Stephanie Mavunga was a last-minute pickup for Çukurova Basketbol Mersin ahead of the EuroLeague Women playoffs, and her play was one of the reasons her new team beat Zaragoza in the quarterfinals to advance to the Final Four.
This Thursday, April 12, Mersin and Mavunga will play Fenerbahçe for a chance to appear in the EuroLeague Women Final two days later. We caught up with Mavunga to talk to her about the move to Turkey, the road to the Final Four and her team’s chances of winning the competition.
Let’s start with the obvious question: How did you end up with Mersin? How did they convince you that you were the missing piece?
It was a week-long process. Originally, I had said “No,” and they kept trying and I eventually decided it was what I wanted to do. I’m thankful they didn’t stop trying! The most convincing thing is obvious: a chance to do what I hadn’t done in my European career yet, advance to the Final Four… So it was a huge opportunity for me and something I wanted to be able to compete for.
What were your first days in Mersin like? Did it take long to adjust? Because on the court, you’ve fit right in, but you haven’t played in Turkey up until now. How is the basketball culture different on a day-to-day basis?
My first days were spent…
