INA – Yanto: Basketball is a blessing for me

JAKARTA (NBL Indonesia) - Standing 215cm (7ft 1in) tall, Max Yanto is a unique phenomenon in Indonesian basketball. Soft-spoken and with a quiet demeanour, he is yet to achieve his full potential for Muba Hang Tuah.

But considering his attitude – "Being in basketball is a blessing for me” he offers – there's only one way he can go: up.

The 28-year-old recalls the first time he got out on the court.

“I remember the first time I got the ball. I carried the ball instead of dribbling it, and the referee called a traveling. That was my first lesson of basketball rules,” he told FIBA Asia.

FIBA Asia: How did you start playing competitive basketball?

Yanto: It happened like this. One day a chief of police came to my house and asked me to play for his team in Lampung. He had seen me in a couple of local games. I was too scared to say no to him when he asked me to join his team. But now I’m grateful that I said yes. Such a blessing for me. It took two years for me to get the professional call. In 2006, I was invited to register for a recruitment programme in Jakarta for playing in a higher-level league. My first team was Garuda Flexi Bandung.

FIBA Asia: What was it like being so tall among your friends?

Yanto: I was a little bit sensitive back then before I started playing basketball. I have often fought with people because they were staring at me amazed at my height. I didn’t have many friends because of this. It’s true I felt odd with my appearance. But basketball changed me. I have more confidence now with being tall and accept this as a gift. Now I feel that being tall is not bad after all.

It was Simon Pasaribu, the manager of Garuda team who encouraged me. I’ve learnt a lot from Simon. He always encouraged me and gave me many lessons of life. He told me how to socialize with others, how to deal with myself, how to deal with others. I’m OK now if people stare at me.

FIBA Asia: What do you want to achieve in basketball?

Yanto: I want to be a good player of course, but if they think that I’m not good enough then I just want to play it well. Basketball has given me a meaning in my life. Being in basketball is a blessing for me.

FIBA Asia: Your coach in Muba Hang Tuah now is from the Philippines. What has your experience been like with him?

Yanto: Working with Coach Nath (Nathaniel Canson) is another blessing for me. I won’t say that it is easy to work with him. But it’s not hard either. It’s not a matter of whether it is easy or hard. It’s a matter of what I have learnt from him. He taught me how to play basketball the right way. Earlier a different coach gave me a simple move and a very simple pattern to do.

But it’s not same with Coach Nath. He wants me to understand why he’s asking me to do a certain thing. He wants me to understand how what I’m doing matters to the team. It’s not easy to do what he wants, but with hard work I hope I’ll get there. He’ll always trains me in private, foot-work drills and everything after practice. That’s the reason I said that working with him is a blessing.

FIBA Asia