JACK KAJIL: „MEGA IS THE BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPING TALENT, GROWTH, AND MATURITY OF YOUNG PLAYERS”

At just 18 years old, Jack Kajil decided to chase his dream — and that was the main reason he left his native Germany at such a young age to come to Serbia. Although being away from his family was tough, he was convinced that joining Mega would be the best possible path to achieving his biggest goal: playing in the NBA.

“Seeing the path many players before me took, I realized it was possible — and that Mega is by far the best environment for developing talent, growth, and the maturation of young players. It’s simple: this is a European club with by far the highest number of NBA-drafted players, and I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten the chance to become part of Mega,” said Kajil.

He started playing basketball at the age of seven, going to his first practice at the invitation of a school friend, even though he didn’t know much about the game at the time. However, his talent quickly became evident.

“Basketball was pure fun and enjoyment for me in the beginning. But when people around me started saying I could actually be good at it, I began to take it more seriously. I never really had an idol in the traditional sense, but of course, I loved watching successful German players in the NBA — from Dirk Nowitzki, to Dennis Schröder, to the Wagner brothers, Moritz and Franz. When I got the offer from Mega, I didn’t think twice. I jumped at the opportunity because everyone knows the club’s track record in developing young talent.”

Kajil doesn’t hide the fact that adapting to his new life wasn’t easy:

“The hardest part was starting to live alone when I arrived in Belgrade. Even though everyone at the club speaks English, there was still a language barrier. The culture is different too, but I managed to adapt. I had huge support from everyone at the club — they were always there for me and constantly reminded me I could turn to them anytime. That gave me a sense of security and allowed me to relax and focus on training. It also helped that I already knew Urban Kroflic from youth national team competitions. We’ve gotten even closer since.”

When asked what makes working at Mega different from what he experienced in Germany, Kajil said:

“A lot of time is dedicated to individual work, especially on the fundamentals. But in my opinion, the key thing is that week after week, we get the opportunity to compete against extremely talented players. We play in a very competitive league, with really strong teams, and the experience you gain in that kind of environment is priceless. We’re learning how to go up against opponents who are, on paper, stronger than us — and honestly, that’s the best way to improve.”

Mega’s junior team recently reaffirmed its absolute dominance across the region. The U19 squad clinched the Junior ABA League title for the fifth consecutive time, defeating their opponents by an average margin of 30 points per game. Jack Kajil rightfully earned his spot in the All-Tournament Team.

“Even though Kroflič and I only had a few training sessions with the junior squad, we managed to build chemistry very quickly. That just goes to show how talented the rest of the guys are and how much basketball IQ they have. We won convincingly, extended Mega’s incredible winning streak, and I’m proud to have contributed to that success.”

With a recent win over Spartak, Mega took a big step toward securing a playoff spot in the regional competition:

“Although we had some ups and downs throughout the season — which is maybe to be expected given how young we are — I think we played well in most games. We’ve earned the right to fight for a place in the playoffs, and that’s a huge motivator for us as we approach the final stretch of the ABA League. There are three regular season games left, and we’ll do our best to win each one. The first is against Cibona, and we’ll give it everything we’ve got to secure a win and move one step closer to the playoffs,” Kajil concluded.

Photo: Mega Superbet