Alexander Shcherbenev: "I’ve really missed our fans"

Alexander Shcherbenev was among the first Zenit players to undergo an in-depth medical examination ahead of the start of the team's preseason preparations. The Blue-White-Sky Blues guard shared his thoughts on representing the Russian national team this summer and spoke about his emotions ahead of the upcoming season, which will be his third with the St. Petersburg club.

— Alexander, it's great to see you again. How did your offseason go?

— Right after the season ended, I joined the national team. We trained for about ten days before playing friendly games against Turkey and Hungary. We wrapped things up on June 29, so I basically had about a month afterward: I rested for a couple of weeks, then spent the next three weeks training and getting ready for preseason.

— You mentioned the national team games. What impressions did you take away from facing such strong opponents?

— It was great that we had the opportunity to play in the current circumstances. Turkey fielded a full-strength squad as they were preparing for a qualification game. Almost all of their top players were there, so it was a great experience for all of us, myself included.

— This will already be your third season with the Blue-White-Sky Blues. What emotions are you bringing into it?

— Only positive ones. We've got a different and exciting group this season, as well as a new head coach. So I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure every guy on the team will do everything possible to win the championship.

— Finally, what would you like to say to the St. Petersburg fans ahead of the new season? We'll see them very soon at the Kondrashin and Belov Cup.

— I've really missed our fans. Our roster has changed a lot, so make sure to come out and support us. We'll do our best to play the most exciting basketball and make you proud.