Georgy Zhbanov: "We will try to please the fans with beautiful play and victories"
Zenit guard Georgy Zhbanov shared his expectations for the upcoming season after undergoing medical tests. He also discussed his reunion with teammate Andrey Vorontsevich and talked about other new team members.
— Please tell us, how did you spend this summer, and what do you remember most about it?
— After the season, I immediately went on a 10-day vacation with my wife, and after that, I started preparing for the next season. Since the past defeats left me unsettled, I decided to approach the new season even stronger.
— If it's not a secret, how did you practice individually, and what did you focus on the most?
— I always had gym in the morning and basketball in the evening. There was no one thing, we did everything a little bit at a time.
— What are your expectations for the season for Zenit?
— The expectations are always to be champions. We’ll see how it goes. All teams will compete; they are all well-equipped. It will be tough, but we will strive to take the gold.
— Before the season, the team was strengthened by Andrey Vorontsevich, whom you know quite well. Are you happy with this reunion now at Zenit?
— I'm very happy that Andrey joined me and Vince Hunter from that championship squad in Kazan. We will listen to Andrey, just listen. It’s impossible to converse with him; you just need to listen.
— Besides Andrey, there are other newcomers. Have you managed to talk to any of them, exchange a few words?
— Well, among the Russians, there’s Sasha Shcherbenev. I’ve known him for a long time through the national team. We’ve crossed paths a lot in youth games, so I’m familiar with many of them. We’ll get to know each other better during the season.
— What words would you like to address to the fans who have been eagerly awaiting your return to the home court?
— I want to say that we are also waiting for them on our arena and will be happy to see them again. We will try to please the fans with beautiful play and victories.
