Sean Sheldon is Susijeng’s American help.
Sean Sheldon (right) and Lauri Markkanen also know each other from the Utah Jazz. Jenni Gästgivar
Susijeng’s training at the Okinawa Arena has a familiar tone.
A handsome young man who looks like the bachelor of dreams distributes the ball to the players from under the basket.
Sometimes someone from the team curses his pass in clear Finnish. However, it doesn’t get any response from the coach.
– I don’t speak a word of Finnish, Susijeng’s NBA help Sean Sheldon confesses to Iltalehte, a little ashamed.
The native Michigan native is married Brittany-with his wife and they have two small children. Basically, he should have nothing to do with Finland and the Susijeng.
But then chance intervened. And the name of that coincidence is Lauri Markkanen.
– I didn’t know anything about Finland then. Of course, I had scouted Lauri and understood that he would be a huge help to our team.
At the end of the previous summer, Sheldon left Jyväskylä to join the roster of his employer, the Utah Jazz. After that, Finland and Finnishness took on a completely new meaning in the life of a drug addict.
Now he is wearing a blue Finland shirt, whipping the national team forward
– This coaching job started when Lassi (Bring it) and Henrik (Dettmann) visited Salt Lake City. They followed when I went through different things with Lauri. After that we went to lunch together and ended up talking for a long time.
At some point, the relationship became so deep that Korisliitto offered Sheldon to wash as part of Tuov’s coaching group.
– The idea came a bit from both sides. I think I can help the most on the scouting side. And I’m ready to take the boys to the weight room so other coaches can do other things. I want to make their lives easier.
Student of Coach Pop
It’s no wonder the Midwesterner dreams of a life on the basketball court. Sheldon went on to become a full professional in Switzerland, but unfortunately a shoulder injury ended a promising career.
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Sheldon bears great responsibility for Susijeng’s physical training. Jenni Gästgivar
After that, however, the final college of the sport appeared. Sheldon finished after a few turns Gregg Popovich’s to the San Antonio Spurs.
Thanks to Coach Pop, who was just named to the Hall of Fame, Sheldon is now building a new career as an NBA coach.
– He took me under his wing, a kind of father figure. I’ll never forget those fine details. Every day we strived for perfection. I’ll definitely carry it with me for the rest of my life, says Sheldon.
– I have been lucky. I got to work with amazing coaches. Now I want to help Lass in everything possible.
The entire Susijeng coaching staff works closely together. However, Sheldon brings a unique addition to it: he knows how to get the best out of Markkase on the NBA floor.
Although now he doubts that there is still a reserve left in it.
– Lauri flashes quite often in a way that we couldn’t expect. Can he do that too? He has proven in Susijeng that he can do things that he hasn’t had the chance to do in the NBA yet, Sheldon shakes his head.
NBA as a dream
Finland has since become very familiar to Sheldon. He fell in love with the sauna already when he was a student, and now one can even be found in the rest rooms of the Utah Jazz coaches.
– It’s not quite the same as yours. But I love being able to jump into a cold pool and go back to the sauna, Sheldon enthuses.
– I have tried different foods and berries. And Lassi offered me cattle pies. I love it.
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Alexander Madsen and Markkanen competed in Finland’s training. Jenni Gästgivar
Sheldon is clearly excited about his new assignment and his adopted country and the opportunity it offers to participate in the Fiba World Championships.
– I learned new decorative styles here, and how I could twist them into something useful for Utah.
Of course, a direct connection to the NBA also helps those young Finnish players who dream of a contract with the dollar series.
And there are several of them in this team as well.
– We have some really good friends. If they continue to develop and add new things to the game, they have a good chance to make it to the NBA.