Exclusive Q&A with Hapoel Eilat combo guard Jordan Loyd

Photo Credit: Hapoel Eilat

Several talented players coming from the NBA G League have decided to continue their professional career overseas and play in the most competitive European leagues this season. One of these players is Jordan Loyd, a 24-year-old combo guard who emerged last season as one of the most intriguing rookies in the G League (then called NBA D-League), coming from the University of Indianapolis.

Loyd averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4 assist for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, earning invites for the NBA D-League Elite Mini Camp and the NBA Summer League: he played for the Indiana Pacers in Orlando and with the Toronto Raptors in Las Vegas.

This year, Loyd has decided to live his first professional experience outside of the United States as he signed with Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Winner League (ranked 13th among the best leagues in the world outside the NBA, according to ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla). He is averaging 17 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists on a very good 47.4% shooting from the three-point line. He is currently fourth in the league in points per game, third in PIR (FIBA’s efficiency rating), fifth in free-throw percentage and he’s in the top 10 in assists and 3-point percentage. Also, the stats say that the Atlanta native is currently the best rebounding guard in the league.

Sportando recently caught up with Jordan Loyd to discuss the season in Israel and his previous experiences in the NBA G League and in the NBA Summer League.

This is your first season overseas. What are the reasons why you decided to play in Israel for Hapoel?

First off, honestly, I had a plan to stay in the NBA G League for two years. I had a good year at Fort Wayne, it was a good experience for me and I really wanted to try to make the jump to the NBA. Then I played the NBA Summer League with Indiana and Toronto. I didn’t get as much feedback from the NBA teams and I planned to stay in the G League and feel comfortable enough to try to get a call-up or a chance for training camp. But I thought going overseas would be another good step, especially in Israeli league, which is a really respected league. I thought it would be a good experience for me and another way to boost my career not just in the States but overseas as well. So far it has been a really good experience. I didn’t get much feedback by the NBA teams so I wanted to come over here and try to build my resume, try to make a name for myself and get noticed overseas.

You spent your rookie season in the NBA G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Have you found any differences between the G League and the Israeli league as far as the style of play and the environment?

The style of play is a little different. The game over here is kinda similar as far as a lot of pick and rolls, actions and stuff like that, but defensively is a little different. I felt like there’s a little more team defense over here. I would say there’s more systematic stuff over here, you run some more plays so you’re not just kinda like up and down. The style of play is different and it took my a while to adjust, but now I’m getting more used to it. In the G League I felt like it wasn’t as physical as in Israel: there’s a lot of grabbing, moving screens, they don’t call these much here in Israel. It’s a more physical game with a little slower pace, I think that’s the biggest difference.

How important is this experience in Israel for you as a player and man, in your opinion?

As a player it’s really important for me. Just getting a chance to play in different competition and see how different is the way the people around the world play. There are different players against me, different atmospheres, the crowds are pretty cool. I really appreciate it so far, I’ve met a lot of cool guys, experienced a lot of things basketballwise. As a man, you go overseas away from family, friends, you miss the holidays. You have a lot of time just on your hands and you want to experience it in the right way. For me as a man it’s been really good, I had the chance to see a new country and learn a new culture and meet new people. I’m making the most of it, meeting as many people as I can, learning about the culture. It’s been really good.

You’ve played 12 regular-season games. What aspects of your game do you feel like you’ve had the chance to show the most so far? And what aspects do you want to show more?

So far, I think I’ve been able to show that I can fill the stats and also be a good defender. I think my main goal coming into this season was not just being only a scorer, I want to get rebounds, assists, steals, I want to guard the best player and I think I’ve been able to show that so far. I started the season playing the point guard position and I think I was able to show a little bit that I can use the pick and roll and get others involved with my assists. Now I’m playing the off guard spot, a kind of combo, and I’ve been able to score the ball, run the lanes, finish in transition, things like that. And also defensively, I’ve been able to guard the best players. Now, what I want to show is more consistency and being efficient.

Your individual stats have been increasing more and more, especially over the last seven games you averaged almost 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Do you think it is a sign that you’re settled in?

Yes I think it is a sign. I can still grow up a couple notches but for sure I think our new coach Sharon [Drucker] has really helped us get in a good system. We know our roles. He really has helped everybody settle in. Having this coach and having great teammates around, over time I’ve started to settle in and I feel like over the last games I’ve been able to show that.

Talking from a team perspective, Hapoel has won 5 games out of 12 so far. In your opinion, what aspects do you guys have to adjust in order to get better and get more wins?

I think we have to play really hard and stick to our team model. If we just stick to the plan, try to get everybody involved, move the ball, and play hard defense we’re going to win because we’re a really talented team. It’s not about our talent, it’s about all the little things: boxing out, playing aggressive defense, not worring about the referees, sharing the ball, having everybody on the same page. We have to worry about ourselves and not about the other teams.

Now let’s take a little step back. You had the chance to play in the last NBA Summer League. What kind of experience was it for you? What did you learn from that experience?

Man, it was a great experience. I was around the Pacers all year with some of their guys so it was cool to just be able to practice with them and try to get ready for the Orlando Summer League. I didn’t play in the best way I could, and I was disappointed with myself by the way, but the experience itself in Orlando and Las Vegas was amazing. You're able to see different players, the atmosphere in Las Vegas was unbelievable, playing with all types of guys, it was pretty cool. I always dreamed to be able to be in something like that, I wouldn’t take that for granted and hopefully I can do it again too. It was really good, I didn’t play well in Orlando but I played a little better in Vegas. The experience itself was really cool, being able to be on that stage, with all the NBA guys, prospects and players, and trying to get to the league. It shows you where you are as a player so it was good.

Now here’s my final question for you: in the future, maybe when you won’t be an Hapoel player anymore, what do you want to be remembered for, by the organization and the team’s fans?

I want to be remembered as a high-character guy, somebody who’s a team player and somebody that’ll do anything the team asks in order to get the win, a player who’s willing to learn and be coached. I want to be remembered also as a good guy off the court. A lot of guys out there have talent so you have to kinda set yourself apart on and off the court, being always positive, encouraging your teammates, showing love to everybody and my coach. That’s the mark I want to leave.