Interview.Jorge Mejías: "My goal is to obtain a university degree and be a professional basketball player"

En contexto de éxodo de canteranos del Real Madrid de Baloncesto rumbo a las diferentes divisiones de la NCAA, Jorge Mejías, base nacido el 19 de enero de 2001, atiendea VAVEL España para repasar su hasta ahora corta trayectoria en el mundo del baloncesto. El director de juego español se inició en el mundo del baloncesto en el CB Tres Cantos, de ahí su tan característico hashtag de #JustAKidFromTrescantos. Sus aptitudes y su superlativa capacidad para dirigir el juego pronto llamaron la atención del Real Madrid, entidad a la que llegó en la temporada 2013/2014 para incorporarse al Infantil B.

Overcome the childrenDreamy whose basketball will always be remembered in the Spanish capital.

In his last campaign defending the colors of the white team, Jorge Mejías and his people raised with the junior Euroleague, repeating the deed harvested by Real Madrid de Luka Doncic a few years ago.As the Real Madrid page still says, Mejías has "a great technical-technical capacity to guide the team".Therefore, the Spanish base was one of the main architects of the success achieved by the pupils of Mariano de Pablos.

Dando por concluida su etapa en el baloncesto formativo español, Jorge Mejías decidió emprender una nueva aventura y recaló en losDustdevils de Texas A&M International de la División II de la NCAA, siguiendo, de esta forma, el mismo camino que jugadores como Golden Dike, Santi Aldama, Francis Alonso, Jorge Bilbao, Aitor Zubizarreta, Yankuba Sima o Jaume Sorolla. Todos ellos apostaron por continuar su formación en Estados Unidos.

Question: Well, Jorge, to break the ice, how did the world of basketball start?Is it something that comes from family or were you who discovered that it could be one of your passions?And, secondly, how would Basketball player be defined and as a person?

Answer: I started in the world basketball thanks to my father.He played when I was little and wanted me to play, although he let me choose since the first sport I did was football.

Once both tested, I decided to play basketball.As for the second question, as a basketball player I would define me as the extension of the coach on the track and, as a person, as someone very sociable.

Q: We have been able to see that it is proud of its beginnings in basketball, where does the hashtag of #justakidfromtrescantos come from?What time would you highlight your passage through the CB three songs and what taught him there?What do you stay with?

R: Lo del hashtag viene de uno de mis jugadores favoritos, LeBron James, quien también lo usa haciendo referencia a su ciudad natal. Un momento que destacaría de mi paso por el Club Baloncesto Tres Cantos sería cuando ganamos el Campeonato de Madrid en alevín de primer año. Allí me enseñaron a amar al baloncesto. Más adelante, he podido seguir en contacto con personas relacionadas al club que me han enseñado muchas más cosas. También me quedaría con las personas que he conocido en este club y con las que a día de hoy sigo teniendo muy buena relación.

Q: How was your arrival at Real Madrid gestured and how did you live it?Was it expected, it was something that he saw him?

A: My arrival at Real Madrid occurred thanks to the work coordinated by Alfonso Casas.The truth is that I lived it as if it were a dream because, answering you to the second question, it wasn't something that awaited me.

Q: How is the life of a Real Madrid canterano?Do you have a charge of training and parties?

A: Life like a Real Madrid canterano is all that a child can play basketball: clothing, trips and all kinds of privileges.Of course, he also has his bad moments.I think that more than a lot of training and parties, there is a psychological burden that many children of that age fail to handle.After all, you do not stop being part of the best club in the world with all that that entails.

Q: Real Madrid was from season 13/14 to 18/19.What moments would you highlight all your passage through the white team?Did you live with a complicated injury or moment to make you rethink things or to want to leave everything?

A: I don't think I could stay with a moment of the 6 years in which he has been there.I have lived many great experiences although, if I had to stay with one, it would be with my junior season, since it was an incredible year in which we won everything and the relationship with my teammates was very good.Fortunately, I did not live any injury that made me rethink things even if I lived moments when I was about to throw in the towel.I think those moments and the way in which you manage them are what differentiates both players and people.In my case I knew how to manage them and get ahead.

P: En verano de 2019 hizopúblico su compromiso conla Universidad deTexas A&M International, ¿cómo fue todo y por qué se decidiópor los Dustdevils? ¿Fue una decisión sencilla? ¿Qué le aconsejaron sus familiares más allegados yamigos?

A: My decision to leave for Tamiu was driven by the fact that they offered me a complete scholarship that allowed me to combine my passion for basketball with my university studies.

No es una decisión sencilla, pero tuve el apoyo tanto de familiares como de amigos que me aconsejaron que hiciera lo que pensaraque era mejor para mí.

Q: After about half a year living in the US, specifically in Laredo (Texas) and taking into account what several Spanish players who live there tell, how are sport and studies combine?Do they offer them facilities or is it similar to how they are done here, in Spain?

A: There, sport and studies go hand in hand and, of course, many more facilities are offered here in Spain.This is one of the reasons why I decided to leave the United States.

Q: And, in the line of the previous matter and knowing that you have formed in Spanish basketball, what differences do you have as far as American basketball is concerned?

R:La mayor diferencia podría ser la física aunque, en mi caso, habiendo jugado muchos años con los mejores físicos de toda Europa y entrenando todos los días con y contra ellos, para mí ese cambio no fue tan grande.

Q: As far as the National TeamRespecta, a regular in the calls has always been.How did you live it and all your classmates?What gets that experience?

A: It was one of the best experiences of my life and I will always be grateful to Javier Zamora for letting me live it.I had the opportunity to share this experience with incredible people with whom I am still in contact and it is something that will have for a lifetime.

Q: On the Real Madrid website, their vision of the game and its ability to always find the best located partner on the parquet stands out, do you have a reference that has motivated you to be what it is today?Any player in which Eramás small?

A: If I am sincere, I have never had a reference as such, I have always focused a lot on being the best version of myself.Of course, I have noticed certain things that certain players do how Luka Doncic, Sergio Rodríguez or Ricky Rubio can be.

Q: What objectives have been short and long term?Value the possibility of, once the four years of training in the US conclude, return to Spain?

A: In the short term, the objective is to continue progressing as a player and obtain a university degree.In the long term is to be a professional basketball player;So my idea is, when my 4 years of training end in the United States, return to Spain.

Q: Finally, and in the most recent line of the news, how has the Parce caused by the COVID-19 affected you?Has house on their own or the team has designed any type of personalized training?

A: The truth is that this situation has caught me as the rest of the world, by surprise.The first consequence is that I have had to return home earlier than expected.As for training, I try to keep keeping me in form of what the situation allows me.Thank you very much, it has been a pleasure.

Thank you very much, Jorge, for having attended Vavel Spain.We wish you good luck both personally and professionally.