Pic credit ERA Basketball Nymburk

Spencer Svejcar (190-SF-1994, college: Alaska-Anch., agency: One Motive Sports) is a 29 year old 190cm guard from Colorado that is playing his 8th professional season and second with ERA Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL). Last season he with Nymburk he averaged 13.2ppg, 2.7rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 56.4%, 3PT: 41.3%, FT: 80.6%; and in the FIBA Europe Cup averaged 10.2ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.1apg, FGP: 53.8%, 3PT: 37.0%, FT: 66.7%. he played his first 6 seasons in the Czech Republic with SLUNETA Usti nad Labem. He began his basketball career with Ralston Valley high school and then played 2 seasons with Laramie County Community College (JUCO) averaging 7.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 68.9% and in his second season averaged 16.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 79.1%. He then played at the University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 11.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 83.6% and 16.1ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 47.9%, FT: 84.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Basketball champions League game against Rasta Vechta.

Thanks Spencer for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second season with ERA Basketball Nymburk (Czech Republic-NBL). What kind of an experience has it been playing for this great organization?

It’s been a great experience. It’s a great town for my family and the club has been great to us. It´s obviously also great to play for such a historic club

How blessed are you to have landed in Nymburk? There seems to be a guarantee to win every season?

I do feel blessed to be here, it’s fun to compete at high levels and compete for championships every year

Last season you helped win the league title. Is there a big pressure on the team to win? They are expected to win each season?

There is always pressure on Nymburk to win every season so I don’t think it’s something new for this club. We have high expectations every season and we work hard to meet or exceed those expectations. I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, but there is a certain level that we expect to play at consistently.

This is your 8th pro season and 8th in the Czech Republic. You have Czech roots. Has the country become like a second home? What do you enjoy most about the club?

Yes I have spent my entire career here. This country is definitely a second home for me and my family. My wife has been with me the whole time and we have our daughter in Czech school learning the language. It’s a unique situation for a foreigner but I feel very blessed to have had this journey

In the past Nymburk breezed through the season simply because the competition wasn´t as good. You have seen the league develop in the past years. Are teams catching up or will Nymburk always have that dynasty feeling?

I would like to believe that Nymburk will keep winning each season, but it has been good to see the Czech league grow like it has over the years I have been here. There has been a more competition to Nymburk in the last few years but with this year´s roster I hope and think we will get back to that Dynasty feeling and continue that for many more years

The team has 6 Americans. How talented is this year´s club and what exactly is your role on it?

I would say that this roster is the most talented that I have ever been apart of. But aside from the talent it is full of very hard working guys who understand what it takes to play at a high level. Both the domestic players and foreigners are relentless workers and that’s what allows us to play the style that we play. I am still coming back from an injury so I haven’t been able to be on the court full time with this roster yet, so it will be interesting to see what my role is once I return. I just want to help the team continue to win games

What has it been like being teammates with Ondrej Sehnal? He has experience and is a big talent. What have you appreciated most about his game?

It’s been great playing with Ondrej. We have become pretty close since last season, and he is a very talented player. It’s great for me as a shooter to play with such a great passer. I would say he is the best passer I have ever played with and I also love his competitiveness. He has a very bright future ahead of him in basketball

Let´s talk about your game. Your a 190cm guard. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

That’s a tough question. I have never like to compare my game to others. But I would say I can be very effective with scoring without being on the ball or taking too many dribbles. I will let others decide who to compare me to if they would like

You’re an incredible shooter, but what other assets does your game have?

I worked hard to add other aspects to my game since I started professionally. I think it’s shown over the years that I can handle the ball more and more and make plays off the dribble. Shooting will always be my strength but I have added a lot of mid range shots and floaters to my game over the years which has helped open up my offensive game because I get chased off the 3 point line a lot. So being able to help create space in different scoring areas has been important for me

You shot 40% or better in JUCO and NCAA 2 and then 6 seasons under 40% and last season over 40% again. How would you talk about the development of your shot?

My shot has been the main thing that has kept my offensive game so consistent over the years, but it is something I had to work very hard at to develop and is something that I consistently work at. I think my greatest asset as a shooter is my ability to take and make many different types of shots. Stand still, off the move, off the dribble, going either direction. I have worked hard to get better at one of those things every offseason and that has helped develop my shooting ability. It is still something I have to work on everyday to keep my consistency. Some seasons my percentages are better than others but I always strive for 40% or better

Talk about how your defensive game has grown in the last years? What kind of defender do you still want to become?

My defense has evolved just from experience and playing at higher and higher levels. I want to continue to develop my aggressiveness defensively as well as my physicality. And with the style that we play here in Nymburk you really have no choice if you want to be on the court

On what areas of your game are you working on most so you can continue to improve your game?

I am always working on all parts of my game. But taking care of my body so I can be good defensively and continuing to score the ball consistently are my biggest focuses

You played against legend Petr Benda who played 17 seasons with Nymburk winning 26 titles. What one vital thing could you learn from him?

I think what I have learned most from Petr is how important consistency and routine is. I never got to play with him but I played against him a lot and have heard many stories. From what I hear he was a relentless worker who was very consistent with his daily routines which I something I try to emulate as much as I can

You played 7 seasons with SLUNETA Usti nad Labem. How did your game grow in this time? You showed an incredible offensive consistency in this time?

I am blessed to have the coaches I had at SLUNETA over the years that had the trust in me to develop my offensive game. I took more responsibility on each season I was there that allowed me to grow my game. When you’re trying to develop as a player, it’s so important to have people around you who believe in you and trust you and that’s what I had in SLUNETA.

You were teammates with American Tucker Haymond a guy I covered many years in Germany. Did you have any shooting contests with him after practice? That guy can shoot.

I actually never got to play with Tucker. That was the year I had my ankle injury. But I watched him play and know what a great shooter and player he is

How vital was coach Antonin Pistecky for your early basketball development overseas?

Coach Pistecky was very important to my development and will always be a special coach to me. He believed in me from day one and gave me many chances as a young player which I will always be grateful for. I don’t know if I am in the position I am right now in Nymburk if it wasn’t for Coach P. He did so much for me and he also is a great person. We still talk to this day, he really cared about his players

You played 2 seasons at Laramie County Community College (JUCO) averaging 7.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 51.9%, 3PT: 36.7%, FT: 68.9% and 16.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 40.7%, FT: 79.1%. Every guy I have interviewed that played JUCO has said it was a tough grind, but one they don´t regret having done. How was it for you?

JUCO was a grind for sure. But like the other guys, I don’t regret anything about those days. I think it helped shape my career. It’s takes a certain type of person and player to make it through JUCO but I was lucky to have great teammates and coaches during my time there. That’s also the place where my game first started to develop thanks to the great coaches I had

You then played 2 years at University of Alaska at Anchorage (NCAA2) averaging 11.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.1apg, FGP: 44.0%, 3PT: 36.0%, FT: 83.6% and 16.1ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 47.1%, 3PT: 47.9%, FT: 84.6%. You made a big jump in your senior year. How did your game grow?

I think the biggest jump my senior year was my confidence. The trust I had from the coaching staff from the previous season allowed me to be comfortable taking more shots and that led to a good offensive season for me. Also that summer from my Junior year to my senior year involved thousands and thousands of shots because I knew if I wanted to have a good senior year I had to have a consistent shooting year. I am lucky that it payed off

You had many games like against W Washington or Seattle Pacific. What was your fondest moment there?

I have so many memories of those years but some of the fondest are playing in the Great Alaska Shootout. The energy in the town during that time was great and always so fun for the players. We also played well in that tournament both years I was there, that was great experience I will always remember.

How did head coach Rusty Osborn help groom and prepare you for a professional career?

Coach Oz is another coach who I owe a lot to. He is the coach who probably developed my shooting and offensive game more than anyone. He taught me so much, not just physically on the court but mentally about being a shooter and the necessary tools you need and how to approach each practice and each game. He has so many years of basketball experience and I was lucky I got to play for him for 2 seasons. He was an outstanding coach and mentor for me

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Sekou Wiggs?

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Haha Sekou was a great player, we would always battle it out in shooting competitions in practice but if I am being honest he would get the best in me in 1 on 1. Not to say I never beat him but he was a really tough player to guard 1 on 1 so I think he got the better of me overall. But he was such a fun player to watch and to play with. Super talented guy

Who was the greatest player that you ever faced on the court that was in the NBA?

I have played with some NBA guys back in the states. Derrick White, Jason Richardson, Jimmer Ferdette. There have also been so many talented players I have faced here in Europe that have gone on to play at very high levels. It was also great to get to know Vit Krejci and play alongside him with the NT. He is a unbelievable talented player and am happy to see him having success in the NBA

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

I don’t know if I can choose a top 5 with all the amazing teammates I have had over the years. I am just lucky to have played with guys such as Ondrej Sehnal, Jaromír Bohacík, Delvon Johnson, Tony Hicks, Ladislav Pecka, Pavel Houska, Filip Smid. I could go on and on about my favorite teammates but that would be too long of an answer haha I am also blessed to have played with the Czech NT and gotten to play with all those talented players.

Who is your GOAT?

My GOAT is Lebron James but that’s because I grew up watching him. If I was born in a different era that answer might be different but to me Lebron is the greatest

Thanks Spencer for the chat.