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Lukas Meisner, Hamburg: 'It's all about confidence'

Lukas Meisner, Hamburg: 'It's all about confidence'

Interviews

13 March 20239 Mins read

Lukas Meisner, Hamburg: 'It's all about confidence'

There is something about Round 15 in the 7DAYS EuroCup and Lukas Meisner of Veolia Hamburg Towers. Last season, Meisner earned Round 15 MVP honors, leading Hamburg to a 92-86 home win against Slask Wroclaw with 23 points, 12 rebounds and a PIR of 29. This season, Meisner was Round 15's top scorer, scoring 26 points as Hamburg grabbed an important home victory against Paris Basketball, 91-74.

Meisner came off the bench for Hamburg in the 2021-22 season, his first in the competition, but in the present campaign, he has started in all the games he has featured in and also enjoyed an extended role. In 2022-23, the 27-year-old is averaging 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and a PIR of 11.8 across his 13 appearances, and no other player in the competition is taking as many three-point shots as he does (5.8 per game) with such great accuracy (45.3% 3FG).

Meister loves playing the EuroCup and is trying to take Hamburg to bigger heights, as he said in this EuroCupBasketball.com interview. "It's amazing [as a competition]. It's going and competing against the best teams in Europe," said Meisner. "It has taken me a lot of places already that I didn't imagine I could visit, [purely] because of basketball. So, the EuroCup gives you different layers of experiences. And obviously, first things first, it is [about] competing at the highest level basketball-wise and trying to win with my team and putting the organization on the map of European basketball a little bit more."

Hello, Lukas. Congratulations on beating Paris Basketball in a crucial game for your team. What was the game plan and how did you execute it?

"I think, for us, it was just the topic of energy. We wanted to play with high pace, high intensity, high physicality. And we were the underdogs. We knew it from the very start. So, we needed to be aggressive from the first second on. And I think that's why we started the game off well and kind of showed that we can play with a good team like Paris. And then we just made good shots, and I think that helped us."

"The EuroCup... helps players reach the next level."

You set the tone early with your three-pointers, finishing the game with 26 points – a career-high and the best score in this round. How did hitting those early shots help you in terms of confidence?

"Big time, obviously. It's always nice to have a good feel for the game early on. I think my threes were not super open, but I felt comfortable shooting them. And if one or two fall and you see them going through the net, I just think it's [just a feeling of] getting more and more comfortable out there. So, it was definitely a good way to set the tone, not only for me but also for the team."

Speaking about setting the tone early, you came off the bench in all 17 EuroCup games last season and have started in all 13 of your games this season. Does it make any difference regarding how you approach each game?

"Mentally, not really. I think physically it's a little bit different to know that you got to be ready from the first second and not have to go to the bench first and sit down. But also, coming off the bench was always a chance for me to kind of get a feel for the game from the outside. So, now starting, I have to just be ready from the first second with just the playing style or the scouting and everything. So, it does change a little bit, but I wouldn't say that I prepare much differently."

Since the last time we spoke, you played in the EuroCup Playoffs last season and you were also chosen as MVP of the Round on one occasion. How fun has it been for you to play the EuroCup?

"It's awesome. I had never imagined myself or in my career [getting the chance] to go in that competition, and now I am already in my second year. It's amazing. It's going and competing against the best teams in Europe. It has taken me a lot of places already that I didn't imagine I could visit, [purely] because of basketball. So, the EuroCup gives you different layers of experiences. And obviously, first things first, it is [about] competing at the highest level basketball-wise and trying to win with my team and putting the organization on the map of European basketball a little bit more."

It is almost the end of the regular season and you guys have played against some great teams. Has any team or any player impressed you so far in Group B?

"I mean, there's obviously some names that we have in our group that played exceptionally well. Sam Dekker, who has been playing for London, has played really, really well. Also teams like Gran Canaria, they just play well as a team. Playing against [Turk Telekom] Ankara twice just showed me that it's a great team that also shows in its domestic league that it can beat EuroLeague teams on a regular basis. And I think [Turk Telekom forward] Axel Boutielle is definitely a player who has been showing that efficiency and the playing style that you need to play to probably get to the next level. The EuroCup is a competition that helps players reach the next level."

Hamburg is a young club and is taking the right steps to get better and better. How does it feel to be part of a growing basketball organization?

"It's great to see the program growing. I have now been part of it for one and a half years, almost two years. I have been following this organization around for years now, and to see how this organization makes steps in the right direction professionally and basketball-wise, it's just amazing to see. They are growing: the fans are growing, the attention for basketball in the city is growing, so I think it really shows that this is a location for basketball that will reach [even] higher levels over the next time period, and I'm just happy the way that it's going. We have to be solid. We have to also be realistic with what is achievable, but I think we're on the right track."

You face Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv next week and a big atmosphere is expected. How much do you like playing in passionate basketball atmospheres, even if it is on the road?

"It's amazing. I have the experience of playing in Belgrade last year against Partizan, which was a great atmosphere. I never experienced something like that before in basketball. And then at home, we had around 1,000 Hapoel fans connected with soccer fans from Hamburg that paired up to create an atmosphere that was almost like a soccer stadium in a small gym. So, these two experiences, for me, just stick in my head and will be memories that I'll remember for a lifetime."

"This is a location for basketball that will reach higher levels."

You have become an elite three-point shooter this season. How have you worked on your three-point shot to get such great results?

"It's a lot of reps to gain confidence. I always thought that I was able to shoot at a high volume, also making difficult shots, but it's all about confidence. I struggled a little bit with that in the last season, especially after my injury. I wasn't in the flow, but I also saw in some spurts last seasons that I was able to do that. And so, in the summer, it was just about getting the rhythm back that I didn't have the year before and gaining confidence through that. I would be able to hit shots in game situations that weren't just open threes, and I'm happy that it's paying off."

You played with Maodo Lo for one year at Columbia University in New York. Do you keep in touch Maodo, now that he is one of the leading players in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague?

"I follow his career, for sure. I always watch EuroLeague basketball games and I like to watch ALBA Berlin, just because of their team play and their style of play. And, of course, when I see him in the games, it's always nice to see him. On occasions when I'm in Berlin, we definitely try to see each other and talk. And it's been a great relationship ever since."

We know that the elimination rounds can be tricky, but in your opinion, which teams do you see as the favorites to win the EuroCup?

"Oh, that's a very, very tough question. I think Bursaspor definitely has the experience of last season's tournament, so they will be dangerous no matter what. But I also think that teams like Turk Telekom and London will be very dangerous from my group, just because they have the talent and the roster to play games at a high level, no matter what. And I think that in a one-game, do-or-die situation, they will be able to [shine] on the court."