17-year old Isa Hämäläinen has had an amazing basketball summer 2023. The young and talented player was able to earn the second place at the U18 European Championship (Division B) while being named into the ALL STAR STARTING 5 of the tournament. Furthermore, she was invited to the NBA basketball without borders EUROPE camp in Poland later this summer, an incredible honor for Hämäläinen who will play for Amicale Steinsel in the upcoming season.
You played a fabulous tournament with the U18 team at the European Championship and you made the all star team, what are your takeaways from the tournament?
The European championship was a dream come true! We came so far by winning the medal in the end and I couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished! I did gain a lot of experience from this tournament playing against very good and strong teams. It was also very important to see how the playing style is on an international level! This will definitely help me out in the future! Being on the All Star team was something that I have always dreamed about. I couldn’t believe it at first, but I would say I was very proud of myself in that moment. I think being in the All Star team made the experience very special to me!
You got invited to represent Luxembourg at the NBA basketball without borders Europe camp in Poland. What was your reaction when received the invitation and how was the experience?
I was so excited when I got the invite! I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to participate in this camp and that I could represent Luxembourg. I was a bit nervous going to the camp since I didn’t know anyone beforehand, but I got to meet so many amazing talented players from around Europe which made the experience so special! Getting coached to improve your own game by WNBA/NBA coaches and players is truly amazing! I also learned new perspectives about the game and I’m very grateful for that! I did gain a lot of experience from this camp and learned so much new, which will be very useful to me in the future!
In the upcoming 2023/24 LBBL season, you will play for Amicale Steinsel. What are your expectations in your new club?
Switching teams will be a new challenge for me. I’m very much looking forward to see what we can accomplish as a team but I’m also excited to see what I can accomplish individually. I’m looking forward to improving and playing with experienced players and learning more from them. I’m very excited about the upcoming season and I’m ready to work hard!
What are your plans for the future and do you think or dream about playing basketball professionally?
My plan is to finish school here in Luxembourg and then go to the United States and play college basketball. That is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I’m very excited about that. It is really hard to say what I will do in the future, but playing professionally would definitely be something I would want to do.
