"When I was little, we didn't have money to have a television at home."

BarcelonaShortly before the start of the Endesa League quarterfinal tie against Unicaja, Justin Anderson spoke to ARA. "We've known for days that we would finish in fifth place and that our opponent would be Unicaja. Right now, I'm feeling a lot of emotions going through my head. We're one shot away from qualifying for the final four of the Euroleague and perhaps following in Monaco's footsteps and playing in the final. We put so much energy into it that in the weeks that followed, we suffered a very difficult emotional hangover. The game against Girona helped us come back to life. Our fans recognized the situation and gave us the energy we needed. The season isn't over until you play the last game, and we want to finish successfully," explains the Barça forward.

Anderson believes one of his strengths is competing well in crucial moments. "When I signed my contract with Barça, I spoke with Mario Fernández about my ability to play in high-pressure games. It's a skill I possess. I really enjoy the most heated moments. I don't know what will happen, but I feel like I've done everything my team needs of me. I'm not a selfish player. I'm not the leader of this group, but I give everything to make life easier for my teammates," he analyzes.

The distribution of roles is important. And he's clear about it: "The key is to be a humble player and remember who you are at all times. I know my job is to help Kevin Punter or Jabari Parker. My mission is the little things that can add value to the team and bring us closer to victory. My teammates know I'm going to be tough and that I'll be in the right position. I'm going to be there in training to improve my game. If the team needs me to score, I'll do it."

Every season and every environment changes a player's role. "When I played in the G League, I was Michael Jordan for two years. My stats were impressive. In the NBA, on the other hand, I was a bench player. It all depends on the teammates I have at any given time. I have talent, but I try to adapt to my role. I know who my teammate is, when I'm going to be extraordinary. Being recognized as the best player isn't important to me; all I'm looking for is to win," admits the Barça player.

Anderson has a reputation as a tough player. "Many opponents hate me for the way I compete, but I never use insults or anything like that on the court. I try to play hard, but do so with respect, maintaining integrity. If someone looks down on my teammates, I'll come out to defend them, but I don't believe in dirty play. I've had good coaches, and they've had to have good coaches, and they've taught me. Every team needs a player like me. Since I was little, I've competed against older players, and that's helped me compete the way I do," he says.

Injuries have marked the season for Barça, who played a match with just eight senior players on Friday. "It's tough. We haven't been lucky with injuries, and my thoughts are with players like Laprovittola, Metu, and Núñez. There's always a positive side, and that's the opportunities the young players have had. We've all tried to raise our game. It's not easy to live with so many injuries, but I think we're doing a good job," the player explained.

"My family was very poor"

Anderson was born in Montross, Virginia. "I grew up in a small town of only 350 people. My father was a basketball coach, and my brothers played basketball as well. Basketball was everything in our house. A lot of the conversation revolved around the game. My family was very poor and had a very low income. When I was little, we didn't have money for a television or a TV in front of our house, and I would spend hours playing basketball or riding my bike. When I realized what my parents' situation was, I decided to earn money to help them have a better life.

The American forward hasn't yet started talking about his contract renewal, but he's very clear about what he wants to do. "Everyone in Barcelona knows I want to stay here. I think we deserve to try again with a healthy team because we came very close this season. I value living in this city, not for its climate, but for what a club like Barça represents. I want to be part of this club when it's at the top of Europe, but now it's time to focus."