Jordan Nwora reflects on the challenging aspects of his EuroLeague adjustment, hails Kendrick Nunn’s seamless NBA-to-Europe transition, and advocates for a rule change that might just send Adam Silver into a cold sweat.
For Jordan Nwora, stepping off an NBA playoff court and into a raucous EuroLeague playoff showdown against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens might look like a culture shock – a full-blown basketball baptism like the one he experienced last September at the Panathenaic Stadium.
If visiting the Greek capital for an open-air event like the Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament gave Nwora a first taste of how basketball is played in Europe, a playoff pairing with the reigning champs provides a different, albeit equally thrilling, experience.
"It feels great," he says in an interview with BasketNews now, seven months and one EuroLeague playoff berth later.
"Obviously, it's my first time. So, just super excited to experience it, and I mean there's not many better places you can have your first experience than here – with the defending champ," Nwora adds.
A Season of Adjustment in Istanbul
It's been a rookie EuroLeague season packed with ups, downs, new faces, and new rhythms for the Nigerian-American forward.
"Obviously, changes happened – new coach, new GM – but as a whole, I'm still getting adjusted, still not fully acclimated," Nwora, 26, admits. "But it's been a good season. We were able to turn it around down the stretch and hopefully just keep this going."
Since coach Luca Banchi took over from Tomislav Mijatovic mid-season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul found a spark, looking far more dangerous, disciplined, and unified.
That post-break consistency hasn't gone unnoticed – even by its players.
"I feel good about the way we're working and playing now," says Nwora. "This is a big win for the coach."
"When he came here, I think he just brought more of a hard-nosed attitude and a definitive direction in terms of where he wanted the team to go. It's been good so far, and we'll see how it pans out in the playoffs."
Dual Responsibilities: BSL vs. EuroLeague
And then there's the balancing act between Turkey and Europe.
Nwora is averaging 9.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in EuroLeague play, while bearing more responsibility in the BSL, where he's posting 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
What's holding him back from feeling 100% at home in this new basketball world?
"Just a
