“I’m just trying to help my team win.”
It’s a phrase we’ve heard from countless basketball players, countless athletes. So many times, in fact, that we’ve stopped attaching any real meaning to it.
But when those words come from a certain kind of athlete – someone who backs them up with everything he does on the court – they stop being a cliché and become a philosophy.
Semi Ojeleye belongs firmly in that category.
If he has to play as a five, as a four, three, two, one…
“Semi is a warrior. Whatever he has to do to help the team, he is going to do it. If he has to play as a five, as a four, three, two, one… If he has to be on the bench cheering with the guys… Whatever you need from him, he is going to give it to you. He’s the kind of player you always want on your team,” head coach Ibon Navarro said after Crvena Zvezda’s recent victory over Dubai.
“I appreciate the high praise. I try to just fight and help my team win. I think not every game is going to be perfect, and everybody understands that,” Ojeleye replied when we reminded him of his coach’s words.
Few words, no fuss. Typical Ojeleye.
Ojeleye had already proved he could play the five last season. After Giannis Sfairopoulos struggled to find the right role for him, Ojeleye finally found his niche under Saša Obradović.
Part of that was down to his role as a small-ball center. That small-ball lineup first made a real difference in Zvezda’s victory over Real Madrid in Belgrade. Despite mixed reactions from the public, Obradović continued to use it frequently and vigorously defended the approach when questioned by reporters.
“I’ve never touched a stronger man,” Obradović said last season.
Ojeleye at Center: “My Positioning Has to Be Damn Near Perfect”
Partly out of necessity, following injuries to Motley and then Izundu, but also because of Ojeleye’s versatility, Ibon Navarro has continued to use the powerful Nigerian at center.
“I give up a lot of centimetres, inches in height, you know what I’m saying? So my positioning has to be damn near perfect,” the 198cm forward explains.
“If I communicate well, then I help everybody know where they need to be around me, and we try to fight for every ball as a team. It’s not so much about who’s at what position, but if we’re connected out there, it helps everybody.”
Five rounds are a small sample size, but the advanced numbers support what the eye test suggests: Ojeleye has become one of Zvezda’s most dependable anchors.
With him on the floor, the red-and-whites have a net rating of +16.2. Without him, that figure drops all the way to -17.8.
That’s a 34-point difference per 100 possessions – a remarkable gap, even allowing for the small sample size.
“I have to use my speed and leverage. I have to be where I need to be ahead of time. If I’m there late, the height disadvantage is too much,” the 31-year-old explains.
Semi, His Wife, the Dog – All Happy in Belgrade
Ojeleye has been playing in Europe since 2022. One season with Virtus Bologna, two with Valencia and now his second in Belgrade.
Having spoken to him on numerous occasions, one thing seems clear: Ojeleye doesn’t need much to feel at home.
“Wife feels great, I feel great, dog feels great. So we’re just happy and trying to get some more wins and hopefully accomplish some bigger goals this year.”
Zvezda are riding a three-game EuroLeague winning streak, with two of those victories coming on the road. The win over ASVEL in Lyon was particularly satisfying, sealed by a shot at the buzzer.
Paris are next to visit Belgrade – a tricky opponent for any EuroLeague team, with a style of play that demands maximum concentration.
When Navarro tells his players there is no room for complacency and that their approach must be spot on, he can count on Ojeleye to lead by example.
“The mood is great, but I think we can’t really ride on the mood. For us, we need to do our jobs regardless of how we necessarily feel, positive or negative. We need to do some things that are non-negotiable, like bringing the right energy, the right effort, and competing every night. And that’s going to carry forward to more wins than losses, I think,” he concludes, very much in character.
When your teammates know they can rely on you, your coaches respect you and the fans love you, you must be doing something right.
For Semi Ojeleye, helping his team win has never been just another cliché.
