We meet Mateusz Ponitka during the ongoing basketball season of the Turkish top-tier league, the Super Lig. The captain of our national team made time for us even though his team, Bahçeşehir Koleji S.K, is entering the decisive phase of the season. Mateusz is competing in the playoff semi-finals against Trabzonspor. The prize is a spot in the grand Final and the chance to fight for the Turkish Championship title.
Mateusz, it's great that you made time for us, although you’re probably most focused right now on fighting for the Turkish Championship title?
- Yes, it’s an intense period for me. We’ve been fighting all season to get the team to where we are now. I believe that the semi-finals will end in our success and that I’ll be fighting for the championship title alongside the guys on the team. The stakes are high (smiles)
Since we’re talking about successes, please point out your greatest sporting and personal achievement.
- There have been quite a few of them, especially in sports, and it’s hard to single out just one. But if I had to list them, I would certainly count the fourth place we achieved with the National Team at the 2022 European Championships. In personal life, there can be only one success: a happy family. My personal goal was to create the right living conditions for my wife and son. I am fulfilling this success every day, and it gives me immense satisfaction.
Many athletes repeat that their best game is still ahead of them. What is your greatest sporting dream? Or maybe you have already achieved it?
- I hope I still have a few great performances ahead of me, although it will be hard to beat the one from the European Championship quarter-finals against Slovenia. Europe is very strong in basketball. I will risk the statement that some of the best basketball players in the world currently come from the Old Continent (Dončić and Jokić – Editor’s note). Although I keep my feet firmly on the ground, I will continue to dream of repeating the emotions and results that accompanied me during that tournament and that memorable match. Today, I feel like a fulfilled athlete because I have achieved most of my sporting dreams. However, before I end my career, I would like to win the EuroCup and the Turkish League. With the National Team, in turn, we will fight for qualification for the World Championship tournament.
Who is your sporting idol and why him/her?
I had two major sporting idols: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. These two guys inspired me to play basketball. I watched many of their games, interviews, and programs about them to learn as much as possible from them.
Let’s step away from basketball for a moment. Who is your wife to you? How do you like to spend time together? What are your favorite places?
- For me, the foundation of happiness is family. My wife and son are currently the most important people in the world to me. I can’t imagine life without them. They love me, inspire me, and support me every day. We do fun things every day, but we like long walks and talking during them the most. We have a few favorite places, depending on the country. When we are in Poland, it’s Warsaw and Gdańsk; when in Turkey, it’s Izmir and Istanbul; and besides that, we also love Athens and Greece.
Have you found your place on earth yet, one you return to and can call home?
- I hope I have found it, but I’m not living there yet — that will be our permanent home soon :) It’s hard to have such a place while living abroad for almost 14 years, with small breaks. However, I think we will manage to do that soon.
Have you ever been interested in watches?
- Yes, I like watches very much. I believe that watches and sunglasses can really complete a man’s outfit. That’s why I have paid special attention to them for many years. However, it’s difficult for me to point to one moment when you could say I became a fan of one or the other. Living in Turkey, it’s hard to leave the house without sunglasses, and wanting to be punctual and reliable, it’s hard not to have a watch with you. Therefore, these two things almost always accompany me throughout the day.
Which Balticus watch model do you like the most, and which does your wife like, and why?
I won’t hide the fact that I have a favorite (laughs). I like the Volans Piątunio series watch in the gold or silver version the most. I think it stands out from other watches, looks elegant and tasteful, and has its flagship "Piątunio" (Little Friday) on the dial. Everyone associates Friday positively. "Piątunio" must surely herald a successful weekend. My wife, on the other hand, obviously likes the Balticus Moonfish Sapphire the most. Like most women, she likes precious stones, and their composition in this watch appealed to her the most.
Why did you decide to cooperate with our company?
I decided to cooperate for several reasons. Firstly, I am a patriot, and if I have the opportunity, I want to support and promote Polish companies. I believe that we, Poles, have huge potential in many respects — we are creative and hardworking. We have interesting ideas, so this should be talked about as much as possible. Secondly, as I said, I like watches. Those from the Balticus offer really appealed to me. I believe they are unique and definitely stand out positively against the competition. Thirdly, I’ve heard only good things about the Balticus company, and I like working with professionals. Fourthly, I was intrigued by the vision of working on a joint watch model. On this occasion, we can achieve two goals: support the further development of the Balticus brand, but also positively influence the development of basketball in the country. I hope that our cooperation will contribute to even greater popularity of this sport in Poland and encourage many young people to play basketball.
What do you expect from this cooperation?
- I expect mutual development on many levels, an increase in the popularity of the Balticus company, and the basketball that I also represent here. And participation in interesting projects promoting my sport and our watches.
Have watches been important in your life? Many athletes like having a good watch shining on their wrists.
- Yes, watches have been with me since I was small. As far back as I can remember, there has always been some watch on my wrist. Of course, my style changed with age. That’s why I like to observe what is happening in the watch world and often look for pieces that will match my outfits or upcoming occasions. A well-chosen watch can take a look to a higher level.
Do you remember your first watch? What model was it and who did you get it from?
- Unfortunately, I don’t remember my first watch. I always bought all my watches with my own money. The first ones that ended up in my, let’s call it, collection had to be as similar as possible to watches from well-known brands. I also remember that I searched the Internet for bargains and always managed to find some interesting deal.
What is your hobby?
My hobby is my work. I spend a huge amount of time training, playing, and watching basketball. Besides that, I like to travel, read books, do puzzles, and feed cats in Istanbul :)
Let’s return to basketball for a moment. Your beloved discipline in Poland enjoys seasonal interest that rises or falls depending on success or the lack thereof. What can be done to make it a discipline as popular as volleyball?
- I think that sporting successes indeed fuel every sport. However, for these to appear regularly, many factors need to align. Off the top of my head, I think we need a greater presence of our native basketball players in the media and successes of Polish teams in European cups. It would be useful to have more players in the NBA, which would translate into improving the recognition of basketball in our country.
Why does our version of basketball not achieve successes similar to those from the volleyball courts, or from handball in the past? Is there a recipe for success?
- A good question, but a bottomless topic. I think I would have to write an essay to address this. I don’t know the training system in volleyball, but I do know that recruitment is carried out well, seeing as they have been at the world peak for so many years. The men's volleyball team also plays many more matches than us per year, so the exposure is different. And results definitely drive viewership, and consequently — popularity, sponsors, and they give money, so you can invest in youth or the national team. Handball had a good generation and also achieved huge successes. I think that now it is a bit our time to break into the mainstream and show that basketball is an exciting sport to watch. To achieve this, as I said, we must break into the mainstream, maintain national team successes, and add club successes and players in the NBA. That’s in a great simplification, of course.
Which most famous basketball player in the world have you had the opportunity to play against or meet? What did it mean to you?
- I had the opportunity to meet one of my idols — Kobe Bryant — on the occasion of the Nike Hoop Summit game. An unforgettable experience, tears were flowing on the way to the hotel. I didn’t talk to him, but the very fact of meeting him was extremely inspiring and motivating for me.
The discussion about who is the GOAT is in full swing. Who, in your opinion, is the best basketball player of all time and why?
- Michael Jordan. For me, it’s beyond discussion. You can point to many arguments: creating a dynasty in Chicago, winning 6 titles, not losing a single final, and the fact that he was and is the most recognizable athlete in the world before the era of social media and currently, in the times of wide access to the Internet.
Do you have a plan to stay in basketball after your career, and if so, in what role?
- I am not currently assuming such a scenario after my career, but life has already taught me never to say “never”. We’ll see what fate brings. I am very curious myself. For now, I’m focusing on the last few years of playing, if health permits, of course, and what happens after — time will tell.
What would you like to tell young basketball adepts at the beginning of their sporting journey? What should they pay special attention to?
- I would like to tell them to work hard. Don’t give up, don’t be afraid to lose or fall. To be ethical in what they do, and to listen to their instincts on the court. An athlete’s career is full of sacrifices and renunciations. Every young player wanting to be a professional must be aware of this. There will be ups and downs, but those who survive the bad moments and don’t get lost in the good ones usually achieve success in the end.
Mateusz, thank you very much for the interview, but above all for an inspiring conversation. I hope that together with Balticus Watches you will achieve the goals you have set for yourselves. I wish you only successes and victory in the Super Lig in Turkey.
