future point guard Josh Wilson told me his team in Hungary would be a good fit I jumped at the opportunity and was excited to join Kaposvar.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise...I really enjoyed playing for Coach Adam Fekete and my Kaposvar teammates were very welcoming and made me feel at home from the day I arrived. The city wasn’t too big but it had a nice downtown area and it had all of the restaurants and shops I needed nearby...The club set me up with a good living situation in a nice aparment so I felt comfortable living in Kaposvar. My impression of the fans was positive. They stuck with us and supported us through the changing of players so it felt good being able to give back to the fans by winning some big games at home.

I was impressed with the overall strength of teams in the Hungarian Championship and  the quality of players. Szolnok reaching the EuroChallenge Final Four yet had a lot of close games during the Hungarian Championship so it shows that this is a respectable league. I really liked the style of play in the Championship. Most of the teams liked to play a fast and guard oriented style which makes the game more exciting and was a good fit for my style of play.

What was the best and the worst thing in your first european season?

I’d have to say the worst thing was just being so far away from home... but at the same time with Skype and the internet it wasn’t too hard to keep in touch with people back in the states. I’d say the best thing was probably having a fresh start start and my situation I fell into. Coach Adam was a fun coach to play for and he encouraged me to play aggressive and I was fortunate to be on a team with good chemistry and players who liked working with eachother. I think if we had kept our original team we would have locked up a playoff spot, but after we adjusted to our roster changes we were back on track and finished up with a nice win streak and made a good run at the playoffs.

Which was your best match in Hungary, and why?

We had a couple big wins that we pulled off... I think the funnest was probably when we played at Sopron. We were down 18 in the second half and ended up coming back and winning in OT. Another big win was early in the year when we played against Paks at home. It was a fun atmosphere to play in, the gym was packed and the fans were going crazy... I’m glad we were able to win that game and put on a good show for our supporters.

How do you plan your carrier in future. Fe. Would you like play in stronger championship or in the NBA?

I don’t really have a certain place in mind of where I’d want to play I’d be open to playing anywhere. My focus has always been on continuing to improve and put in as much work as I can and see where that takes me. It seems like anything can happen in European basketball so I think the important thing is to stay ready and make the most of your opportunities. Getting paid to play basketball in any country is a dream come true so I feel blessed to get the chance.

Do you keep in touch with your team-mates in Hungary? If yes, with who?

Our Kaposvar team was different than most teams that I’ve played on...not only did all of the players get along but it seemed like the majority of the team would spend a lot of time together outside of basketball. We had a very friendly group so its not a surprise that we had such positive team chemistry. I’ve been in contact with a few teammates and club members over Facebook sinced I’ve been back, keeping in touch and seeing how their summer is going...Kiss Kornel and Bence Biro are probably the main two I’ve kept in touch with and I’ve also been able to keep in touch with ”Kapos Legend” the sports trainer Tamas Horvath. I wish them the best and hope they’re enjoying their summer holiday!

What is favorite food? And drink?

My favorite food had to be the beef gulyas soup... there were a lot of different foods and snacks I liked. The team trainer Tamas Horvath brought his wife’s Langos bread and mixed it with strawberry jam...finom. My favorite drinks were the different bottled juices...apple, pear, and the orange Cappy. I also tried some Hungarian Palinka Silva, it was a little strong but I was impressed with it.

Do you plan to come back Hungary in the future?

I have a positive impression of the country of Hungary and enjoyed the style of basketball in the Hungarian Championship. I haven’t made a decision of where I will play next season but I would definitely consider Hungary again in the future.

What do you think? Which team will be the NBA Champion? And which is your favourite NBA team?

Early on I was rooting for the Indiana Pacers because I liked how they played hard and found ways to win without any big name superstars, they were probably my favorite team. After they lost to Miami I was rooting for the Spurs because I’m a big Ginobili fan. Now that both of my teams got bumped out the playoffs I think I’d have to go with Boston winning the whole thing. They might be old but they are experienced and seem hungry for a championship.

Nik Raivio highlights - Season 2011/2012:

NIK! Thank you for your answers!

Fotó (1.) - kaposvarikosar.hu

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