On focus: Drilon Hajrizi
Drilon Hajrizi is having a breakout season for KB Peja. The can-do-it-all forward is averaging 16.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.3 steals in nine games in the Balkan League so far. He was one of the main reasons for his team′s run of seven straight wins in the First Stage which was stopped by Levski 2014 a few days ago. Now we would like to present Hajrizi in a different manner. In the following interview he speaks how he started to play basketball, how happy he is doing it and a lot more interesting stuff. Enjoy it...
- How did you decide to start playing basketball, at what age did you start and what are your first memories from the game?
- At first I started training football. I used to be a good player but we didn′t have such a good conditions at the time. They my parents wanted me to become a musician (playing guitar) and I started attending music school although I was missing classes every second time. I was always coming back sweaty in home and I always was finding an excuse (ex. running for the bus after school). In fact I used to play basketball with my friends. One day my father met my guitar teacher and asked him how was I performing. He answered that I was missing classes very often. When my father came back home he wanted to discuss that with me and on his first question I recognized his point. Immediately I started crying and saying that I don′t like to play guitar but I LOVE BASKETBALL. He was shocked but didn′t say anything. I quit attending guitar classes and started playing basketball for Trepca. My father didn′t follow me on the basketball court for one year. After he met my coach and he was surprised what he told him about me. One day while I was training I saw my father with my mom watching me from upstairs. They were totally surprised with my performance. From that day they support me on every single thing in my basketball career and my life.
- When did u decide that you are going to be a professional player and who′s the person that helped your career the most?
- I started playing basketball when I was 3 years old. At 15 I was already playing with seniors and from then on I didn′t stop. There are two people that helped me a lot for my career - my father and then my coach Bujar Begu. A lot of thanks to them.
- You′ve been playing in Peja in the recent years and in the Balkan League - how do you think the competition has helped your team and you personally in your development?
- Yes, I have been playing in Peja and Balkan League in these three recent years. The international competition has made our team much more serious and professional and developed me and other players of Peja professionally. BIBL has helped me a lot on developing my skills through active and serious games on the competition. Especially, BIBL gave me the possibility to expose myself in an international competition, which is a great possibility to show my talent, expand and increase the network of knowledge.
- So far this season you are playing very well - how do you rate your performance and what do you want to imrove in?
- I always believe that I can do better and better. First of all, I am pretty well satisfied with myself and my team performance so far this season. We are working hard, we have discipline on the team, well harmonized and we are really functioning as a big family where everybody knows each other and everybody knows his role on the team. I have to work hard, try to win every possible game, and become a champion in Kosovo SuperLeague and BIBL and get the Cup.
- How do you rate the opposition in Balkan League, which teams are your biggest opponents for winning the trophy?
- At the moment, as we have seen the previous games, Sigal Prishtina and Mornar are playing well and they are our biggest opponents for winning the trophy.
- You are doing very well in Kosovo league and you have no defeats. What has been the key to success so far this season and what should we expect from your team in the second part of it?
- As I mentioned before, we are performing well, not only on the stage (games) but even on trainings. If we continue to work hard with this kind of positive mindset I think that our team will continue having positive results. A very significant reason for this positive continuity is that we made only some minor changes, which means that we know each other and we are well harmonized.
- This will be the first year in which Kosovo will have a national team in FIBA competition. Do you expect to be called up and what do you think about the other teams in the group?
- We had the national team in the past, but we were not playing official international games. I believe on this team and I think that the coach will select the best players and they will perform well. This is the most important thing for our national team. If the national team needs me, I will always be ready for it. The competition is pretty hard but I always have a slogan on my mind and my heart “never ever give up”.
- Tell us a few words what does Drilon Hajrizi likes to do outside the court - when he doesn′t have a practice or a game...
- Outside the court I like reading, visiting my family, cousins and friends. I have already graduated on sports education and at the moment I am just checking for a part time master on the same field. During my free time I usually go out and play with my nephews Kron and Fron.
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| No Games Scheduled |
| Delasport Balkan League 2023/2024 Regular Season | |||
| 1 | .jpg){kind=logo} KB Sigal Prishtina |
8 - 2 | 18 |
| 2 |  PAYABL EKA AEL |
6 - 4 | 16 |
| 3 |  KB Peja |
6 - 4 | 16 |
| 4 |  KK Lovcen 1947 |
4 - 6 | 14 |
| 5 |  KK Plevlja |
0 - 8 | 8 |
