Justin Gray:
You Can't Put A Price On Being Happy

Tsmoki-Minsk has been the league's biggest surprise over the first two weeks of the season. The Belarusian club is 2-0 for the first time in club history, with both victories coming on the road.

American guard Justin Gray, who knocked down the game-winner in Krasnoyarsk, spoke with VTB-League.com about the Dragons' transformation this season, his team's new ambitions and life in Minsk for a foreign basketball star.

- Justin, you hit the game-winning shot in overtime against Enisey. Is the team finally getting a little luck in the final minutes of close games?
- Oh man, that was an awesome game. I'm proud of us for pulling it out and not giving up when we were down by 10 points. You're right. Last season, we had a lot of bad luck in close games. It made us angry, but we kept working hard because we knew that it would pay off eventually. It doesn't make any difference who hits the big shot. All that matters is getting the win.

- What's different about Tsmoki-Minsk this season?
- We're more confident. We proved at the end of last season that we could beat strong opponents and even compete against the league's top clubs. We put a lot of work in over the summer to get better. The new guys have fit in, too, which is a big reason for our success. Our coach believes in us and we believe in him. We're just enjoying each game and the atmosphere on the team.

- You decided to extend your contract with Tsmoki this summer. Why?
- To be honest, I like it in Minsk. I've got good relationships with the coaches, front office and my teammates. The chemistry on the team is great, which is why I wasn't looking to leave, even though I could have made more money somewhere else. You can't put a price on being happy.

- Last season, you literally breathed new life into the Dragons. How would you grade your performance last season?
- Of course, most athletes have extremely high standards and set ambitious goals. So I'm not happy with everything, especially when you look at how many close games we lost. On the other hand, I did almost everything I could, especially in such a short period of time.

Specifically, I wasn't selfish and did what coach wanted me to do. Last season, we escaped last place in the league and won four straight games at home. That was our reward for the enormous amount of work we put in at practice.

- Evgeny Belyankov played very well during that winning streak. What can you say about the young Belarusian players on your team and what advice would you give them?
- Athletically, Zhenya is at an NBA level. He's athletic, quick and a hard worker. All the young guys are hard workers. This is an important stage in their careers. They need to do everything they can to keep getting better. As far as mistakes go...everyone makes mistakes. No one's perfect. The important thing is to learn from those mistakes. Plus, you have to be able to let go of the last game, the last quarter or even the last possession. The biggest thing for young players is to have the right attitude. Everything else is already in place, including a good coaching staff, which can see the improvement. Of course, I also try to help them out.

- You've been with the team for almost a year. What sticks out the most so far?
- I'll be honest, I was shocked that former teammate Rashaun Freeman was such a good cook. Later on, I found out that he studied culinary arts in college. Before every home game, Rashaun would cook something tasty. It's funny, because I'd never had a teammate like that before. I also remember all the jokes and pranks, which speaks to the good chemistry inside the club.

- Speaking of food, what do you think of Belarusian borscht?
- It's really good. There's another soup I like, but I don't know what it's called. It has rice and chicken. I usually order it at Lido. It's a great spot and I would go there a lot, especially before my wife moved here.

- How is your family? Do they like it in Minsk?
- Definitely. My son goes to an international school. He's being exposed to a new culture and making friends from all over the world. Unfortunately, there's not always time to explore the city. There are still things I want to see in Minsk. But I've already noticed how friendly and nice everyone is. Before I moved here, some of my friends didn't know anything about Minsk or hadn't even heard of it. But part of the new Mission Impossible movie is set in Minsk, so now they know where to find it. Plus, the Dragons are winning and people can't help but notice!

- In your opinion, what does Tsmoki-Minsk need to do to make this season a success?
- We have to be confident. We need to believe that we can win every game. I know that sounds trite, but sometimes it makes the difference in a game. Plus, it's nice that all the guys came back to camp in good shape. We hope we get some luck and can avoid serious injuries and other setbacks.