Rumour has it that the London Lions’ Israeli guard Michael Brisker still hasn’t cooled off after his incredible 36-point performance in his side’s overtime victory over Manchester Basketball on Sunday night.
The 26-year-old delivered a career-best scoring performance spearheaded by an incredible 69% three-point shooting clip from 13 attempts, following in the footsteps of his father Mark, who enjoyed a legendary playing career in Israel.
We caught up with Michael this week to discuss his career night in Manchester and learn more about his beginnings in the game, being born and raised in Tel Aviv.
“Basketball was always in my family because of my dad, who played basketball professionally in Israel,” Brisker said.
“I probably started playing when I was around seven years old and my life has been all about basketball since then, and I began playing professionally in Israel when I was 18.
“When I was younger I used to go to my dad’s games all the time as he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv. I don’t remember too much about it as I was very young, but I do remember how happy I was that my mum and dad always took me to watch him play in those arenas.
“He was an incredible player and I know I wouldn’t be where I am without him. He helped me fall in love with the game, he gave me so much experience at a young age and motivated and pushed me to be even better than he was. He coached me, and still does to this day, giving me a lot of tips on shooting and how to approach certain things and he’s been huge for me.”
@superleaguebball 🔥🦁 Michael Brisker was INCREDIBLE for @London Lions in their overtime victory over Manchester! Check out some of the best plays from his 36-point performance and relive the action on @DAZN Sport! #BritishBasketball #HoopersOfTikTok #UKBasketball ♬ original sound – Super League Basketball
Poetry in motion
Watching Brisker dance around the court in Manchester on Sunday night must have been as joyous an experience for Lions fans as it was a nightmare for the home faithful, as the 6’0” guard weaved his way to scoring opportunities at will in the Super League Basketball Championship clash.
Only stepping off the floor for 10 seconds throughout the contest, Brisker was a near-constant thorn in Coach Callum Jones’ side throughout the contest as whatever Manchester threw at the floor general he brushed off with a bucket – often with a ridiculous degree of difficulty accompanying the shot – and the Lions star detailed his emotions as he delivered that performance.
“I don’t think you feel anything. You just feel in a zone and a place of such focus that you’re not tired, you’re not out of breath, you’re not panicking, you just feel focused and almost like you’re having an out-of-body experience where your mind and your body is just flowing.
“I know the moment the ball leaves my hand if it’s good or if it’s not. Sometimes you surprise yourself and you feel like the shot is off but it drops anyway, but I definitely know when it’s going to be a make as soon as it leaves my hand, and that feeling is one of the best you can have as a player.
“I might have looked calm but inside I was really fired up for that game. I have my own methods to motivate myself but on top of that it was a good, competitive game, with a lot of trash talk, playing a lot of tough defence on me, and all of that just took me to a place where I could deliver that performance and help the team get the win we needed.”
Shooting his shot
Given his father was famously signed by Maccabi Tel Aviv after scoring 40 points against them in 1999, with another incredibly efficient scoring performance including an 87% rate from the field and seven makes from eight attempts beyond the arc, shooting is very much in the Brisker blood.
Finding his rhythm with the London Lions having joined Coach Petar Bozic’s side just six weeks ago, Brisker discussed how shooting became a cornerstone of his arsenal and how he has worked to build a rhythm and find his feet on the floor with his new club in recent weeks.
“The game was always just fun to me as a kid, but when I reached 14 years old I really began to believe that I could chase the dream of playing professionally, so I found another level of effort for my training and approach to the game and basketball became my way of life.
“I was always a shooter. I don’t know if that came from my dad or if it was just something I naturally grew towards, but that was my first love and then from there I built out my skillset to become a more complete guard by developing my handle, creating for others and stuff like that.
“I’ve worked hard to find my rhythm this season with the Lions and I’ve felt much more comfortable in the last couple of games. I haven’t been shooting badly in the previous ones, but I know what type of shooter I am and the shots I can make, so I’ve been getting the reps in to try and find that consistency and I feel like I’m getting there.”
Prowling with the pride
Over the summer the Lions were acquired by Tesonet, a tech hub and shareholder of EuroLeague powerhouses Zalgaris Kaunas, ushering in a new era for a franchise which has made British basketball history on several fronts in recent years.
One of several high-profile new acquisitions in Tesonet’s tenure thus far, Brisker elaborated on what about the opportunity to move to the capital attracted him and his aspirations for the team’s future.
“We’ve got a great team this year made up of a bunch of guys who want to work and do what it takes to win. We’re all incredibly competitive and we push each other hard, because we know our best basketball is ahead of us.
“I’ve had a great experience here so far and had heard a lot about London already from what they’ve achieved in the last few years. The ambition is to build this team to become a EuroLeague franchise in years to come and I want to be a part of that process.
“The sky is the limit for us. Our immediate goal is to win silverware and build from there. I’ve only been here for six weeks but I already feel very much at home and like I’m part of a family here, so it has been a great experience and I’m excited for what the rest of the season holds.”