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I thought we should start a thread since NBA's preseason games have started from last weekend.
I found nothing better to start with but his exclusive interview with ISNA after the Grizzlies preseason opener:
ISNA's interview with HH follows by:
Asia's best center and Iran national team's Memphis Grizzlies player is training hard after his hand surgery so he can have different conditions this time around in a Memphis uniform compared to previous years.
* How are your trainings going on?
- I'm having good trainings. This year that I've been around for preseason training camps,I've tried hard to work and get in shape. I want to play this coming year and that's why i stayed in the states. I really loved to come back to Iran and play for the NT, but as the Asia Cup wasn't a high ranked competition i stayed here so i wouldn't fall behind of the training camps and get in trouble with my visa like the years before. Whenever i got back to USA from Iran in the previous years i wan't ready and i hat fat to burn and was having difficulties in training sessions, but now i'm starting right away with the team and im getting prepared.
* You had surgery too?
- After that thing that happened to me a few years ago i was mostly playing with one hand. I was in the States that one of my teammates had a problem and underwent a surgery on his hand. After this one of my friends called and suggested why don't you go and have your hand fixed? I decided to consult a doctor whether my conditions will get better with a surgery or not. Though there was a small risk in it as hand is the main part in a basketball players body and i was worried about it, anyway i consulted with one of the best doctors in the US and made my decision.
* How is your hand feeling?
- My hand form is a lot better. It's nearly a month that I've taken off the cast and i played against Real Madrid for the first time after the surgery. I can't evaluate the difference in my performance yet, but i know i'll get better.
* Didn't anyone know of your surgery in Iran?
- No,only my club and my family knew about it. Even other clubs didn't know about it. No one knew about it until my hand was in a cast.
* We found about your re-signing with the Grizzlies from you Facebook page. How is the contract?
- Yes, if it wasn't for this page no one would have had any news of me. My contract is for a year and the club has the automatic right to sign me for the second year too.
* Now that you've been present in the training camps from the very beginning,does your coach have any excuses?
- Excuses can always be found, but i hope that my problems will get lesser and lesser this year. Fortunately i'm present for the training camps and the teams preparations. Although i had a bit fat after the surgery, I've got right in the weight the club wanted me to be in. I've always said that i'd try my best to have a good performance in the US therefore I've tried pretty hard to get into a good shape after my surgery.
* Why did you suddenly decide to undergo a surgery?
- I will do anything it takes for the sake of Basketball. I don't want to look back at these days after I retire and say "If i had a surgery that year i would have been better ". I will do anything to elevate my game. I don't want a day to come that i regret not doing something.
* You played against Real Madrid. How was the game?
- Yes, i played 5 minutes against Real Madrid. It was nearly for months that i hadn't played basketball. I wasn't really into playing the game this 4 months,i was rather preparing myself physically. I had a hard time after last year's season. I had some extremely hard workouts so i could get to the best shape ever. This game was good too, and i hope i can earn more minutes in this season with my own efforts.
* Hasn't Memphis signed any players in your position in the offseason?
- The players are those who we had last year and one of them has got injured. Though 2 Center's are training with the teams on short term contracts.
* Let's talk about the National team a bit. Iran won the Asia cup. How do you evaluate the team's performance?
- The games were played really late in our time here in the States and i couldn't watch them completely. But i stayed up for the Final and watched Iran winning the trophy. In my opinion these games were good and turned out to be a chance for young players. The youngsters had a chance to play beside the more experienced guys. I think our young players gained a lot of confidence in this tournament. The younger players saw a bigger stage and this could help them in the future. There were some players in this squad that had the experience of playing for the NT but were still young. Mohammad Jamshidi, Rouzbeh Arghavan and Asghar kardoust had good performances in this tournament. We have to give these players a chance and trust them. Playing minutes is what gives them the needed self confidence.
* So you agree with bringing in the next generation?
- No,i think it's not a good thing to talk about bringing in new blood to the current National team. Our players are still young and we shouldn't put them in this situation. I suggest that we produce powerful players that can for another strong NT squad. Players who can replace and get results in case a member of the main NT is injured. We grew and got better ourselves with our own efforts and reached the National team. We trained, so this youngsters must work hard and these big stages so they can be great basketball players in the future.
* Do you think Team Melli can regain the top spot in Asia?
- Iran has been in top form since 2007 until now. The accident that happened last year in Wuhan was our unluckiness, but i assure you that our glory will be continued. Now that a chance has shown up that younger players can show themselves, we can have a brighter future. We have to develop these young players, set up tournaments and give all of them a chance to play so they become fearless and gain experience from every turnover they commit. There is a great opportunity and we must capitalize.
* Did Team Melli's championship in the Asia Cup swipe away the bad memories of Wuhan?
- I think people got happy because of this championship. A bit of this memory is wiped off and the rest will be done next year completely.
* We have a crucial tournament in the coming year...
- Yes. It's the world cup's qualifier and I'm thinking about it everyday so i can prepare myself for that tournament. I want you to see a different Hamed Haddadi in that tournament. It was really hard for me. Me and my teammates were dealing with a lot of pressure and now i'm looking for an opportunity. I hate losing and that's why i'm thinking about the World cup qualifier all day long so i can make Iran proud once again with my teammates.
* Is Hamed Haddadi thinking of revenge more than other players?
- I really liked to play in the Olympics. But that loss filled us up with pressure. It was an anticipation that wasn't fulfilled and everything was drawn up to a point that we suffered that loss. I always said that we shouldn't underestimate any team, but it didn't happen. Now this loss and failure has become a motivation for Hamed Haddadi to think of the future. We will forget the past and become different in the 2013 Asian Championship games.
* You got any news of Arsalan Kazemi?
- Yes. I contacted him and congratulated him on his transferring to a new team. He told me that staying in Rice is not a good decision now,and i think he made the best decision. In my opinion him, Farbod and Sooren are youngsters who can help the National team. We have to support them. Farbod will play in Hawaii and Sooren will be playing for UCLA and with the trainings they will have in these teams they can get into great conditions.
I found nothing better to start with but his exclusive interview with ISNA after the Grizzlies preseason opener:
ISNA's interview with HH follows by:
Asia's best center and Iran national team's Memphis Grizzlies player is training hard after his hand surgery so he can have different conditions this time around in a Memphis uniform compared to previous years.
* How are your trainings going on?
- I'm having good trainings. This year that I've been around for preseason training camps,I've tried hard to work and get in shape. I want to play this coming year and that's why i stayed in the states. I really loved to come back to Iran and play for the NT, but as the Asia Cup wasn't a high ranked competition i stayed here so i wouldn't fall behind of the training camps and get in trouble with my visa like the years before. Whenever i got back to USA from Iran in the previous years i wan't ready and i hat fat to burn and was having difficulties in training sessions, but now i'm starting right away with the team and im getting prepared.
* You had surgery too?
- After that thing that happened to me a few years ago i was mostly playing with one hand. I was in the States that one of my teammates had a problem and underwent a surgery on his hand. After this one of my friends called and suggested why don't you go and have your hand fixed? I decided to consult a doctor whether my conditions will get better with a surgery or not. Though there was a small risk in it as hand is the main part in a basketball players body and i was worried about it, anyway i consulted with one of the best doctors in the US and made my decision.
* How is your hand feeling?
- My hand form is a lot better. It's nearly a month that I've taken off the cast and i played against Real Madrid for the first time after the surgery. I can't evaluate the difference in my performance yet, but i know i'll get better.
* Didn't anyone know of your surgery in Iran?
- No,only my club and my family knew about it. Even other clubs didn't know about it. No one knew about it until my hand was in a cast.
* We found about your re-signing with the Grizzlies from you Facebook page. How is the contract?
- Yes, if it wasn't for this page no one would have had any news of me. My contract is for a year and the club has the automatic right to sign me for the second year too.
* Now that you've been present in the training camps from the very beginning,does your coach have any excuses?
- Excuses can always be found, but i hope that my problems will get lesser and lesser this year. Fortunately i'm present for the training camps and the teams preparations. Although i had a bit fat after the surgery, I've got right in the weight the club wanted me to be in. I've always said that i'd try my best to have a good performance in the US therefore I've tried pretty hard to get into a good shape after my surgery.
* Why did you suddenly decide to undergo a surgery?
- I will do anything it takes for the sake of Basketball. I don't want to look back at these days after I retire and say "If i had a surgery that year i would have been better ". I will do anything to elevate my game. I don't want a day to come that i regret not doing something.
* You played against Real Madrid. How was the game?
- Yes, i played 5 minutes against Real Madrid. It was nearly for months that i hadn't played basketball. I wasn't really into playing the game this 4 months,i was rather preparing myself physically. I had a hard time after last year's season. I had some extremely hard workouts so i could get to the best shape ever. This game was good too, and i hope i can earn more minutes in this season with my own efforts.
* Hasn't Memphis signed any players in your position in the offseason?
- The players are those who we had last year and one of them has got injured. Though 2 Center's are training with the teams on short term contracts.
* Let's talk about the National team a bit. Iran won the Asia cup. How do you evaluate the team's performance?
- The games were played really late in our time here in the States and i couldn't watch them completely. But i stayed up for the Final and watched Iran winning the trophy. In my opinion these games were good and turned out to be a chance for young players. The youngsters had a chance to play beside the more experienced guys. I think our young players gained a lot of confidence in this tournament. The younger players saw a bigger stage and this could help them in the future. There were some players in this squad that had the experience of playing for the NT but were still young. Mohammad Jamshidi, Rouzbeh Arghavan and Asghar kardoust had good performances in this tournament. We have to give these players a chance and trust them. Playing minutes is what gives them the needed self confidence.
* So you agree with bringing in the next generation?
- No,i think it's not a good thing to talk about bringing in new blood to the current National team. Our players are still young and we shouldn't put them in this situation. I suggest that we produce powerful players that can for another strong NT squad. Players who can replace and get results in case a member of the main NT is injured. We grew and got better ourselves with our own efforts and reached the National team. We trained, so this youngsters must work hard and these big stages so they can be great basketball players in the future.
* Do you think Team Melli can regain the top spot in Asia?
- Iran has been in top form since 2007 until now. The accident that happened last year in Wuhan was our unluckiness, but i assure you that our glory will be continued. Now that a chance has shown up that younger players can show themselves, we can have a brighter future. We have to develop these young players, set up tournaments and give all of them a chance to play so they become fearless and gain experience from every turnover they commit. There is a great opportunity and we must capitalize.
* Did Team Melli's championship in the Asia Cup swipe away the bad memories of Wuhan?
- I think people got happy because of this championship. A bit of this memory is wiped off and the rest will be done next year completely.
* We have a crucial tournament in the coming year...
- Yes. It's the world cup's qualifier and I'm thinking about it everyday so i can prepare myself for that tournament. I want you to see a different Hamed Haddadi in that tournament. It was really hard for me. Me and my teammates were dealing with a lot of pressure and now i'm looking for an opportunity. I hate losing and that's why i'm thinking about the World cup qualifier all day long so i can make Iran proud once again with my teammates.
* Is Hamed Haddadi thinking of revenge more than other players?
- I really liked to play in the Olympics. But that loss filled us up with pressure. It was an anticipation that wasn't fulfilled and everything was drawn up to a point that we suffered that loss. I always said that we shouldn't underestimate any team, but it didn't happen. Now this loss and failure has become a motivation for Hamed Haddadi to think of the future. We will forget the past and become different in the 2013 Asian Championship games.
* You got any news of Arsalan Kazemi?
- Yes. I contacted him and congratulated him on his transferring to a new team. He told me that staying in Rice is not a good decision now,and i think he made the best decision. In my opinion him, Farbod and Sooren are youngsters who can help the National team. We have to support them. Farbod will play in Hawaii and Sooren will be playing for UCLA and with the trainings they will have in these teams they can get into great conditions.
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