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Are you involved in the game anymore? What’s next for you? Thabo Sefolosha: “I actually ran for the presidency of the Swiss (basketball) federation. It didn’t go through. We had some ups and downs. So, right now I’m less involved with that, but still involved with the game and helping players and helping coaches. I feel like I’m a big-time veteran in Switzerland when you’re talking about basketball. I try to provide a little of that and help the game grow. Other than that, try to do the same thing in South Africa where I’m from. The game is growing there, so I’m spending a little bit of time focusing on that.”
While still active, Thabo Sefolosha’s intention was to succeed the resigning president of the Swiss federation, Giancarlo Sergi. However, delegates from regional associations (40) and elite clubs (20) elected Andrea Siviero during an Extraordinary General Assembly. Sefolosha obtained 18 votes and Andrea Siviero 36.
"Congratulations to him," commented Sefolosha. "There is obviously an element of disappointment, I put a lot of effort into this election. I wanted to get involved in basketball and youth in Switzerland but that's it, too bad. I think I have better to offer than my image."
Thabo Sefolosha played his last game in the NBA almost three years ago on March 8th, 2020. The player is now returning to the court. The 38-year-old veteran should sign a contract with a club from his home country of Switzerland. Currently 2nd in the Swiss League's standings, Vevey Riviera Basket will have a new reinforcement on their roster, Jeremy Santallo from La Matin writes.
According to Le Matin's information, the veteran guard was already practicing with the team on Monday. "Leaving the United States, with the current health situation, was planned," Sefolosha told the Swiss media during the summer. "But I never put a cross on the fact of returning to play in Europe. Besides, after three years off, I haven't gained too much weight."
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Clint Capela grew up in an environment in Switzerland feeling that racism toward him and his family was the norm and part of life. But it was after the Atlanta Hawks center came to the United States eight years ago that he made a surprising discovery about himself as a Black man. “My parents had to go through it [in Switzerland] because they came from Africa,” Capela told The Undefeated. “So, when I got here, I really saw that it wasn’t supposed to be like that. “A Black person has a voice, and we’re all human. And the way that I grew up wasn’t always like that.”
For Capela, schoolwork and living away from home were not the biggest challenges for him. Actually, it was the racism he dealt with being a dark-skinned African kid around students and teachers who were predominantly white and not used to seeing people like him. “I felt like I was like them, but it was just harder to connect with them, to be friends with them,” Capela said. “When the teachers asked the students to do things in pairs, I was always the last one. “I didn’t necessarily understand why. It’s part of it, I guess. And when I was little, as a kid, you just don’t understand. Obviously, you hear the N-word a lot. I was getting into a fight right after that, but the school wasn’t really doing anything about it. They never did, because I guess it was a problem they never had to fix. So, obviously it was hard because you don’t understand, because you’re one of the [few] who is Black.”
Clint Capela might be cleared off his NBA duties until the start of the new season, though he is currently with the Swiss national team, chasing a spot in the EuroBasket qualifiers. However, Switzerland’s place just got a bit worse after suffering an 84-68 defeat from Portugal in Gameday 4 of the third round of the pre-qualifiers.
Clint Capela posted a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds for a team-high 21 PIR as Switzerland beat Portugal 77 – 72 in the first round of the EuroBasket 2021 pre-qualifiers.
Alykhan Bijani: Clint Capela joined the Switzerland National Team. He will play in this summer's pre-qualifying games for FIBA EuroBasket 2021 against Portugal and Iceland. Today he played in a friendly against the Ivory Coast. #Rockets
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Alykhan Bijani: Clint Capela will be joining the Switzerland National Team. He will play in this summer's pre-qualifying games for FIBA EuroBasket 2021 against Portugal and Iceland. #Rockets
Capela: To me here, the mentality is really different. I don’t always agree with it. I think more Europe for now: Switzerland or France or something else. Maybe Spain. I like the vibe. The people are not always trying to show off what they have or what they wear. They’re just simple people. I hung out in Barcelona this past summer. It just felt so good. It doesn’t matter if you’re a movie star. You’re just simple people at first, and this is something that I really embrace when I go back to Europe. I always have people who keep me to be the same person from Day One.
Thabo Sefolosha: I grew up in Switzerland, where gun control legislation is very strict, and I can assure to you that the system is working. People rarely die from gun wounds. Hard to understand why it is such a debate in the US to change things, because the system clearly doesn’t work
The NBA star and European Basketball Champion Tony Parker played on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 on the Jungfraujoch. He was faced with a team of Swiss Basket players and demonstrated his speed and agility at 3454 meters above sea level. After the basketball game Tony Parker took time to answer the media’s questions. He said: “I’m always up for new challenges, so when Tissot, my long-term partner suggested I play a match at the Top of Europe I thought it was a great opportunity to do something exceptional. We don’t often get to play in such extreme conditions.” Over 100 journalists from Asia, Europe, Australia, America and Switzerland were there to witness this exceptional event. A very special guest also took part in the event, Tissot’s Swiss Moto2 ambassador Thomas Lüthi.
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