Alexey Shved: "The main thing I noticed was the great atmosphere in the locker room"

Zenit guard Alexey Shved summed up the 2024/25 season and highlighted the key moments of the recently concluded championship. In an exclusive interview for the club’s TV, he spoke about his form during the playoffs, his impressions of playing for the blue-whites and his plans for the off-season.

— Alexey, how was the end-of-season meeting with the fans? Can you feel how much the St. Petersburg crowd loves you?

— It was great, they supported us really well all season and also came to see us off at the end. The fans were really loud, and their support helped us a lot. I liked St. Petersburg, as I’ve said before. The atmosphere on the court was incredible. I’d even say we have one of the loudest arenas out there right now. So I was happy to play here.

— You joined the team during the season. From your perspective, do you think you managed to reach the form you had planned and that was expected of you?

— I was in good shape by the playoffs. Probably by the semifinals, I had gotten into form: I was running, jumping and feeling good. We could have won both the first and fifth games of the final. We had chances to win the championship. Maybe we didn’t take them, or didn’t take them well, so it’s disappointing. Everyone’s upset, but we have to move forward. There’s always next season.

— After you joined, we had a very intense second half of the season: a record unbeaten streak, a regular-season win, and tough semifinals and finals. What moment stood out to you the most?

— There were a lot of good moments: when we scored clutch points in the final seconds, won tough games, the way we played in the playoffs — the semifinals, the League final. So many moments. But the main thing I noticed was the great atmosphere in the locker room. That’s not something every team has, and it’s a big plus.

— At Zenit, we’re all perfectionists. But even with the silver medal, what positives would you highlight from the season?

— Well, as positives… Silver, like Vorontsevich and many of the other guys said, is still a medal. We made it to the final and had a very tough semifinal series, so we gave it everything in that matchup. Of course, we all wanted the gold. And we could’ve won it. But the ultimate goal is to win. We came in second.

— What are your impressions of Zenit and the organization overall?

— It’s a great organization. Any issue you have gets resolved. Everything is thought through and scheduled in advance — who’s doing what and when. The staff did a huge job, same for the coaching and medical staff. Everything was done professionally. All you had to do was show up and train — the rest was taken care of.

— And finally, the nicest question — how are you planning to spend the summer?

— First, I’ll fly to Moscow and spend a few days there. Maybe take a week to deal with my knee — I need to get it fully healed before vacation. And then I’ll head out for some rest once I’m feeling good.