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G League Sioux Falls Skyforce

Far from Home, Yet in Familiar Terrority, Krameplj Making Early Impact for Skyforce

December 16, 2021 - NBA G League (G League)
Sioux Falls Skyforce News Release


As the Showcase Cup is here and the regular season approaches, the Skyforce is trying to figure out who they are as a team.

They are starting to mesh with one another, developing chemistry and finding their own footing in the NBA.

Martin Krampelj is one of those young guys who is finding his way.

Krampelj is in his first season with the Skyforce after earning a roster spot as a tryout player in Miami.

Momentum from his tryout didn't quite carry over initially.

During training camp, Krampelj was sitting in a hotel room in Mexico City waiting for his visa to be accepted before he could be with the team.

The 26-year-old is from Ljubljana, Slovenia and came to the United States to play basketball at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska (just 160 miles south of Sioux Falls).

While moving from one country to another presents personal challenges adjusting, Krampelj had to learn to adjust to American style basketball.

"There are some differences in rules," Krampelj said. "The court sizes are different - the paint is bigger here and the three-point line is further back. The style of playing here is much faster."

While Krampelj had to dust off his rule book and learn the game he loves a little differently, he believes it fits him perfectly.

"I feel like I belong here," Krampelj said. "My style of playing basketball belongs here."

Normally, people do not envision Nebraska as a premier destination when moving to the United States, but Krampelj fell in love with Creighton University and believed it would give him everything he wanted.

"When I graduated high school, I wanted to get my degree," Krampelj said. "At that time, it was impossible to get my degree and play professionally in Slovenia. I decided to go to the NCAA and had to take a mid-step and go to prep school so I could take my SATs and ACTs. Teams started to recruit me, and Creighton was one of the first. They showed me a video of Creighton - of the arena, the people, the school - and had me for an official visit. I loved Creighton."

During his time at Creighton, Krampelj suffered serious setbacks.

Not just one, but three.

In January of 2018, Krampelj tore his ACL for the third time. It is hard coming back from one serious injury but coming back from three is a daunting task where most athletes would just call it a career and focus on life after basketball.

"When I look back, it's just another dark moment I don't want to remember," Krampelj said.

Since then, Krampelj has fought tooth and nail to prove he is still capable of being a professional basketball player.

After going undrafted in 2019, Krampelj was a member of the Denver Nuggets 2019 Summer League team. He then signed his first professional contract with Cedevita Olimpija, a team in the Slovenian league, and played for two other European teams before coming back to the Midwest.

"The Midwest is just too good to me," Krampelj said with a smile. "People are really nice, and they don't drive very crazy."

This is the second time in his young career he has been separated by the Atlantic Ocean from his family, one of the hardest parts of his job.

"There's Facetime, Facebook, all of that," Krampelj said. "It is easy to keep in touch with your family. It's just the touch you need, the hug you need from your family. For now, virtual hugs will do it. I know they support me, and I know that when we are together we appreciate our time. We really have nothing to regret. They understand that I'm following my dream and they want me to be happy."

While missing his family is hard, the love he has for the game makes it a little easier to deal with.

"It isn't that hard when you follow what your heart is telling you and what your mind wants to do," Krampelj said. "To me, that's to play basketball. No matter where I'm at, I will follow basketball."

In his pursuit of following his dreams to be an NBA player, the 6'9'' forward has made impressions in his first season in the G League. He is averaging 9.8 points on 65-percent shooting and 3.4 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game.

Specifically, Kramepelj has scored in double-figures in four-of-five games and tied career-high's with 18 points (combined to shoot 13-18 FGA) in back-to-back outings against the Cleveland Charge (Nov. 28) and Fort Wayne (Dec. 3).

Krampelj credits the environment he is in to his early successes.

"If you find yourself on a team like the Skyforce, you're in a good position," Krampelj said. "Everyone is really good; everyone really likes each other. We have a good coach and coaching staff and that's all, as a player, I really want. This is the perfect example of how to develop players."

While he is off to a solid start, Krampelj knows there is room for him to improve and goals he has yet to reach.

"One of the main goals is to develop and be a better player," Krampelj said. "I want to win. I always want to win. I think I'm in a great city and a great spot to do it."

Krampelj and the Skyforce return to action at the 2021 NBA G League Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada from December 19-22 after a week-and-a-half break. Times and opponents are to be decided.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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