Rock Steady: Joe Hart on his Upcoming Season with Glasgow Rocks

Joe Hart joined BBL side Glasgow Rocks this off-season, after averaging over 17 minutes per game for the Newcastle Eagles last year. His size, basketball IQ and shooting ability are what attracted the Rocks to the 24 year old, who has already notched 3 seasons worth of experience playing out in Spain before joining the BBL. I caught up with him ahead of the season start to find out his plans and ambitions ahead of the 2017-2018 season.

[if !supportLists]• [endif]What are your personal and team expectations heading into this season?

“I go into every season hoping to perform better personally then the year before. I had a good summer of workouts so the plan is to translate some of those skills into game situations. From a team perspective I think we need to be contending for trophies if we are going to look back at the season as a success.”

[if !supportLists]• [endif]Where do you feel you'll benefit Glasgow the most and what has been a specific goal of yours this year?

“I think I'll be able to give the team whatever they need from me. I think of myself of being a great role player, whether that's scoring, defending or getting others involved.”

[if !supportLists]• [endif]Coach Garbelotto brings a wealth of experience to the table, what's the team identity he hopes to install?

“Coach certainly has a lot of experience; he definitely wants us to be a very aggressive and defensive minded team. We have a really big team too, so we need to impose our will on the boards using our size when we can.”

[if !supportLists]• [endif]You were one of a number of new signings for Glasgow Rocks this off-season, how has that transition been for you and the rest of the team?

“I've actually played with a lot of these guys before. Jonny and Ali I know from the Great Britain under 20’s, and Kieron and Gareth from the GB Men's team so they made the transition pretty smooth and easygoing for me. However at this point in my career it's become the norm to be able to gel with new teammates every year.”

[if !supportLists]• What are the biggest differences you've noticed between the BBL and your time spent playing in Spain?

“There are a few differences between the styles of play I've experienced in the BBL and in Spain. The biggest difference I think is that in Spain basketball is a lot more structured, here in the BBL we have concepts and set plays with more freedom to deviate when the opportunity arises.”

[if !supportLists]• [endif]Do you think more should be done to raise the profile of the BBL and its teams?

“You can always do more to raise the profile of the league and the teams here in the UK. The new deal between GB basketball and the BBL should hopefully move things in the right direction. Even going from last year to this season you can see that teams are implementing new things in accordance with this increased exposure; the growth of their social media accounts is a good start and a noticeable improvement. The Betway All Star Tournament was a little crazy but it definitely made for some exciting games. The league is moving in the right direction and I'm excited to be a part of it!”

The Rocks take on Cheshire Phoenix this Sunday, looking to bounce back from a loss to Newcastle Eagles last week.

Make sure you subscribe to JR Overtime for exclusive interviews, updates and articles : https://jordanrowe5.wixsite.com/jrovertime