Palestine's Abu-Shamala always wanted to be like MJ

AMMAN (WABA Championship) - Palestine got a taste of the big time in 2015 when they competed at the FIBA Asia Championship in China but the going has been tough this week at the WABA Championship in Jordan.

Wins have been in short supply, but not excitement - certainly not when it comes to Jamal Abu-Shamala. The Minnesota-born Abu-Shamala, whose father is Palestinian, has a reputation for putting up big numbers.

Abu-Shamala, 29, who pours in many of points with the some high-arcing shots from deep, spoke to FIBA.com in Amman.

How does this basketball compare to the game that you grew up playing, including in college with the Minnesota Golden Gophers?
The game has many differences when compared to basketball in America. The main difference is the athleticism and fundamentals. In the US, the game is centered around athletic players whereas overseas, they are much more focused on fundamentals. In the eight years that I have played overseas, I have noticed that both styles of play are becoming more similar and I believe that trend will continue. Both styles are very fun to compete in, just a different speed of play.

Palestine were fun to watch at the 2015 Asia Championship. How did that experience rank for you in terms of importance for your career?
That tournament was one of the highlights of my playing career. The way the team came together after minimal training and competed with some very accomplished programs made me very proud. We have great talent among Palestinians, not only in Palestine, but abroad as well. With a little more preparation and organization, I think we can compete with any team in Asia. I am very proud of how hard all of the guys played and all that Coach Jerry Steele did to help bring success and I hope that continues.

Abu-Shamala made an eye-popping 36 of 66 from the arc in Changsha

This year's team isn't the same with a different coach and also no presence, for example, of Sani Sakakini. Can Palestine still aspire to claim one of the four spots for the FIBA Asia Cup? Can this team improve quickly enough for that to happen?
It will be extremely difficult to win without Sani Sakakini, but I believe that we will be able to win some games if we continue to get better every game. Once again we did not have much time to prepare for this tournament but we are hoping that we will pull off some upsets against a couple of the teams. Coach (Lowell) Stevens is a great person and coach to have running the team, but even for him it will be difficult to bring success with the limited preparations.

You really are a fun player to watch. Who did you enjoy watching the most growing up and did you try to model your game after that player?
I always grew up watching Michael Jordan and always wanted to be like him. I spent many hours a day working on my game and it has been great to have the opportunities to continue playing, not only at the University of Minnesota, but also overseas these past eight years. Basketball has been something that I have loved to play from an early age and I am very fortunate to have had the success I have had.

How many jump shots - 3-pointers - do you take a day in practice? How would you do in a 3-point shooting contest against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson?
I still play quite a bit and get many shots up on any given day. When I am really training, I try to make at least 100 three pointers before I leave the gym. I don’t think I can compete with Curry and Thompson on that stage at this point in my career but I would give it my best shot. Those two guys are on a different level when it comes to shooting.

If you have an open lay-up on a fast break, or can pull up and attempt a 3 - what do you do?
I would always take the open layup but it depends on the situation during the game. Obviously a layup is a higher percentage shot, but I will pull up for three on a fast break on occasion.

How many times have you had a 4-point play in your career?( 3points + foul)
I have had a 4-point play numerous times in my career. They don’t happen that often but when they happen, it is a great feeling.​