WATCH: Abramo Canka on Coming to UCLA From Italy, Adjusting to NCAA
UCLA men's basketball guard/forward Abramo Canka spoke with reporters ahead of Wednesday afternoon's practice session at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center. Canka talked about his experience coming over from Europe, the recruitment process that brought him to Westwood, the power of the Bruins' worldwide brand, the different play styles he's had to adjust to and the Italian mentors he's heard from over the past few months.
What has this been like for you so far?
I mean, I love it, I’m right here, we have the opportunity to study and play at the same time and it’s something we don’t really have in Europe, so I really love it.
Can you take us through your recruitment with coach Ivo?
Yeah, I mean, coach Ivo has been around Europe a lot, so a lot of kids from Europe—Santi, the kid that got drafted and now is playing in Memphis, and he was with him, and once I got a call from [Ivo] I immediately decided to come here because I think UCLA is the best school in the country.
Did you know about UCLA before?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, UCLA is such a big brand, I was telling my mom, a funny story that in H&M around the world they’re selling UCLA T-shirts and hoodies so it’s such a big brand worldwide.
Did you have one?
Yeah. My mom, like people actually buy UCLA stuff in Italy and everybody knows UCLA.
Now that you play for UCLA, how big is this back home?
It’s such a big deal, especially the first Italian player out here and I mean, it’s a big thing. There was an Italian kid who a couple of years ago was playing at Texas Tech, Davide Moretti, and it was a big deal too because they went far in the March Madness and people love it, the Federation people say I made a good choice academically and professionally—like, basketball-wise.
Biggest adjustment in academics and athletics at the same time?
I mean, uh, I feel like it’s different in the way they teach us how to play there and the way they teach us here is different and that’s the reason why I came here, I want to be like them. In Europe, we have like around maybe 500 Americans, which make a very good amount of money and play at a high level and all the other ones are in the league [NBA], so that’s why this way is the best way to do it and that’s why I’m here.
Know Daniel Hackett?
Yeah. He went to USC but he’s still a very big Italian player and he texted me when I chose UCLA and told me it was a very good choice, try something new and something that not all Italian kids have a chance to do.
Did he give you any advice?
He just told me to go to school, be a good student, play hard, practice harder and everything will be fine.
What have you thought about your role and how you're fitting in basketball-wise?
I mean, I was the last to arrive and this team is a very good team, basketball in USA is very good and I totally believe that each of us has to have our role on the team and I know what’s my role, so whenever the coach calls me to go inside the game or to do something, I’m always ready to do it and with time, maybe my role will change, but right now I know what’s my role.
What is that?
Be ready whenever he calls me to be ready, there might be somebody who has foul trouble or whenever they need me to go in the game, I’m always ready.
Playing overseas, how old were the players you were playing against?
I remember actually my second year with Roseto Sharks, I was 17 and there was this guy, his name is [???], it was his last year and he was 37 years old.
How does that help you prepare for coming over to play here?
Yeah, it’s like, older guys in Europe definitely helped me a lot, some or most of them, and it’s a blast because they’ve been around a lot, so they always talk me up, like practice but also off the court, you know, relax time, because they’re so much older than me that they’ve seen so much that they can easily help.
Now that you've gone through a few months of practices and nine games, that are the biggest things you need to work on?
I definitely, I need to work a lot on my defense—I feel like I have good size and I’m quick enough to be a very good defender and I actually believe that’s what’s going to help me a play a lot in my whole career. Of course you have to know how to play offense but each of us has a role, you know, so I think playing defense, getting rebounds, being aggressive, run the court and make open shots, that’s what I have to do.
Seems like you've embraced that, doing some one-man press the other day?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, throughout my whole career, I always tried to be aggressive and do my best, so I’m just trying to put in myself into this new team.
How long have you been fluent in English?
I mean, in Europe, since we have a lot of Americans, we kind of have to learn English pretty fast because practice is there in English. Of course, our English is not as fluent as here because it is not our first language, but then I learned to play out of Italy, so I had to learn it.
How many languages do you speak?
I speak Italian, English and a little bit of Spanish.
Teaching any of the guys on the team Italian?
Yeah. They ask me some sentences sometimes.
Who seems to be the most curious to learn it? Is there one person in particular?
Not really. It’s more like around the team, maybe I will say something and then we’ll go back and forth and I’ll say when I’m in Italy, I would have said this, there’s different ways to say things in Italy.
When you get made at the refs, do you speak in Italian?
Nah. [Laughs]
Assistant coaches speak Italian? Isn't Savino Italian?
Yeah, yeah. Coach Savino has Italian roots and the assistant coaches, they are amazing. They are all helping me with whatever I need.
Does coach Ivo speak Italian?
No.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated
