24-year-old NBA rookie Pelle Larsson stood out over the weekend for one of his strongest performances in Miami Heat's lineup.
14 points, six rebounds, four steals, four assists, and two blocks were credited to the Swede, who received unusually great confidence in Saturday's victory match against Philadelphia 76ers.
The Swedish Basketball Federation's sports manager Lars Johansson licked his lips.
I shouldn't say I'm surprised (about the debut season), but you know how hard it can be to break in over there. And he has really shown his skills and had some enormous matches, he says.
Playing the European Championship in Finland
After last week's playoff draw, Lars Johansson is fully occupied with preparations for the European Championship, which Sweden will begin against Finland in Tammerfors on August 27.
The sports manager would, of course, love to see Pelle Larsson in the national team then – and in an interview with SVT, the star himself has said it would be "cool" to play the European Championship.
If you ask us and him now, he says yes, but it's still mostly speculation at the moment. The important thing is that no injuries or that kind of problem arise. We'll have to wait for a 100% confirmation, Johansson says.
When Sweden's men last played the European Championship (2013), the country's two first NBA players – Jonas Jerebko and Jeffery Taylor – were both part of the squad.
"A bit tricky"
Pelle Larsson and Bobi Klintman became the third and fourth Swedes in the world's best basketball league this season. But when it comes to 22-year-old Klintman, who has only played a total of 19 NBA minutes in Detroit, the situation ahead of the European Championship is a bit more uncertain.
He has had a bit of a tough time with injuries, but we know what he's capable of when healthy, says Lars Johansson, who still hopes for double reinforcement.
It would give an enormous boost and mean that an already strong team gets even more edge.
Anyway, it's going to be a fun blue and yellow basketball summer, with two championships. During the Midsummer week, the women's national team will start their European Championship in Hamburg.
We've been striving for a long time to relive 2013. This is how we want it, with both teams in the European Championship. It's fantastically fun.
Carl Göransson/TT
Facts: Pelle Larsson and the European Championship
TT
Born: February 23, 2001, in Stockholm.
Height: 196 centimeters.
Club: Miami Heat.
Debut season in the NBA: Has played in 50 of Miami's 74 matches so far. Larsson averages 12.7 minutes and four points per match.
The European Championship playoffs: Sweden will meet Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Montenegro, and Lithuania in the group stage in Tammerfors, August 27–September 3. The four best teams advance to the quarterfinals.
