Speaking on Bayern Munich’s official website – full interview here – ahead of the second game in the Bundesliga and the EuroLeague debut against ALBA Berlin at home, Pablo Laso commented on the first months on the Bavarian bench.

After getting the first win of his new adventure – beating Syntainics MBC 96-87 with 16 points from Leandro Bolmaro, one of Bayern Munich’s new faces – following 11 years at Real Madrid, the Spanish head coach is living a new life in Germany.

Talking about the growth of basketball there, Pablo Laso is optimistic. “I’ve known Marko Pesic and his whole family for decades, and we have a very good relationship”, he first talked about his connection with Marko Pesic. “From the first day I talked to him about Bayern, I felt like we had the same vision. Also, it seems like the ideal moment: German basketball is on the rise, not only because of the World Cup win but also because the league has improved significantly. It was as if something inside me said that I was making the right choice”, he went on to add about the basketball culture in the country.

Touching on the World Cup victory by Gordie Herbert’s national team, the legendary EuroLeague figure had nothing but great words. “The Germans have fantastic players who have gone through tremendous development. In addition, Gordon Herbert has put together a perfect mix. The Germans had the patience required to win the World Cup. Last year, they lost to Spain in the semifinals of the European Championship, a strong game they could have won. But nobody panicked. They waited and knew they were now competitive”, he said on the German national team which brought gold medals home.

Having three World Champions (Isaac Bonga, Andreas Obst, and Niels Giffey) on his team, expectations may rise. But Pablo Laso isn’t worried about it. “Expectations must always be high at FC Bayern. We want to be competitive from day one. We want to be angry when we lose and happy when we win. At the same time, we also need the right perspective for the future. And that’s something you have to work on day by day. My goal is to have a team where everyone feels that giving their best every day is essential”, the 55-year-old also added.

During the interview, Pablo Laso also talked about the importance people gave to results. “I definitely want to win every game. But we all know it’s impossible. In Madrid, there were times when we won, and I wasn’t satisfied because I felt we could have done better, and sometimes we didn’t win, but I was still very satisfied. Results are very important; they are a part of our lives. However, I consider it shortsighted to think that victories are the most important thing. Rather, I want to mold my players so that I can say: We may not have won every trophy, and yet the time we spent together was a gain”, the former Real Madrid head coach stated.

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Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum stated that if his career leads him back to Europe one day, then his former team Partizan Belgrade will likely be the only club that he’ll consider signing with.

Let me say right now, if I ever return to Europe, Partizan is the first option, and probably the only one,” Exum said to Mozzart Sport.

After spending his debut season in Europe with EuroLeague powerhouse Barcelona, Exum joined Partizan for 2022-23 and his game reached new heights. The Australian player averaged 13.2 points, 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds, thriving at the point guard position under Zeljko Obradovic and being a pivotal member of a team that came one game away from making the Final Four, falling 2-3 to powerhouse Real Madrid in a dramatic series.

“[Obradovic] wanted me to be a playmaker, which of course I immediately liked,” Exum said. “I wanted that challenge, that responsibility. I knew I could help with the ball in my hands. However, my wishes are one thing, the coach decides and he saw me in that position and showed his trust in me. I have to thank him for that. During the season, we talked a lot about responsibilities and the details that are needed for a playmaker. He wanted to hear my opinion and what I would do in a certain situation. It would be an exchange of opinions that helped me a lot, and ultimately helped the team as well.”

Before returning to the NBA by signing with the Mavericks, Exum helped Partizan win the ABA League championship title. It was the club’s first since 2014.

“I still occasionally remember some scenes during the season that I experienced with Partizan,” Exum mentioned.” It was a period that won’t be forgotten. I already talked to my teammates in Dallas, I told them that it’s an experience that every basketball payer must experience. The atmosphere created by Partizan fans is unimaginable. That passion in Europe, the fight on the court, the camaraderie that was created, the overall incredible connection with the club. It was like a dream.”

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BOLOGNA, Italy – What would you do after marrying and going on a honeymoon? Probably relaxing before going back to working duties, right? Well, that was what Isaia Cordinier probably had in mind.

But then the call from Vincent Collet came. “Knowing that I wasn’t making the roster for the national team, I had the time to do basically everything I wanted to. I had my wedding, one of my best friend’s wedding, went on honeymoon as well, and then got the call from the national team too”, the French small forward commented to Eurohoops during Virtus Bologna’s EuroLeague Media Day.

The 27-year-old player was called up to replace the injured Frank Ntilikina and had the experience of his first-ever major International tournament with the French national team, playing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he averaged 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

However, France couldn’t advance to the Final Phase, as they lost against both Canada and Latvia in Jakarta’s Group H, ending the tournament in 18th place. “It was kinda crazy, but I tried to enjoy every second of it, taking advantage of the opportunity that came, joining the national team despite the circumstances of having an injured brother. It turned from a dream to a nightmare really quickly, because of our performance in the World Cup, but it is what it is. I think it surely gonna help us for the next competition”, the former Nanterre 92’s player added.

Despite the final and sad outcome for France, he had the opportunity to play his first FIBA World Cup, bringing something home even though the circumstances weren’t ideal. “The best thing I learned is to not take anything for granted. It sounds very simple, but with the French national team we fought hard to reach the top levels, and as soon as you unconsciously relax a bit, this will come right back at you quickly”, he confessed to Eurohoops.

Another problem came for Vincent Collet’s national team, as the lack of motivation when playing the classification games was evident. “My personal situation when I got called up and had to be there, trying to perform and lose, but you’re still there: you have to play ranking games that nobody wants to play, but at the end of the day it’s basketball, and when you get there on those four lines you have to try anything to win. Despite the fucked up situation we had: nobody wanted to play those ranking games. But still, play, it’s still our passion”, Isaia Cordinier finally stated on his summer with France.

One eye in Virtus and the other at home

Touching once more on the French national team’s failure at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, one topic to be considered around what the future looks like for this country is related to the growth of its domestic league, the LNB. “The only way is up. We have to look forward, to look up and keep growing”, Isaia Cordiner first stated on it, having played at home for the first nine years of his professional career.

The small forward previously played for the Antibes Sharks, ALM Évreux, Denain-Voltaire, and Nanterre 92, catching a lot of attention all throughout Europe. “We’re probably the nation that gives the most talent out of their country: to the NBA, EuroLeague, and everywhere. In France, we have the chance to have this kind of talent, and the league needs to follow”, he said before praising the work of some French organizations.

“With teams like AS Monaco, ASVEL, and Paris Basketball, it’s going in the right direction, because they’re the face of the league, and they can show example by growing the professionalism of the teams”, he added. “The LNB needs to follow as well: they need to make smart decisions to let the league grow. If you want to shine on the highest levels, whether it’s EuroCup, BCL, or EuroLeague, the league that you’re in has to allow you to be efficient, to be bigger, and to perform, giving the best teams that are doing the job the opportunities to do it”, Isaia Cordiner also commented.

Most importantly, this will be his third season with Virtus Bologna, after coming to Italy in October 2021 to help Sergio Scariolo’s team make a statement in the EuroCup, winning it all against Frutti Extra Bursaspor to make the jump to the EuroLeague.

In his first season with the black-and-white team in the most prestigious European competition, Isaia Cordinier struggled with injuries and could play only 19 games, averaging 6.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

A new era with Luca Banchi on the bench is opening now. “It was a crazy last few days here, but the main focus will be on us. How we build the energy, the chemistry, and how we work basically on a daily basis to be ready to perform and go against anybody. That’s our mindset, the way we approach every practice and every game. We prepare to be ready and beat anybody”, the French player commented.

Only a few days after these words, Virtus Bologna won the first Italian derby of the season against Milano and dismantled Brescia in the final of the 2023 Italian Supercup, winning the third consecutive after being champions in 2021 and 2022 as well.

Isaia Cordinier contributed with 11.0 points per game in the two encounters, always bringing energy to Luca Banchi’s team. Talking about the newest Virtus Bologna’s head coach, Isaia Cordinier had nothing but great words. “It’s good to see how he approaches the game and how he approaches the chemistry of the team. I’m looking forward to building with him and with the guys out there on the floor, trying to be as confident as we can”, he said.

Being included by the Latvian national team’s head coach in the list of players from whom he expects a stepping-up personality-wise, Isaia Cordinier feels more than ready to go with Virtus Bologna in both LBA and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. “I had a good summer and a good preparation, so I’m ready for the challenge and for what’s coming in the new season”, he finally stated ahead of the 2023-24 season.

 

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Un post condiviso da Isaïa Cordinier (@izaycordinier)

PHOTO CREDIT: Virtus Segafredo Bologna

The post Isaia Cordinier on the World Cup with France, growth of the LNB, stepping up in Bologna appeared first on Eurohoops.

BOLOGNA, Italy – In a summer full of transformations all around Europe, there has been an under-the-radar revolution regarding the point guard spot in Berlin. Not only did Maodo Lo join Johannes Voigtmann in Milano, but Jaleen Smith also flew to Italy to sign with Virtus Bologna.

Prior to his first trophy won with the black-and-white team, capturing the LBA Italian Supercup 2023 in Brescia against the hosts, the 28-year-old guard spoke to Eurohoops during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Media Day to first touch on his first Italian days.

“It’s been really good, I’ve been around the city. It’s really nice to have teammates that are basically in the same situation I’ve been in, and who have families. They’re all very good professionals, we all come in to take care of our business on the court. Off the court, we joke around, and it’s a different experience than what I’ve been with”, the former ALBA Berlin player opened.

“I’ve been on young teams, even last year my teammates didn’t really have kids. Maodo Lo had his little boy so we really connected on that. It’s been really good just to have teammates who are in the same situation as you, it’s really good”, he then added.

Talking about the 30-year-old German playmaker, they shared the same locker room for two years. Having played with such a versatile guard already, it won’t be problematic to adjust to a squad with Daniel Hackett, Iffe Lundberg, and Alessandro Pajola for Jaleen Smith.

The former Heidelberg and Ludwigsburg player said there’s one particular aspect of the game in which he can be a solid addition. “I’ve improved my shooting ability from the perimeter, which can really help the guards. My versatility playing on and off the ball, adds more dynamic ability for the coaches to use me. Even my defensive ability, I think I put myself a lot on that. It’s just gonna enrich what the coach can use. It’s not gonna be a tough choice, because all four of us can be very versatile in any way we can”, he commented.

 

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Un post condiviso da Jaleen Smith (@jaleensmith3)

Learning from the best (and most experienced) ones

Jumping straight from the NCAA – where he played from 2013 to 2017 with the UNH Wildcats – to Germany may have been difficult for Jaleen Smith, who still found a way to establish himself as a valid EuroLeague guard all the way from the second division in Germany.

A similar path saw Bryant Dunston become one of the best defensive players in the history of the competition by finding his way up to the EuroLeague through uncertainties and difficult seasons.

Sharing the locker room with the 37-year-old veteran will be a constant source of teaching for the former ALBA Berlin player. “I’ve already asked him some questions about how his journey was, and it’s no different than mine. He started by not playing so much, and when he moved to Varese he gave it all and ended up getting a job in the EuroLeague. And he’s been there ever since”, he first commented on the former Anadolu Efes – where he won back-to-back EuroLeague titles – center.

At the end of the day, overseas players who manage to reach the élite competition in Europe all share similar trajectories. “Hearing stories like that is really crazy, because you come from small teams in Europe, wherever you at, and the big teams know the guys who are going be hard workers, and professionals because of what they’ve been through. I’ve been to the second league in Germany with Heidelberg and went to the first league with Ludwigsburg without playing in an International competition before I moved to the EuroLeague. It’s been really good”, Jaleen Smith added.

While he will learn from Bryant Dunston, he already had a veteran teammate in the past. “In Ludwigsburg, I played with a veteran there like Tremmell Darden, he has been playing with Madrid, Zalgiris, and Bryant [Dunston] for one year in Olympiacos. Seeing him playing with Bayern it’s crazy! It’s gonna be 42, and he’s still balling. That shows the love for the game. I learned that he takes care of his body every day before and after practice. I tried to copy that to my resume as well. It’s always good to have veterans like that to build your experience up, and learn from them every single day. It’s been really beneficial in my growth”, the newest Virtus Bologna guard commented on Tremmell Darden.

I can’t say how great God is for the opportunity to compete at this Euroleague level! The grace of God is truly amazing!

— tremmell darden (@tremenduz) September 17, 2023

Both will be coached by Luca Banchi, who replaced Sergio Scariolo in Bologna and said to Eurohoops that he expects growth from Jaleen Smith in terms of basketball personality. “Being coached by him will bring freedom, and the ability to make reads. Even in one of our first practices together, it was more of just read: whatever the defense gives us, he’s gonna let us play off that. It’s not gonna be like tic tac toe. We still gonna look at some things on offense, but it’s not gonna be like “This guy is gonna get the ball”, or “You are gonna do this or that”, the 28-year-old player touched on his head coach.

“It’s more reads. You can see him with Jordan right now, talking about what he can do on different reads”, he said during the interview, when Luca Banchi was teaching Jordan Mickey certain adjustments on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Media Day. “Even with our bigs, who can pop and roll: it’s gonna bring more versatility for them, and consequently for us playing off that. It’s gonna be playing whatever the defense gives us, being free on the court”, Jaleen Smith added on Latvia’s national team head coach.

From Sikma to Toko and the experience with Croatia

Maodo Lo wasn’t the only player with whom Jaleen Smith shared the court in Berlin who left ALBA to try another experience in the EuroLeague, as Luke Sikma moved to Olympiacos to try filling the gap following Sasha Vezenkov’s departure to the NBA.

Having said playing with the American power forward helped his playmaking abilities a lot, Jaleen Smith will find another power forward who likes to distribute the ball: Tornike Shengelia, who won the award for the Best Assistman – and MVP – of the 2023 Italian Supercup, where Jaleen Smith averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in his first two official games with Virtus Bologna.

“They always have their head up”, he said about both Luke Sikma and Toko Shengelia. “One time in practice I told him I’d go backdoor, playing it off like I was doing a handoff, and go backdoor. And it’s Luke’s set: if he’s not there, he keeps it. He’s a really good scorer to know that the defense he’s not helping, he’s gonna attack; if they are, instead, he knows that we are gonna be there. All you have to do is to make eye contact with him, he knows what to do with the ball. And that’s where the similarity with Toko comes in: they always have their eyes open, not just looking for themselves but for other guys as well”, Jaleen Smith added about his former and new teammates.

Unlike Toko Shengelia, the 28-year-old guard couldn’t participate in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where the former CSKA Moscow power forward was leading Georgia. However, Jaleen Smith still found a way to be effective with the national team, helping Croatia book a ticket to next year’s FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament.

Entering the debate over naturalized players, he said he “completely agrees with” Mike Tobey’s point of view on the matter. “Teams are just one key piece away from being competitive. For Slovenia, they needed a big man who could stretch the floor, or even pop down, and Mike was a perfect complement player for their whole national team”, he first said about the current Crvena Zvezda player, who commented on this topic before facing Canada in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Then, Jaleen Smith talked about his own situation. “With Croatia, they were just missing that glue guy. I’m not the most selfish guy, I’m not gonna try to go get 20 points every night. I know we have NBA guys, so I think my role there is to do a little bit of everything while still being a threat on the court. I fit perfectly well with that Croatian team: they treated me like their own Croatian teammate, and after everything that happened nothing negative came out”, he said.

“I’ve been enjoying my time with the national team. It’s gonna be more of a thing. It happened more often last year than it has probably happened before in the past. For teams, it’s gonna be putting in the time and finding the right guy they need. It’s gonna be a big step. It sucks for the countries that try to develop those guys, but every team wants to compete. And one way to do it, at the end of the day, could be bringing at least one naturalized player on board”, the newest Virtus Bologna guard finally stated.

𝙅𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙣 on
24+5+3 with Croatian @JaleenSmith0

@FIBA pic.twitter.com/wxcnRY1cpp

— Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) August 15, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Virtus Segafredo Bologna

The post Jaleen Smith on learning from Bryant Dunston, comparing Luke Sikma and Toko Shengelia appeared first on Eurohoops.

MILAN, Italy – Only behind Bayern Basketball (Niels Giffey, Isaac Bonga, and Andreas Obst) and tied with the Orlando Magic (Franz and Moritz Wagner), Olimpia Milano was the club with the most representatives among the German national team that conquered gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

It may sound surprising, but that was possible since Johannes Voigtmann, already with the Italian side since September 2022 – averaging 4.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in last year’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague -, was joined by his countryman Maodo Lo, who will now start his first European experience out of the German borders, where he has played with Bamberg, Bayern Munich, and ALBA Berlin.

Talking about his newest teammates in the red-and-white backcourt, Johannes Voigtmann has nothing but great words. “I have known Maodo [Lo] for a long time. We’ve experienced a lot on the national team, the good and bad times. I have a very good relationship with him, he’s a guy who I like to talk to off the court, and he’s a great basketball player. I’m very happy he joined us, he can bring a lot to the team. I’m happy he finally made the step out of the BBL”, the power forward said to Eurohoops during the EuroLeague Media Day.

The connection between the two, who both debuted with the senior national team in 2015, is recognized by the 30-year-old point guard as well. “It’s good because we have a certain understanding and comfort level with each other. We achieved something historical in Germany with the World Cup. This bond together is a deep understanding of each other, trust, and confidence. In the midst of a competitive EuroLeague season, this could be a fundamental part, something that supports our relationship and can help us hopefully on the court”, Maodo Lo expressed later on to Eurohoops.

This could lead the Italian side to good results also for what they are both able to express on the court. “Maodo [Lo] knows how to create his own shot, I think that’s one big strength of him. He’s a very elegant player, he knows how to move on the court. He’s very creative, which is probably good for us”, Voitgmann said about Maodo Lo’s abilities before the former ALBA Berlin playmaker described him.

“He’s able to do things at his position that players at his position usually can’t do. He’s able to open up the floor with passes, and he has a good understanding of the game, so he can create spacing with a smart cut by making a sprint to the rim, and coming up to a drag P&R. He understands when to do what, and he spaces the floor with shooting. He has skills and a vision of basketball which usually smaller players have”, he commented on the former CSKA Moscow player.

Is there any World Champion around here?#insieme #ForzaOlimpia #OlimpiaMilano pic.twitter.com/fkjh3h0EBi

— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) September 28, 2023

Starting from (different) bottoms, now they’re here

While Johannes Voigtmann and Maodo Lo are now wearing the same jersey in Mediolanum Forum, they come off very different experiences in their growing basketball trajectories.

If the first one started to spread his name at home, establishing himself as one of the most promising bigs in Europe under coach Gordon Herbert – with whom he won the 2015-16 FIBA Europe Cup – with the Skyliners Frankfurt before moving out of Germany, Maodo Lo has a whole different background.

“We’ve talked about it sometimes, and you can see that it works for some people to leave Germany early, and it works for others to stay”, Johannes Voigtmann said when asked if they share their experiences to take something out of it. “I think it’s a matter of the right fit. If you find a club or a college that is willing to put work into you, to invest in your time and manpower to let you grow as a player, living with your decision. That’s important”, he added.

His newest club teammate, in fact, experienced something totally different before deciding to come back home to represent Brose Bamberg in 2016 to share the court with Nicolò Melli. Named “Maodo” – which means “The Great” in Senegalese – after the religious figure of Malick Sy, he’s the son of Elvira Bach, a German post-modern artist whose paintings are shown all over the world.

Including New York, where the playmaker established himself as a promising figure from 2012 to 2016, at Columbia University. “Maodo [Lo] enjoyed his time in New York, it was good for him as a human to go out of his comfort zone to see what life is there, it helped him to grow”, Johannes Voigtmann continued on his countryman.

“What matters is where you land at the end. You live in the present. You can learn things from looking at the past from different players, you can gain strength. Sometimes you look at different paths and maybe you see some parallel things, some things that are different. Sometimes you do compare career paths”, Maodo Lo himself added on the number of different stories that can be shared in a locker room like the German national team’s, where every player has something unique to share.

Talking about Germany, they caught the world’s attention at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, ending the most anticipated tournament of the year on an unbeaten 8-0 run which includes the semifinal’s 113-111 win against the United States and the final victory against Serbia to capture the first-ever gold medal in this kind of competition in the country’s history.

Considering the growth his group has had throughout the past few years, it’s fair to say the bar is getting higher and higher. Johannes Voigtmann, however, likes to “not go too high with the emotions”, remembering where they are coming from. “I often remember back to times when it didn’t go well, when we almost didn’t qualify for EuroBasket for example, or when we went out in the first round in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. I often think about those moments to not go too high with the emotions, because you know how low you were when it was really bad”, he said.

“I’m proud to be part of it, I’m proud to be on the team. I think it’s great for German basketball in general to have this upward project. That helped us a lot to set high goals. I have no idea what the future will reserve for us. I’m still processing everything that happened”, he then added about the golden achievement his national team found at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.

The three-year project coach Gordon Herbert talked about in the Philippines, starting with Year 1 in 2022, coinciding with the bronze medal at EuroBasket and which continued on top of the World in 2023, has its roots back in the past, according to Maodo Lo. “This success that we are having now as a team didn’t start last year. It began previously, in 2015, with coach Fleming, when he was still the head coach of the German national team. He really started back then with this new generation of players, with Dennis Schroder, Johannes Voigtmann, Daniel Theis, and myself. Johannes Thiemann came a little later, Niels Giffey”, the former Bayern Munich and ALBA Berlin point guard said.

Chris Fleming, who coached the German national team from 2014 to 2017, before handing it to Henrik Rodl, who stepped down in 2021 after the Olympic Games, initiated the whole process. “He really restored a lot of confidence in German basketball culture. He told us to not be afraid of anyone and that we could compete with any team, we could believe in ourselves. I don’t think anyone has said it so far, but he really introduced the seeds. And then we continued with this group of guys, we kept coming together every summer, sacrificing for the national team. We all developed as players. We have a lot of talent, a lot of quality, plus the continuation of always reuniting every year”, Maodo Lo added.

However, without the Canadian head coach, this golden possibility couldn’t have turned into reality. “Coach Herbert came in a moment when this generation of players had reached a certain experience and level, the seeds became a tree. He came with the right mindset and continued introducing a winning culture. This has been the result of not just last year and the three-year plan, but of the last previous years of the German national team. Even prior, when we didn’t win medals, we played some solid tournaments”, he continued before touching on previous accolades.

Even without medals on their necks, Germany brought home several satisfactions. “We played in EuroBasket 2017 in Tel Aviv and Istanbul, we kicked out France and we played good basketball; we didn’t end up on the podium, losing to Spain in the quarter-finals with Marc Gasol playing an incredible game. But still, we were there to compete. Prior to EuroBasket, we qualified for the Olympic Games, we played in Tokyo. German basketball is not on the map in Europe, people don’t really respect it too much, but we’ve been quietly there and now last year with the bronze, and this year’s success came as a result”, Maodo Lo finally stated.

“People don’t care about basketball in Germany”

Despite confetti coming down from the sky to celebrate Germany after the 2023 FIBA World Cup Final and players champagne-showering both head coach Gordon Herbert and the MVP Dennis Schroder, the German captain expressed his disappointment in Manila for how this team was treated.

“We first thought the tournament was going to be on the TV. Only the final was on the TV. Basketball is a great sport and I hope we can get our respect for what we are doing the last two years. I wish that every single game is on TV”, the newest Toronto Raptors guard said right after the win.

Talking about the lack of public communication regarding basketball, Johannes Voigtmann said the World Cup triumph will be beneficial “in the short term, for sure”. However, the former Baskonia’s power forward has doubts about what the future will reserve. “The thing is how do you manage that long-term, and that’s for other people to manage. We are the players, we can do our part. We can play at a high level and use all of our tools to reach people, but the bigger picture is gonna be handled by other people. It’s gonna be how much basketball will be part of people’s life”, he said.

Keeping it real, the soon-to-be 31-year-old said it will be difficult for basketball to emerge even after this golden accolade. “In Germany, it’s not part of a lot of people’s lives, but it has been for the last month. The thing is now how do we keep it that way? That’s not for us to decide. We can do our part, and we did it pretty well. I hope it gets more attention, but in Germany, every sport is fighting to get that, whether it’s hockey, handball, or whatever. It’s tough to establish something behind football”, Voigtmann commented.

While the power forward remained doubtful, Maodo Lo has his mind clear regarding the way basketball will be perceived from now on in Germany. “Winning the World Cup is not gonna change the status of basketball drastically in Germany. Overnight, all of a sudden, German basketball won’t be broadcast on live television. That’s football: that’s number one in Germany. People don’t care about basketball. People don’t care. I think what we achieved, what we did now with the World Cup, the bronze at EuroBasket, maybe will initiate a change to get more popularity, not for next year, not for the next two years”, he confessed.

Something will actually change, perhaps. “Maybe in ten years, fifteen years. We might have inspired children who want to start playing basketball or switching sports. This is what we achieved: more participation and interest. But to say “Hey, now we expect German basketball to be close to football” is simply not going to happen. It isn’t reality, it’s maybe wishful thinking. But it won’t happen. We implemented the seeds, the first catalyzer for something bigger to happen. And that’s what we can be proud of”, Maodo Lo added.

“Maybe we don’t really have much recognition from the European landscape: there’s a lot of reporting for Serbian or Spanish basketball for example, and there’s a lot of respect there. There’s not much respect for German basketball, but at the same time, we can’t expect to get respect from other European countries if our own country doesn’t even respect it. There are a lot of components to it, towards recognition”, the newest Olimpia Milano player also said.

However, he can start his new adventure in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with certainty. “But regardless of all of this, we were able to win a World Cup. It’s history, it’s written. No one can say anything, no one can talk. It’s done, and it’s an achievement we can really be proud of”, he finally said, entering a new chapter of his career next to his friend Johannes Voigtmann. As World Champions.

Congratulazioni Campioni del Mondo
https://t.co/xi13QT5Bp1

Congratulations World Champions
https://t.co/EqMnDIbLc9#fibawc #olimpiamilano #worldchampions pic.twitter.com/98f4duMvNR

— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) September 10, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Olimpia Milano

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Dimitris Itoudis is starting his second season on the coaching bench of Fenerbahce Beko and before the first official BSL match against Cagdas Bodrum Spor (01/09), the experienced Greek coach talked to Eurohoops about expectations, new faces in the locker room, but also about keeping the core together.

Fenerbahce retained players like Scottie Wilbekin, Tyler Dorsey, Marko Guduric, Dyshawn Pierre, Nigeh Hayes Davis, and Johnathan Motley and added five new players: Yam Madar, Raul Neto, Nate Sestina, Georgios Papagiannis, and Sertac Sanli. Ambitions are running high.

Itoudis also touched on ending his journey with the Greek national team after the 2023 FIBA World Cup and gave his two cents about last summer’s hot topic – naturalized players in national teams.

Q: Coach, this summer, you kept the core of the team and made additions such as Madar, Papagiannis, Sanli, and Sestina. What kind of Fenerbahce should we expect this season?

A: It is very important that we kept the core untouched. I need to thank Mr. Ali Koc, Mr. Sertac Komsuoglu, Mr. Derya Yannier, and Mr. Maurizio Gherardini publicly for their summer efforts. Mr. Ali Koc proved once again that he loves Fenerbahce. He supported us with all these additions. Unfortunately, we lost Raul Neto early in the season with the injury he had in the Brazil national team, but we added players who are willing to play for Fenerbahce. They like to be over here, and they are all about the team. First of all, Sertac Sanli knows the environment very well and brings tons of experience from the EuroLeague and Turkish League. I’m asking him to do different roles as well: playing together with Papagiannis, playing together with Motley… We are trying to have a different dimension with him on the floor, offensively and defensively. He is a very intelligent player. Sestina is going to make his debut in the EuroLeague, but in the EuroCup, he has proved that he can really be a factor and a very important player. Papagiannis made it clear from the beginning: He wanted to change the environment after so many great years he had in Panathinaikos and so many things he got as a young player from the family of Panathinaikos. I’m very happy that he is going to bring a different dimension to our game. Yam Madar is a rising star coming from a great teacher and a great coach, Zeljko Obradovic, and a great club, Partizan. The first thing he said to me proves his character: ‘Coach, I don’t care who is going to be in my position, who is going to be the ball handler. I want to earn minutes. I want to come over there and try to earn my position.’ That shows that he has a tremendous belief in what he can do for this team. We are happy because we brought people together with the core that can really have a bond. They are all about the team. That’s what we need: no personal agendas.

Q: You mentioned Raul Neto. How is he doing right now? Should we expect to see him on the court any time soon?

A: I don’t have a clear picture of his availability. We need to talk to the doctor about that, more specific and more to the point. But I know that he sacrificed lots of money to accept our offer and play for us. He had another offer which was bigger, but he wanted to come to Fenerbahce. He liked our picture and our environment more. We wish him to come healthy; we will see from there.

Q: How was Zagars’ transfer process? Did you think that you shouldn’t miss the opportunity after his performance at the World Cup?

A: We were talking with the club. It is great that the club is investing in the future. I really like that. Every fan should be proud that Fenerbahce has open eyes and ears. The process is this: Zagars is going to be loaned, and we are going to evaluate his development. We are going to be closer and closer. I also have to make some phone calls more now that we are getting back into terms of how he is going to develop. That is some addition for the future. So, it is great for Fenerbahce.

Q: After Neto’s injury, we thought that maybe he could be used?

A: No, he is going to be on loan.

Q: In recent years, Fenerbahce always made some big changes in the roster. This time, you kept the core. If we look at the EuroLeague champions in recent history, this is a general trend. Do you think that we will see the positive reflections of this situation?

A: We do hope that. Continuity is what gives you the results, definitely. Hopefully, we have some good luck in terms of not having bad injuries anymore.

Q: Last year, you missed most of the preparation process due to EuroBasket. But this time, you joined earlier. Do you think that this will have its advantages?

A: I wanted to be more with the team. Therefore, I also took the decision not to continue with the national team full-time. I still remain as the biggest fan of the Greece national team. I realized how small we are as names. When you represent the country, you represent the nation, anthem… That will never change. I was very honored and privileged to be the coach of my national team. But I have too many obligations keeping me back. So, I need to focus 100% on what Fenerbahce represents. But as I said, we need to deliver, and we are looking forward.

Q: There were some arguments about naturalized players in the summer. Some coaches defend and say, ‘You can be only one piece away from success,’ and some say, ‘No, naturalized players cannot be played on national teams.’ What is your opinion?

A: If I take it from my experience, Thomas Walkup was giving his best self and was so motivated and proud to represent Greece. I believe it is pretty much the same with Scottie Wilbekin or Shane Larkin, who represent Turkey or other naturalized players that helping different countries. That’s the law, and it is a rule. You can use it. I’m not against it.

The post Dimitris Itoudis on Fenerbahce’s new signings, Raul Neto’s injury and Greek national team appeared first on Eurohoops.

Virtus Bologna underwent a sudden change in head coach before the start of the season, with Luca Banchi stepping in to replace Sergio Scariolo. The Italian Supercup champions have further bolstered their coaching staff with the addition of Lassi Tuovi.

As the Legabasket season kicks off, the club has assembled a technical staff to support Coach Banchi, with Tuovi taking on the new first assistant coach role.

The former Strasbourg coach will maintain his position at the helm of the Finnish national team, a role he’s held since 2022, having previously led the team in the FIBA World Cup and EuroBasket.

With Tuovi on board, Virtus has finalized its coaching staff:

Head coach: Luca Banchi
Assistant coaches: Lassi Tuovi, Alberto Seravalli, Cristian Fedrigo
Development coach: Iacopo Squarcina
Scouting: Matteo Cassinerio
Physical trainers: Matteo Panichi, Emanuele Tibiletti
Physician: Diego Rizzo
Physiotherapists: Luca Cornazzani, Andrea Ferlini, Cristian Sabbioni
Team Manager: Tommaso Bergamini.

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Huge confidence is one of the things that define Olympiacos Piraeus swingman Shaq McKissic. And that immense amount of faith extends to both his own capabilities as well as the potential of his team in the upcoming EuroLeague season.

“All respect to the other [EuroLeague] teams because a lot of teams got better, but… I think we’re already the best and it’s yet to be known if we’ll remain the best,” McKissic told Eurohoops. He was asked if he believes that Olympiacos, the 2023 EuroLeague finalist and top-seeded team in the regular season, is still a contender given the departures of MVP Sasha Vezenkov (to the Sacramento Kings) and star contributor Kostas Sloukas (to Olympiacos’ archrival Panathinaikos Athens).

“I see the same team in the locker room,” McKissic said. “Of course we miss Sasha. You can’t replace something like that. Him as a person and him as a player. That’s hard to replace. But we’re going to get them from other places.” He also sent a warning to other teams regarding the defensive prowess of Olympiacos, especially considering the presence of big men Moustapha Fall and Nikola Milutinov.

“I think we bulked up on defense in ways I don’t think anybody’s prepared for,” MacKissic added.

McKissic also talked about being now a veteran of Olympiacos who will serve as a guide to newcomers and whether there’s a necessity to add new elements to his game as the years pass and the athleticism that characterizes him as a player begins to wane. He also commented on archrival Panathinaikos making a parade of impressive signings.

Eurohoops: First thing’s first. This is a thing many Olympiacos fans are wondering about because you haven’t been active in the preseason so far. How’s your health situation now that we speak?

Shac McKissic: According to me my health is perfect. I’m just trusting the process. A lot of early mornings in the weight room. Just getting prepared for this upcoming season.

EH: You haven’t played in any preseason game of Olympiacos. But the SuperCup is next. First title of the season. Also probably against Panathinaikos as well so it’s a big deal.

Right now, do you feel ready to play in the SuperCup?

S.M.: Do I feel ready. I always feel ready. Whether

EH: What I meant by ready, is if you feel physically ready.

S.M: Ah, physically ready. I would say so.

EH: I don’t know if you were aware of that. After Kostas Papanikolaou you are the longest-standing member of Olympiacos. Have you realized that? Thought about it?

S.M.: Yeah, man. I’ve had a lot of teammates over the years. Some I miss, some I don’t. I think right now we’ve gone to that point where there’s a lot of returning players. Year, year. Hopefully we’re going to keep that tradition of me not having many teammates. I like to be familiar with the guys around me.

I’m aware of that.

EH: There haven’t been many years that you are on the team but you are a kind of veteran on the team, considering what I said about you and Kostas Papanikolaou. Do you feel that also your role is changing in that department?. Do you feel that maybe you are becoming a veteran and also one of the leaders that have to be more vocal on the locker room. Saying something extra things other players?

S.M.: I get it. I’m 33 now, I’m getting older. I still feel young though. But when you got guys like Brazdeikis that come in, I think that’s really my job kind of explaining the ropes, taking them under my wing and letting them know how things go around here. You know, I think that’s my job as a veteran.

EH: You gave me a pass, in a sort of way to ask you this question. You said you are getting older. You are a player who’s using his athleticism, his speed. You have been the best slasher of Olympiacos, one of the best slashers and maybe the best in-game dunker in Europe this last couple of years. But it’s natural for this athleticism and speed to be waning as the years pass.

How do you handle this as a player? Do you feel that there are some kind of elements that you need to implement in your game?

S.M.: That’s a really good question. For me, I think every year I run into new problems with people’s perception of me. ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do that’. I don’t go out there to prove them wrong, I just go out there to be the best version of myself. I think until my body betrays me, I’ll just keep getting better and better. Even from the first year that I got here, I’ve got better over the last seasons. And I plan this to be one of my best years.

So to answer your question, the athleticism… I hope it’s still there but even if it’s not… good luck to everybody.

EH: What I meant basically with this question is if there are any specific elements you put in your game. For example last season – that’s the way I saw your game at least –  I was watching you pass the ball a lot more after doing the drives to the basket, I saw you looking for your teammates.

S.M.: I think if you go back to my younger years I had a bigger role. For whatever reason now over the past two years my role has been limited due to us having certain players, certain big-time guys. You know, the roster has turned over, flipped over, we’re adding new pieces so I don’t know what I’ll have to add to my game that the coach will need me to do this season. But I’m sure, I’m pretty confident that I’ll be able to fulfill the role that he places upon me.

EH: How important was it for you to renew your contract before the offseason?

S.M.: For me, it was important just for the comfort of living in Athens. Honestly, I think this is the best any family can live. For me, I didn’t want to play anywhere else. A lot of players are shy about saying that. But for me, I have amazing coaches, amazing presidents, amazing teammates, amazing city, amazing friends. If I asked anything, it’s almost being greedy.

EH: Last season Olympiacos was widely considered one of the best if not the best offensive team in EuroLeague. You made the Final Four, lost the championship because of one shot that did go in, one shot that didn’t go in. Last-second details. In Greece, you rolled over all competition.

Given the departures of Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Sloukas, two very important players for this team, do you think you can such retain such a highly successful level of basketball? Are you still a contender in EuroLeague?

S.M.: I see the same team in the locker room. Of course, we miss Sasha. You can’t replace something like that. Him as a person, him as a player. That’s hard to replace. But we’re going to get it from other places. I think we bulked up on defense in ways I don’t think anybody’s prepared for. When I look in the locker room I see guys like Moustapha Fall, Nikola Milutinov. I don’t know the game plans of other teams. I’m pretty sure there will be some strategy there.

But I would be afraid to go against either one of them. Knowing that if we stay healthy, you’re going to have to face one of them every single night. That’s going to be very difficult for teams. I don’t know why is this looked over.

I have extreme faith in this team. It’s unbelievable how much faith I have in this team. I called it the last two years. First year, when Sasha and Sloukas came, we got [Thomas] Walkup, Fall. I said that this is a Final Four team. Last year, I said that we’re going to finish first in EuroLeague. This year, hopefully we’ll win the EuroLeague, that’s the plan. We got as good chances as anybody else.

All respect to the other teams because a lot of teams got better. But I think we’re already the best and it’s yet to be known if we’ll remain the best.

EH: You first became a favorite with Olympiacos fans because in one of your first appearances you had a fantastic game in a win over Panathinaikos and that matters a lot as you are well aware now. It was thanks to your performances consistently against Panathinaikos that you became a fan favorite. Now, the Panathinaikos that you and Olympiacos are going to face this year will be a lot of different.

S.M.: They are always a lot different.

EH: Now they are stronger, at least on paper – they made some big signings, quality signings. How do you feel about that and about this new challenge that the archrival is going to pose on Olympiacos?

S.M.: Man, that’s a good question. There’s so much uncertainty. Every year when Pana makes a new team, we make a new team and you never know what to expect. In our minds we think we’re the best. In their minds, we think they think that they are the best. With that being said… I just hope it’s fun. Give the fans what they want on both sides. The last two years, I don’t think it was a representation of what that club means to Greek basketball. But I think we raised our profile and we put all of Europe on notice. That we’re here and we’re here to stay.

As far as the rivalry, I’m excited. I still think we’re the better team. I still think we should win the majority of the games. Nobody in our locker room is scared of them. Every time I go to the PANA arena, I love it, I feed off it, I embrace it. So, I hope the first game is sold out,. Completely.

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MILAN, Italy – Entering the fifth Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season on Olimpia Milano’s bench, Ettore Messina is one of the few head coaches out there who can count on more than thirty years on his back guiding high-level teams in all of Europe.

The list says it all, starting from his latest experiences: Milano, the Italian national team, assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers, CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid, Treviso, Virtus Bologna. Without the opportunity he received to become assistant coach of Udine back in 1982 when he was only 23, though, nothing would have turned into reality.

Opportunity, therefore, means a lot to the legendary Italian head coach, also relating to his players all throughout the seasons. “It’s important that the players become aware of what opportunity means. If you come to a team full of tons of very good players and you don’t mentally accept the idea of earning yourself some space, well. My duty is to try to give opportunities equally”, he first commented on this topic in an exclusive interview with Eurohoops, during Olimpia Milano’s EuroLeague Media Day.

“The opportunity to play depends on how you play, on how you practice. If a young player practices, practices, and practices, you have to give him the opportunity to step on the court. Some players give us more margin of error, and some others less. There’s an irrational part in it, related to the trust you put in somebody: I can trust some players more than others, based on impression”, he added before touching on the previous experiences that can define a player’s tale. “Past is another part of the story. [Nicolò] Melli proved thousands of times to be able to make crucial plays even in difficult moments, so it’s obvious I expect him to deliver”, he said.

Explaining what he means by giving opportunities to the players he trusts the most, Ettore Messina put out a direct example from the past. “During Game 5 of the 1998 LBA Finals against Fortitudo, when I was coaching Virtus Bologna, [Sasha] Danilovic was playing very badly and I was taking insults because I kept on keeping him on the court”, he said. “For what he had been proving thousands of times in the past, I was sure he would have brought us to victory. I took that risk. He was great – and lucky – in taking that shot, but everybody forgets he was decisive all-around in extra time. You always give opportunities to the best players, to the ones you trust the most”, the 63-year-old coach added on that.

What does the future reserve for the EuroLeague?

Also considering the pre-2000 era, this will be the 22nd EuroLeague season for Ettore Messina, who’s ready to begin another year with yet another change in the competition format. Starting from the 2023-24 season, in fact, we will see the introduction of a Play-In Tournament.

The 7th and 8th classified teams at the end of the 34-game Regular Season will face each other, just like the 9th and 10th seeded teams. The winner of the first encounter will advance to the playoffs, while the loser will go up against who wins the second encounter, completing the postseason picture.

Olimpia Milano’s head coach seems to appreciate this idea, considering his previous opinion on the EuroLeague Playoffs. “I’ve always said eight playoff spots for 18 teams are too few. I compared it with the NBA where they are 16 out of 30, and now with the play-in, there are even more teams involved in the playoff race”, he first said.

“I wanted more teams in that first to give more opportunities to head coaches and players to compete for the biggest goal and then to give recognition to clubs and owners who invest a lot of money. To make the EuroLeague you need a very high budget, and the teams who remain out of the playoffs or even the 18th-seeded team still spend a lot”, he went on to say about the economic effort EuroLeague teams must make to be competitive.

At the end of the day, then, making those four teams from the 8th to the 10th spot brings even more equality, according to Olimpia Milano’s head coach. “Give a little bit more recognition to whoever makes these kinds of investments, giving the opportunity to qualify for the playoffs, maybe recovering from a bad start, was the right thing to do”, Ettore Messina added before proposing an innovation in the format. “If it was for me, I’d make the playoffs for twelve teams: I’d take the first four straight up and do a preliminary round of the remaining eight teams. But everybody says with this schedule it’s impossible. One day it will be done, maybe”, he added.

Talking about the present and future of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, an important issue is related to the lack of generational change among players in the European competitions. Ettore Messina believes a large reason why must be linked to the NBA’s attraction for the youngest hoopers in the Old Continent.

“For years, in my eyes, we’ve lost the occasion to establish a deeper relationship with the NBA. I don’t know if the NBA is our competitor or ally, this isn’t the topic to discuss. But I’ve always thought we have to do everything to make young players remain in Europe if we’re not talking about players like [Luka] Doncic or [Nikola] Jokic, for example”, he said about players who moved straight to the NBA without passing through the EuroLeague.

Among the hundreds of players he has coached all throughout his career, there was one Argentinian who established himself as one of the best foreigners ever in the NBA only after making his presence felt in Europe, where he won – as well as other Italian trophies – the 2001 EuroLeague as Final Four MVP.

“Manu Ginobili moved there at 25 after establishing himself as an élite player in the EuroLeague, following the examples of others in the past”, Ettore Messina said. “There should be the opportunity to keep players who have been drafted, with the reciprocal intention of helping them develop in a league that can give a lot to the players. Over the years, instead, this growing goal for the NBA became the G-League or even Australia’s NBL”, he touched on the developing markets that are working mainly with International young players.

This, according to Ettore Messina, is something to be discussed to prevent future lack of new generations. “Talking about his topic first inside of the competition and then with the NBA it’s a must-do thing now because otherwise, we will keep seeing young players immediately moving there when drafted, attracted by the economic opportunity. If you’re an interesting and skilled young player and you are given the opportunity to sign a two-way contract, which is already an important one during one player’s career, you take it. It’s a development problem. Otherwise, it’s likely we will be a high-level league composed only of already established players”, Olimpia Milano’s head coach also commented.

The national team’s success and not moving anywhere

Prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, the 2023 FIBA World Cup caught the attention of many. Touching on how much the growth of a domestic league influences the success of the respective national team, using the example of the latest World Champions Germany, Ettore Messina doesn’t necessarily think they are strictly connected to each other.

“The majority of players who belong to the German national team grew up abroad. The Wagner brothers, [Dennis] Schroder… they left the country early. There are players like Maodo Lo and [Johannes] Voigtmann who grew up at home, but if you think of how many still play in the NBA, there are a lot. The growth of a domestic league is surely something that can help a national team become better, but not the only aspect to take into consideration”, the former Italian national team’s head coach commented.

“With that being said, you need twenty players, not thirty or thirty-five. We’ve had years with a strong national team, but behind them, we didn’t have players ready yet. In my eyes, the level at which they play those twenty is way more important, because if you have a national team where the first 10-12 players play at a high level and those who follow don’t play in their clubs, you have a problem. If all those twenty play in the EuroLeague or in the NBA, you have a super strong national team”, he went on adding.

Finally, after such a long and eventful career, Ettore Messina knows well this will be the last chapter as head coach. “Are you asking me if I’m tired?”, he first joked by smiling when asked how he is feeling entering the umpteenth year of a long path. “This is my last team, for a whole bunch of reasons”, he admitted.

However, there surely will be enough reasons for him to not be bored during his 5th season with Olimpia Milano in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. “When you work for Giorgio Armani, in Milano, you already have enough motivation, I assure you. You wake up in the morning like the famous gazelle: you wake up and run, because you need to make something good out of it”, the 63-year-old Italian legend stated.

 

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Make room in the record books, specifically for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague team with the most season tickets sold ahead of the new season.

Partizan Mozzart Bet proudly announced selling 16,124 season tickets and noted the new record in Europe’s premier club continental competition on Thursday.

Meeting with the board of directors, team president Ostoja Mijailovic disclosed the new record. “I don’t know if any European team will ever reach this record,” he said, “Thanks to the fans, they exceeded our expectations.”

Celebrating the return of the Belgrade outfit to EuroLeague in 2022, the club loyals purchasing 11,500 season tickets covered almost two-thirds of the 18,500-seat capacity of Stark Arena. The record-breaking turnout will sit a staggering 87% in every home game of the new season.

The team coached by Zeljko Obradovic will visit Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 1 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Regular Season on October 5. The home opener follows in Round 3 with FC Barcelona making the trip to the capital of Serbia to deal with the electrifying support of the Partizan followers.

Building up the 2023-24 roster, Partizan picked up P.J. Dozier, Ognjen Jaramaz, Frank Kaminsky, and Mateusz Ponitka during the offseason. Already a solid list, especially considering the returning players, but one or two more players are expected to be added, as confirmed by Mijailovic to the board of directors.

Danilo Andjusic, Aleksa Avramovic, Balsa Koprivica, Zach LeDay, James Nunnally, Kevin Punter, Alen Smailagic, Uros Trifunovic, and Tristan Vukcevic are all running it back with Partizan.

Photo Credit: ABA-Liga.com

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A new chapter opens for Yoan Makoundou with a loan assignment to Buducnost VOLI.

AS Monaco officially loaned him to the team based in Podgorica for the 2023-24 season on Thursday.

“I had a superb year in Monaco with an exceptional group. Champion of France, winning the French Cup, and reaching the Final Four. These achievements don’t happen every year,” Makoundou described the 2022-23 campaign.

“I am proud to have been able to contribute, even though I would prefer to play a little more,” he added via the press release of La Roca Team, “I went on loan to get more playing time and develop.”

Makoundou, 23, played for Cholet before moving to Monaco in 2022. “We have a long-term contract with Yoan and have high expectations from him,” commented Monaco’s general manager Oleksiy Yefimov, “We wanted him to play one year with an important role in his team, develop, and gain experience.”

Establishing himself at the top level with Cholet, Makoundou was named Basketball Champions League Best Young Player of the 2020-21 season. Returning to European club continental competitions last season, he averaged 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game over eight appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Shifting to BKT EuroCup with Buducnost, he will team up with Allerik Freeman, Andrija Grbovic, Aleksa Ilic, Marko Jagodic-Kuridza, Marvin Jones, Fletcher Magee, Vladimir Mihailovic, Petar Popovic, Cameron Reynolds, Colbey Ross, Andrija Slavkovic, JaCorey Williams, and McKinley Wright IV under the guidance of Petar Mijovic.

Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net

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Milos Teodosic finally joining Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet adds more excitement to the 2023-24 season for both fans and the experienced combo guard himself.

Teodosic, 36, officially returned to Serbia in July, following 17 years abroad, including two campaigns in the NBA. However, becoming a player of Zvezda was years in the making.

“We talked on multiple occasions. This year we reached an agreement,” he said referring to team president Nebojsa Covic in an interview shared through the official YouTube portal of the Belgrade outfit, “We needed only two minutes to agree.”

“Perhaps, this was the first time in my career that I did not have a contract. So, there was no hurdle to overcome,” added Teodosic.

Plenty of offseason moves for the Red-Whites, but landing the dazzling guard was a special attraction, topping the rest by a fair distance. And it will become even more special in the home opener against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on October 5.

“It will certainly be emotional for me. I wanted this for a long time,” he commented on the first game in Stark Arena.

Nemanja Bjelica, Joel Bolomboy, Dejan Davidovac, Yago dos Santos, Rokas Giedraitis, Adam Hanga, Shabazz Napier, Marko Simonovic, and Mike Tobey shape the long list of summer signings for Zvezda to go with the contract extensions of Ognjen Kuzmic, Branko Lazic, Stefan Lazarevic, and Luka Mitrovic.

“The fans must be patient,” required Teodosic, “This is a new team.”

The NBA experiment

From Olympiacos and CSKA to Virtus Segafredo Bologna, the long stints in Greece, Russia, and Italy were separated by the NBA and the Los Angeles Clippers.

“I went to the NBA to see how I fit alongside the best players in the world,” noted Teodosic, “Maybe, I should have made the jump earlier in my career. My run would probably be different. But I don’t regret my decisions.”

Playing for the Clippers, he tallied 8.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per contest over 60 appearances in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

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At the top of his fourth campaign with Real Madrid, Vincent Poirier is keen on stability, beyond his career but also to Real Madrid as a team.

Poirier, 29, talked to Eurohoops about the 2023-24 roster, focusing on the reunion with Facundo Campazzo.

Boosting the new season by winning the 2023 Supercopa Endesa in Murcia, the French center expressed hope and set the goal of adding more titles until the end of the season.

His interview with Eurohoops also includes an update on his status regarding the French senior national team, after missing the cut for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

“It’s great to start with a trophy”

Eurohoops: We are only a few weeks into the season, but you guys already won a title. Is it the best way to start a very challenging season?

Vincent Poirier: It’s always great to start with a trophy. It sets the competitiveness for the rest of the season. And it’s a positive way to start.

EH: We have seen a lot of players leaving the NBA to come to Europe this summer. Why do you think this is happening?

VP: A lot of people in the NBA are thinking about the Euroleague, so it’s getting more and more attractive for players, to play and to be competitive. You can maybe find stability or they want to try something else. They see that Euroleague is great and they can be happy here.

“I’m not scared of anything”

EH: It wasn’t this summer, but one of the players who recently came back from the NBA was Facundo Campazzo. You only played with him for some weeks before he left, but now he has come back. Seeing how things went in Murcia, it kind of felt that time hadn’t passed and everything was like before he left: one of the main players of Real Madrid.

VP: For sure. He is a great player, he always has been. He showed that in the NBA and now he is in Real Madrid. He knows everything since he has been here for years. And he showed that last season too with Crvena Zvezda. Everybody knows him, the way he plays, the talent he has. It’s a good help for us to have him on the team and to be more and more competitive this season.

EH: The Argentinian point guard is the only signing that Real Madrid made this season. Big clubs like yours play a lot of games and seasons can get exhausting and very long. Many players left Real Madrid this summer, are you afraid that this season will be even tougher? 

VP: No, because last year we saw that even with three or four players down we were still a really good team, a winning team. We won the Euroleague without two or three players. It’s good, for stability, to keep the same players. We lost four players but we got Campazzo, I think it’s good for the stability of the team. Everything can happen in a season but right now. I’m not scared of anything. We will see who the best team in Europe is.

EH: You are talking about stability and I really wanted to talk about this. One of the things that Real Madrid has been able to do throughout the years is keep the core of great players that have that winning mentality. How important would you say this is in today’s basketball?

VP: We know that the old guys, the two Sergios and Rudy, have been wearing the jersey of Real Madrid for a long time. They know what it means to win. They bring the competitiveness and the winning mentality. That is the most important in a team. They are the base of the team. We all look for them. And it is positive to have a great team every year, keeping the key players.

“I don’t consider myself less of a champion”

EH: We were talking about how tough last season was and you know this very well since you had some injuries that prevented you from playing the last games of the Euroleague. How it was to see your teammates go through those battles without being able to help them?

VP: Nobody will remember in ten years if I played or not. They will only remember that our team won the Euroleague. It’s not just one game, it’s a whole season. If you are injured at the beginning of the season or the end, you are still a champion. Last year, I tried to push my body a little too much and it didn’t work. But I was behind them every game with them, I was always there for them. I don’t consider myself less of a champion because I didn’t play in the Final Four.

EH: The fact that you weren’t able to play that much in the final weeks of the season probably played a role in you being left out of France’s roster for the FIBA World Cup. Things obviously didn’t go well for your country but France will be hosting next year’s Olympic Games. Do you take this season with a little bit of extra motivation to make it to the national team?

VP: First of all, I don’t think my injury had anything to do with whether I was in the team or not. The coach chose to go with another guy who played great last year, that’s it. The Olympic Games? It would be good to be in Paris, but right now I’m not thinking about that. I’m only thinking about the season with Real Madrid, getting as many trophies as we can get, it’s my last year of contract. The Olympic Games can wait, we will see what happens.

acb Photo / P. Castillo

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From a child, he loved to copy many of his father’s movements and behaviors. They were, after all, alike in many ways. A stout chest, long arms, and a look that even if it didn’t qualify as frightening, was at least impossible to pass up.

One thing was different about them. Sigis Brazdeikis, father of new Olympiacos player, Ignas Brazdeikis, remains usually expressionless. His 24-year-old son rarely hides his smile. The former University of Michigan, Knicks, Sixers, and Magic player in the NBA as well as Zalgiris Kaunas, was perpetually smiling in his first appearance in the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

He may have said, before he sat down in front of the Eurohoops camera, that “I’ll pretend I know where to go and what to do!”, but the important thing for him and his new team is to know what to do on the court.

Brazdeikis spoke about the new challenge of his career and how his experience helps him stay unaffected by any big change in his life and career.

Just like he used to change his life and places as a kid, five days ago, although he arrived in Cyprus for the “Neophitos Chandriotis” tournament with Zalgiris, the plane brought him to Faliro, from the green to the red and white. Although he confided a nickname that has a direct color association with his new team, but avoids being associated with it…

Ignas Brazdeikis explained how the deal with the Greek champions happened, pointed out the role of family in his character and “warned” that “I can defend players in many positions”. He has already “ticked” the desired “boxes” that coach Giorgos Bartzokas is looking for in his players’ resumes…

Giorgos Bartzokas on adjusting to new season: “Basketball is a team sport”

 

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Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Ignas Brazdeikis (@_iggy_braz)

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Crvena Zvezda formed a formidable squad during the summer and is ready to start the new season. One of the key pieces of the new Dusko Ivanovic’s squad will definitely be the former NBA and Olimpia Milano player Shabazz Napier.

During the Belgrade team’s EuroLeague media day, he expressed his excitement for the new challenge and revealed that he consulted former Crvena Zvezda player and his former teammate in Italy Billy Baron when the offer from Serbia came to his address.

“I’m excited about our team. I think we can do special things. It was the best decision to come here at this moment. I talked to Billy, and he told me a lot about it. Obviously, he wanted me to go back to Milan. I’m not saying he pushed me to come here, but we found out that wasn’t going to happen. He told me a lot about the culture, the organization,” Napier said to Mozzart Sport.

Last season, he worked with a legendary Italian coach, Ettore Messina, in Milan, and in Belgrade, he’ll have a chance to work with yet another proven and decorated European coach, Dusko Ivanovic.

“I don’t want to say I learned much from him. Coach Messina was a great coach, obviously, going into it. Defensively, he’s one of the best coaches that I’ve ever played with. I think his ability to find ways to help his team win games on defense is amazing. Obviously, he has a rich history of winning. But I haven’t done much with Dusko yet. I’ve only been here for two and a half weeks. I’m excited to see what it’s like to be coached by him. Obviously, coming from Messina, it’s not to say one is better than the other. But you can kind of compare what you do with one person to the next. So, I’m excited to see that”.

Napier is embracing the role of the leader in his new squad and is excited about the opportunity to play alongside one of the EuroLeague greats, Milos Teodosic.

“At the end of the day, I pride myself on trying to be one of the best players on the court, no matter what. So, for me, if a leader is involved, that’s something I’ve always been able to do throughout my entire career. We have a lot of great leaders here. Milos is one of our best guys right now. A lot of guys look to him as a leader. I’m excited to play alongside him. I think we can do some special things”.

𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴 in Serbia

Who’s excited to see @MilosTeodosic4 for @kkcrvenazvezda this season? pic.twitter.com/rqd4GnqtF1

— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) September 26, 2023

Crvena Zvezda hired another point guard during the summer in Yago dos Santos, who had a great season in Ratiopharm Ulm, winning the German BBL, and also led the Brazilian national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, he’s about to play his first EuroLeague season, and Napier and Teodosic could be ideal mentors for the 24-year-old Brazilian.

“He’s definitely going to learn from watching us play, but he’s going to learn from also playing. His ability to do different things that we can’t do, being able to be 94 feet, being able to get up on the guards. I think for me when I was a young man, I wanted to experience how it was to play, so I think for me my best learning experience was playing. I mean, obviously, you can see guys that are playing, but it’s better to play, so for him, I think he’s gonna find ways to get on the court because he can do a lot of things that we can’t do”.

Former No. 24 pick from the 2014 NBA draft and a Uconn Huskies standout is excited about the prospect of playing the Belgrade derby against Partizan, who yet again has high ambitions, led by Zeljko Obradovic.

“They got a great group of guys. Obviously, most of them were there last year, and they lost the big fella, but they put together a great team, and it’s exciting. Anybody who steps on the court, who’s competitive, you want to play against a lot of great players, so I’m excited to play against them, you know, those guys, I’m excited to play against one of the best coaches, as I’ve heard, as well“.

Crvena Zvezda’s president, Nebojsa Covic, recently said that the goal of the club is to make it to the EuroLeague Final Four, which fits well with Napier’s ambitions.

“Just wanna win, man. We want to win. I think everybody here wants to win. I don’t think there’s one person that doesn’t want to win. If you can win as many games as you possibly can, you put yourself in a good position to win everything”, Shabazz Napier concluded.

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After spending his rookie season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Fenerbahce, averaging 8.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, Carsen Edwards moved to Bayern Munich for his second year in the European competition.

Averaging 19.4 points over eight preseason games with the Bavarian team, the 25-year-old is feeling good in his newest team’s backcourt. “I try to be the best version of myself every time. It’s still early days and I’m just taking advantage of the opportunities I get in preparation. The point is to improve and build confidence”, he said in an interview with Eurohoops.

After completing the preseason with the German side, including a road trip to OAKA for the “Pavlos Giannakopoulos” Tournament with Panathinaikos, Anadolu Efes, and Partizan Belgrade, the former NBA player commented on his adjustments to Europe. “I’m adjusting to basketball in Europe, and I need more time. I’m constantly trying to learn things and find ways to be effective at the EuroLeague level”, he explained.

For this reason, nothing will be rushed during the first year of this new chapter for Bayern Munich. “I don’t want to think too far ahead, I prefer to move forward step by step. We are a new team and we still have a lot of work to do. We will try to get as many wins as possible, add them up at the end, and see what the result is”, Carsen Edwards commented on the German team’s path.

One of the motivations why he decided to move to Germany relies on the fact that Pablo Laso has been appointed as the newest head coach of the German powerhouse. “I enjoy playing under coach [Pablo] Laso, for coach [Pablo] Laso. He helps me improve by correcting my mistakes and explaining to me what I did wrong so that I don’t repeat it. I want to do well to justify why he and the team chose me”, he said praising the legendary Spanish head coach.

When you ask who is the most stylish person in @FCBBasketball locker room, it seems that @Cboogie_3 has the answer ready made pic.twitter.com/YkN1vk0WEU

— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) September 26, 2023

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The Ergin Ataman era with Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague will start in nine days, but the Turkish head coach already knows how to make expectations regarding his new experience with the green-and-white Greek powerhouse.

Talking to Eurohoops during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Media Day in OAKA, in fact, the former Anadolu Efes coach admitted he wants to take his new club up to another level.

The past with Efes and the ambition with Pana

Coaching for almost 30 years, the 57-year-old experienced leader still knows how to find motivation to go on sitting on EuroLeague benches. “I like it, I enjoy it. It’s a way of life for me to train on the court, so I keep going. And now I continue in a great team, with a great history, which gives me more energy”, he first said on his motivation to keep coaching.

Considering the basketball history he wrote in Turkey, winning back-to-back EuroLeague titles with Efes, Ergin Ataman kept it clear when asked if he could top that in Greece. “Better in terms of glory than Panathinaikos? Definitely no”, he answered. “The team has already won six Euroleague titles with great coaches and players coming through here. After too many years of absence from the Final Four and last year’s 17th place in the Euroleague, it will be a big challenge for me and everyone on the team to bring Panathinaikos back to the highest level, just as this team, this stadium, these fans in OAKA deserves”, he then explained.

Talking about the new Panathinaikos, Ergin Ataman said that his contract length will be sufficient to succeed. “For us coaches, two years is enough”, he first said laughing. “We may need to present work in two months or immediately. No one will be sitting around waiting to see what you’ll do in year two, starting with me. We built this team for immediate results. Yes, there are a lot of new players, but we have completed the basic preparation stage, we have played games in the preseason and we still have a few days before the start of the year in the EuroLeague. I hope that we will be 100% ready to fight for our big goals”, he said.

The biggest goal, however, remains traveling to Berlin in May 2024, saying that a successful season is defined by “qualifying for the Final Four”. Ergin Ataman explained it: “Obviously for the team that finished 17th last year in the Euroleague, qualifying for the playoffs will be a good result. Not for me. For me, the goal, the main goal, is to qualify for the Final Four. But we have to go step by step. You must first finish in the top six to qualify directly for the playoffs, otherwise, you will need to play in the play-in tournament. If you go through there and make it to the Final Four, everything is open after that. Single semifinal, single final. Everyone’s big expectation, starting with me, is to make it to the Final Four”.

Kostas Sloukas’ leadership and warning to Olympiacos

Among the 11 new players brought in by Panathinaikos for the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, there’s also Kostas Sloukas, of course. “Definitely yes”, he said when asked if the 33-year-old point guard would be the leader of the Greens. “He will be our captain, he is our player with the most experience in the Euroleague and one of the best point guards in recent years. He has played in so many Final Fours, while last year he lost the title in the last second. He will be the leader of this group”, he added about Sloukas.

Touching on Olympiacos’ decision to part ways with him, Ergin Ataman commented that Kostas Sloukas’ move to the red-and-white team’s fiercest rivals is not a rare thing to see. “I have a lot of respect for Olympiacos, but that’s the way sports are, things happen. It also happened in the past with [Vassilis] Spanoulis from Panathinaikos to Olympiacos. It has also happened to many players in football. It may be an emotionally intense situation for the fans, but these things happen in professional sports”, the Turkish head coach explained.

Heading to the first game of the EuroLeague season which will be the Greek Derby, Ergin Ataman went on talking about Olympiacos’ head coach Georgios Bartzokas. “He’s a very good coach, I respect him a lot, he is a good friend of mine. I think he will always remember how he lost to Efes in the semifinal in 2022 with bad luck, with Micic’s last shot, and how he lost in a similar way to Real Madrid in the final in 2023. If it was me, I’d be nervous if I had such an opponent coach. That’s why I said it”, he explained when referring to his “Bartzokas should be worried” sentence.

“Also, they know how they dominated the last two years in Greece. But, from the first day I signed for Panathinaikos, no one knew that we were preparing such a team, but they did at Olympiacos. They know me very well and they know that Ergin Ataman did not come to Panathinaikos just to get the position, just to work at Panathinaikos. He came to win. This is causing stress for the team that has dominated the past two years. I want to say that Olympiacos has done a great job, especially with Bartzokas in the last two years. They have my utmost respect for their results. They were unlucky in the way they lost in the final, they deserved to win. I’m sorry, but I don’t know what they will do against Panathinaikos this year”, he finally stated on their rivals.

 Interview: John Rammas
 Camera & editing: Stathis Pavlidis

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Leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2022 to join Dimitris Itoudis’ Fenerbahce, Scottie Wilbekin is now ready to begin his second straight season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with the yellow-and-blue powerhouse.

After averaging 11.1 points and 2.6 assists per game with the Turkish team in last year’s EuroLeague, he was supposed to join Turkey’s training camp for the upcoming 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in the summer. However, things got complicated during the summer, and both Scottie Wilbekin and Shane Larkin’s situations with the Turkish national team are now problematic.

During Fenerbahce’s EuroLeague Media Day, the 30-year-old experienced guard, who moved overseas back in 2015 to join AEK, before moving on to Darussafaka, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and finally Fener, spoke about the controversial situation with the national team, among other topics.

What happened with Turkey?

Asked to give his perspective on what happened with the Turkish national team, Scottie Wilbekin opened the conversation. “I just found out right before this interview that they’re making a decision on my appeal process very soon. I don’t want to talk too much about it but I will say that the situation we are in is unfortunate”, he first said. “I think some of the actions that were taken are a little bit unnecessary because I feel like there were valid reasons for everything that transpired”, he added.

Among the accusations Turkey stated throughout the summer, it was also said both he and Shane Larkin didn’t answer the phone when called up for the national team. “If there is anything that I want to clarify, it is that I did answer the phone. There was no time that they were not able to reach me. I even offered to reach out to specific people within the federation, even reaching out on my own to specific people. I won’t say any names but I have the text messages to prove it. I was the one that ignored it”, he explained.

“Hopefully, everything will be resolved soon and the right decision will be made, so we can put all of this behind us”, Scottie Wilbekin also said before touching on Shane Larkin, who’s also involved in this controversy. “I don’t want to talk too much about it but hearing Shane’s comments… I didn’t talk to him personally but hearing his comments, it seems like the same thing happened to him. He experienced one reality and saw a different one presented to the media and everyone on social media. I don’t want to talk too much about it”, he added.

Averaging 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the current Fenerbahce guard proved to care about Turkey more than once. “I’m sure that if things don’t go the way that I think they should, then more stuff will probably come out. But if not, there is no reason for me to talk about it. I have a love for the national team. I gave my blood, my sweat, my tears to fight for wins for Turkey in the national team. I hope to continue to do that. I was not hard to reach in the summer. They know that because they were the ones in contact with me”, Scottie Wilbekin also said.

“Public perception is an important thing in today’s culture. They wanted to get ahead of it or something, I’m not sure. I don’t hold it against them. I know that they have their own jobs and they are under pressure to do what they need to do. Hopefully, in the future, this doesn’t show itself as an attack on my character. This is really the only thing that I had a big issue with, saying I did something that I didn’t do in public”, he finally stated.

Us waiting for the season to start pic.twitter.com/vWx0eYUqjz

— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) September 26, 2023

Another EuroLeague season with Fenerbahce

Moving on from the Turkish national team’s agenda, the 30-year-old guard talked about the injury problems that forced him to miss some games in last year’s EuroLeague. “I’m feeling good. I’m getting closer to be hundred percent. My main focus is staying healthy. Last year was rough, not being available for my teammates was not easy. This year, the work that I’ve been putting in the summer will pay off”, he said about preparing for this year’s competitions.

Next to a well-built core of players who stayed together from 2022-23, Fenerbahce added some more weapons to its roster this summer. Asked what they would bring to the table, Scottie Wilbekin kept it clear. “Hopefully more wins. I hope that these changes will lead to more wins”, he first said laughing. “I think we will play differently in times because we have different types of players on the team this year. It is going to be interesting that how the coach will work the rotations. Also, we obviously have a deep roster”, he added.

“There are a lot of guys that can play. Hopefully, we can get everybody to click, play well together, and bring out each other’s best”, he then added about his year’s squad, which includes also Sertac Sanli, with whom he played in the national team. “He can spread the floor, he is a great shooter. He’s smart, he knows how to play the game. It is easy to play with somebody who can shoot and has a high IQ”, Scottie Wilbekin said about the former Anadolu Efes and Barcelona center.

Another addition brought to the new Fenerbahce has been Yam Madar, with whom he will share the backcourt. “We can expect Yam to terrorize whoever he is guarding”, he joked. “Beyond that, we will see. I know from personal experience that Yam really gets into the opponent’s space and makes it uncomfortable for them. You can definitely expect that”, Scottie Wilbekin commented on the Israeli guard.

Among newcomers, the head coach will still be Dimitris Itoudis, who joined the Turkish team a little earlier this summer compared to last year’s after EuroBasket 2022 with the Greek national team. “It has been easier with more time with him. He is getting us where he wants us to be, fine-tuning plays here and there, and also on defense”, the 30-year-old Gainesville native commented on Itoudis.

“It is hard to compare because we have a different team this year and the guys who are coming back. We have new guys, so we are playing a little bit differently at some times. I think having him for an extra week or two will help us in the long run”, he finally said about the differences in the EuroLeague preseason between last year and this one, with the Greek head coach on board for a longer time.

 

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Un post condiviso da Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Türkiye (@euroleaguetur)

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One of the biggest hits of this summer’s transfer market in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague saw the four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker moving to Monaco to help the red-and-white side grow even more.

After reaching the EuroLeague Final Four in the Monegasque club’s second-ever season in the most important European competition, Sasa Obradovic’s team decided to add another piece to the puzzle, bringing the 33-year-old point guard overseas.

The American playmaker, who’s yet to debut with his new team in the LNB, where AS Monaco is currently on top of the standings with a 3-0 record, talked to Eurohoops about this new adventure. “I don’t really have any expectations, to be honest, I’m just here to play basketball. I’ve been on new teams plenty of times, I don’t look at it any differently. The guys are hoopers, really good hoopers. Really good people, easy to get along with”, he first said about the environment he found so far.

Playing against hot crowds like in Belgrade – both with Partizan and Crvena Zvezda -, Athens – same with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos -, or Tel Aviv, the former Charlotte Hornets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks player will experience something way different in terms of audiences.

“It’s something I’m really looking forward to experiencing”, he said about playing in places like the Stark Arena, or the most buzzing European arenas. “I’ve heard great things about the different environments, and how wild some of the different places are. That’s what I love about the game, one of the biggest differences between European basketball and the NBA”, Kemba Walker added.

No matter what Kemba Walker remains the biggest signing in Europe.

And he has arrived pic.twitter.com/izoPrnVaMl

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 16, 2023

Former EuroLeague players influenced Kemba Walker

In his first interview coming to Europe, the American point guard explained one of his friends and former teammates with the UConn Huskies Shabazz Napier, who moved to the EuroLeague first with Milano and now with Crvena Zvezda, had high words for the competition when discussing about it.

However, he wasn’t the only one who influenced Kemba Walker in his decision to sign for AS Monaco. “Two of my friends, Edgar Sosa and James Feldeine, two guys who played in the EuroLeague once upon a time. They had nothing but great things to say about it”, he explained by referring respectively to the former Dinamo Sassari and former Panathinaikos and Crvena Zvezda players.

“They were other influences for me to really accept it. I know how good of a league it is, everything doesn’t have to be the NBA. EuroLeague is one of the best basketball leagues in the world, I’m happy to be here”, he went on to add regarding his decision to cross the Atlantic Ocean. “I’ve been having a great time thus far. It’s definitely different, but it’s a beautiful place to be and I’m happy to be able to experience it. This is something really cool. I had my experiences in the NBA, so for me to experience that and be able to experience this, I appreciate it”, he then said about his first weeks in Monaco.

Before the countdown to the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season could start, the 2023 FIBA World Cup saw Team USA finishing out of the podium for the second straight time, ending the International competition without a medal on their neck.

Kemba Walker, who represented his country back in 2019 by averaging 14.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, talked about what’s like playing that kind of tournament. “It’s fun, it’s a great experience. You play against other guys around the world, and it’s very different. It’s a different style of basketball, physicality. You have to adjust. In any sport, it’s all about who’s better that night. In the game of basketball, anybody can come prepared on any given night”, the four-time NBA All-Star finally added.

𝑲𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒂 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 pic.twitter.com/3v3lOvfa5J

— SKWEEK (@skweektv) September 21, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: AS Monaco Basket

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Kostas Sloukas made a move this summer that pretty much shocked the European basketball community. And it happened in the blink of an eye.

The new member of Panathinaikos confided in Eurohoops the reasons for the decision to leave Olympiakos for the “Greens”, he said that “everything happened quickly”, but he refused to mention those who guided him in the first part of his own “decision”.

The only thing he pointed out is that “Olympiakos fans have their reasons for speaking badly about me. They don’t know what has happened behind the scenes… What is written is not the whole truth.”

Kostas Sloukas admitted that he was “won over” by the “highest motivation that Panathinaikos had” and for Olympiacos, he added: “There is no discussion anywhere about participation time and role. The idea that I would ask to play two minutes more or two minutes less, I consider it at least funny…”.

“I am confident in every decision I make”

– Big decisions always involve challenge, intrigue, and a lot of discussion. How does Kostas Sloukas make the big decisions of his life and career?

“After much thought and discussion with my people, I am always 100% conscious, of whatever decision I make. And I’m confident in every decision I make.”

– Many players, especially in the NBA, say they can’t wait to feel the atmosphere of free agency. You, as one of the “hot” names in the market, how did you live it?

“It’s nice when teams approach you and show their interest because that means you’re doing something well. And especially when the biggest clubs in Europe approach you. It’s an honor and that gives me more motivation and push to continue.”

– Before the decision on Panathinaikos, were there substantial discussions with these foreign teams?

“There were many teams that showed interest, but because I didn’t want to have any discussions before talking to Olympiacos, no talks progressed.”

“Not the whole truth has been written – Panathinaikos’ motivation is higher”

– Every movement between the two major Greek basketball teams includes headlines, a lot of talk, and exaggerations. What was the process of this transition based on your mind, heart, or just logic?

“The truth is that I have said many times – and it has helped me, especially at the age of 33 – that, in this respectable career that I have had, I am not influenced and I do not generally listen to what everyone says. Everyone has their opinion and, for example, Olympiakos fans have their reasons for speaking badly about me. They don’t know what has happened behind the scenes… What is written is not the whole truth, but I only care about the opinion of my people, my family, and my friends, who are the ones I have been walking with for the last few years. I am proud to have them with me and they support me in whatever decision I make.”

– What was it or what made you accept Panathinaikos’ offer?

“Everything happened very quickly. The situation with Olympiakos also played an important role, in what people don’t know and those who should and who were present, know it. My decision is not to speak about this and I will not. The approach of Panathinaikos was very good. One of the main reasons is coach Ataman, whom I particularly appreciate. In my career, the word that characterizes me is motivation. When I saw that both Panathinaikos and I have a higher motivation to achieve something very nice, they were the main reasons for us to come together.”

– There’s a toxicity that obviously and admittedly exists. How do you athletes experience it?

“People are doing their job and we are here to do ours. The Olympiakos fans will boo me and my teammates and that’s normal. Of course, there are also extreme situations in which I am completely indifferent to what they write or say. I look at my own close family environment, which does not consist of many people, and I am interested in the opinion of my coach, my teammates, and the management. I take these seriously and they trouble me.”

– You have played against Panathinaikos, now Olympiacos will be the opponent. How do you expect that night to be, this time in “Green”?

“It won’t be easy. I have done it before with Fenerbahce and I was booed. And when I left Olympiakos, again the situations were not written exactly as they happened, just like now… This time there will be more boos. The fans do their job and Olympiakos fans love their team selflessly and give their soul for their team. We, me and my teammates, have to do our job because we are professionals and we have a common goal, to get as high as we can.”

– You have a premiere with Olympiakos in the Euroleague and a possible final in the Greek Super Cup, in a few days. Do you think it’s too early for such a special match, for all of you?

“I can’t say it’s early… There’s maybe the excuse that we’re twelve new players and a new coach, but it’s an excuse I wouldn’t like to mention. The Super Cup is the first title of the year, the motivation is very high and the atmosphere and environment of Panathinaikos, outside the lines, is such that he can’t wait to see the team compete. Expectations have been created. May we live up to expectations.”

– They say that the language of basketball is one and universal. In the vocabulary of Panathinaikos is there the well-known “patience” or “we need time” mantra, for a team with almost a dozen new players?

“In the sports fan world, I think it exists. It seems that while there is a good mix of players, it’s early and we’re still talking about preparation and we’ve had bad spells. With Efes and Bayern we got a 15-point advantage and lost it straight away. It is also logical, because of the preparation and because of the many new players. For us, the coaches and the players, however, there is no excuse because the EuroLeague is relentless, every result counts, and in the end you cash in. Therefore, every game is “life or death”.

The “relaxed Ataman”

– You were many times rivals, now “allies”. What is Coach Ataman like?

“He’s a nice guy, off the court. He is relaxed, with his style, but within the lines of the court, he has his philosophy. I experienced him when he took over Efes at its worst and in three years he made it the European champion. He had good players, but that says something about his character and his philosophy. All this has made him special and one of the best coaches in Europe and indeed of all time!”.

– Are there differences or commonalities, both competitive and approach, with your previous coaches?

“Everyone has their philosophy. Coach Ataman follows his perception of coaching ability and routine. Every coach has his own beliefs and walks through them.”

– In the summer there was a lot of talk about your role – where you play – and the label of “leader”… Who will Kostas Sloukas be in his new team?

“There is no discussion anywhere about the time of participation and the role. We haven’t spoken with my coach about it. When you are good, you will compete, when you are not, you will not play. You cannot state how much you will play. The idea that I would ask to play two minutes more or two minutes less, I consider it at least funny…”.

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