Hawks’ Vit Krejci ready to put EuroBasket lessons into practice
After Hawks wing Vit Krejci stepped into an expanded role last season, he anticipated a big summer ahead, which included representing the Czech Republic in the European Basketball Championship. Now, Krejci looks to take the lessons he learned at EuroBasket to the Hawks training camp next week.
Krejci will enter camp 10 pounds heavier than last season after gaining 20 pounds of muscle heading into EuroBasket. He understood that once the tournament began, he would shed weight because of the intensity and frequency with which he would play.
He also anticipated the physicality that is typical of FIBA basketball. So, he added the extra muscle to try to be better prepared.
But EuroBasket did not go the way that Krejci and Czechia hoped it would. Czechia went 0-5 in the group stage, failing to advance to the knockout rounds.
Krejci, the Czech Republic’s lone NBA player, averaged 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
“It’s very different when the teams prepare for you,” Krejci told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s very different when you’re the focus point of the other team. So just playing through that, you know, they forced me to do some things that I wasn’t comfortable with.
“So, it showed me another of my weaknesses and things that I need to work on, like finishing through traffic. And they knew that I’m going to the best to pass out. So, they were closing the passing lane. So, I had to finish through contact. So, stuff that just made me put my game to another level. And, maybe you realize that my another weakness.”
The lessons will certainly help Krejci, whose role will shift once again with the additions of several new players to the Hawks roster. The team added Kristaps Porzingis, who can play both as a power forward and as a center and is a capable ballhandler. The Hawks also added wings Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, who can both serve as playmakers that can generate offense in the non-Trae Young minutes.
But Krejci still provides the Hawks a solid ballhandler and shooter who adds plenty of size to a lineup.
“Everybody here is — that’s another thing about our team,” Krejci said. “We want to be competitive. And it starts with training camp. So, we’re going to go compete. We heard from the coaches. Even now, we have a bunch of conditioning exercises. We’re working really hard right now (at optional practices) to be ready for the season.
“We want to be competitive every single night. So, it’s going to be great. We got a competitive group of guys, that everybody wants to get better. So, it’s gonna be great.”
On top of being competitive, Krejci and his teammates, in town for optional practices, have taken advantage of the time to bond. Krejci and several teammates attended a pickleball tournament benefiting the Trae Young Family Foundation on Monday night.
In a photo posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Krejci, Kennard, Young, guards Dyson Daniels, Nikola Đurišić and Keaton Wallace, as well as frontcourt members Mo Gueye, Eli Ndiaye, Jacob Toppin, N’Faly Dante, Asa Newell and Jalen Johnson.
“That was fun, to just hang out, get to know each other a little bit more,” Krejci said.
“Then on the court, obviously going to take some time. But I think we have a really great group of guys who want to play team basketball. They’re on the same page, which is super important if you want to be successful. And I feel like that’s the vibe around here, just guys being on the same page and just wanting to win. So, from that point, it’s much easier to be on the court with them.”
With the addition of so much experience to the Hawks roster, the expectations have risen.
The Eastern Conference has seen several of its stars sidelined with injuries that has changed the landscape and possible runway for postseason hopes.
That doesn’t faze Krejci.
“I think expectations are a good thing,” Krejci said. “It puts a little bit more pressure on us. And I think if we take it well, it’s a good thing that we got to be more focused. And, I’m excited. We obviously have a really, really, really good team. And we feel like we put the right pieces together, and now we just got to have a good, great training camp and just be together as much as we can and get used to each other. And I think it’s going to be great. The expectations are high, and we definitely feel it. And, we’re ready for it too.”
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