​Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, the 17-year-old FC Barcelona forward who has committed to the Duke Blue Devils and is widely projected as the top pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, sat down for an exclusive interview with HoopsHype at adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, now in its 19th edition. He opened up about what it meant to be selected for an event of this caliber, the advice he absorbed from NBA players and coaches who roamed the gym all week, and the unique physical and mental challenge of leaving Florida as a teenager to sharpen his game against grown men in Spain.
Boumtje-Boumtje spoke about the ongoing process of development, underscoring that there is always room to improve. He emphasized the importance of maintaining balance after both good days and bad, keeping the end goal in sight: becoming the best player he can be and reaching the NBA. “Really just keep developing,” he said. “Like, that’s the biggest thing, I think, for him and for me. It’s just know that there’s always room for improvement and that if I have a bad day, it doesn’t matter. There’s going to be more. So don’t get too high, don’t get too low. And just keep going and keep the end goal in mind, which is to be the best player possible, be in the NBA, be the best player I can be in the NBA.”
Boumtje-Boumtje reflected on the early days of his journey, describing himself as skinny and unable to run when he first arrived in Barcelona. Those first months were emotionally and physically taxing, he recalled, but with time and perseverance, he built the confidence to push himself harder. “I was skinny. I could not run. My coaches can tell you that in Barcelona, I could not run. So that was a big transition. I think the first few months were tough. I was ripped up mentally and physically. But then I think after that first year, I really gained the confidence to improve and play as hard as I can. And then now here for the last three years, really means a lot to me to be back off that.”
The move to Spain also posed significant mental hurdles. Boumtje-Boumtje described the challenge of learning a new language, meeting European players, and adapting to a different style of basketball—experiences that tested him in ways he hadn’t encountered before. Yet, once he navigated that initial barrier, he says, progress followed. “I think probably mentally was just because of the first time I felt like we’re moving to Spain. Just mentally going there, having to learn a new language, meeting European players, something I had never done before in playing basketball, learning a new style of basketball, I was all just hard mentally. But then once I got over that one block, things became normal. That’s when I really, I think, was able to just improve.”
When asked about his future in college and professional basketball, Boumtje-Boumtje noted how conversations with Jon Scheyer and other Duke coaches played a key role in his decision. He highlighted the track record of Duke players developing into top-level talent, which reinforced his belief that he could thrive in such a program. “It’s very exciting. Just talking to like Jon [Scheyer] and other coaches is really part of what sold me. I’m going to college this year and looking at the guys they’ve developed, like yeah, I can keep a fight, I can’t really lose. That’s what I want to be. So maybe it’s not this year, but next year. That’s the goal: just to be the best player I can. Best player in the ACC, best player in the nation. Hopefully be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. I’m just going to keep going, and so, like, just be the best version of myself.”
In his analysis of his recent performance, Boumtje-Boumtje emphasized the importance of letting the game come to him. He cited his growth in the last quarter as a turning point, recognizing that even if he doesn’t score early, a single defensive stop or a sequence can flip the momentum. “Just because maybe you don’t score much in the first quarter, you have a bad defensive possession the next play. Just letting the game come to me, I think it’s something that, especially over the last few months, I’ve been able to improve. And like, if I have a bad half, I remember, ‘Okay, we still got 20 minutes.’ I can score 20 points in 10 minutes. It’s not a big deal. So just always pushing and for better SEO.”