Rare work ethic even at 33, retires to new players and "loves to start on the bench" • Othello Hunter is ready for tonight's meeting between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Valencia

• Hunter in action. Winner too when needed

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  IP

Last December, when Janis Sparopoulos sat with the Maccabi leaders to negotiate the extension of his contract, he didn't have many requirements. His brother and agent George closed the financial issues, and the coach himself only asked to leave as many players on the current roster for next season. There was the main goal, but apart from that, the first player the Greek required to leave was Othello Hunter.

A player who will be 34 at the beginning of next season is at the center of the continuity to which the Greek coach is aiming, and can be understood. Because the veteran chin provides record numbers in his long career in almost all categories. He recorded personal highs in rebounds and benchmarks this season and stands at 60 percent to 2. A quarter of the Yellows' loss this season was "his fault" - he didn't play against Jalgiris Kovno and Bayern Munich was on the field, but he didn't feel good.

But that's not just the numbers, but everything he brings to the field and the locker room. "Othello did a lot of things in his career, and yet every day comes to work," says Maccabi assistant coach Tim Fanning. "Every day he comes with the same mentality, no matter if he played well in the last game or not. Lucky to have such a player on the team. His work ethic, professionalism and energy to play the game correctly are not things you find every day. "

Janis's right hand
Hunter is one of the only ones on whom Sparopoulos hardly raises his voice. It is enough to see the disappointment on the player's face when he missed a rebound or erred on defense, to realize that there is no need to comment.

After the last game against Penerbakhce, he looked at the statistics pages and saw that the Turks won 25:30 in the rounds, taking no less than 12 rebounds in the attack. "We need to get better at rebounding," he said with dissatisfaction, as if he had not scored a few minutes before a super dramatic victory basket.

"He is a professional writer"
The extent to which Hunter is valued at Spropoulos and the group's management will testify about bringing in Jaylen Reynolds. First there was a consultation with Arun Jackson, who recommended and also convinced the player to come, and then Hunter, who played with him last season in Russia, was asked to groom the Zenith people. Only after Hunter gave a positive answer did the move come to fruition. Since his arrival, Jackson and Hunter have patronized him and taken care of his acclimatization.

When he told him a few weeks ago that he is the quiet leader of the team, he replied: "Me? Quiet? When I have something to say to the players I make sure the information is passed on to them."

Reynolds (right) with Speropoulos. Arrives at Hunter's recommendation // Photo: Alan Shiber

Hunter is a special chicken in the modern sports world. He doesn't have social network accounts (there's an Instagram account that bears his name, but he's a fake) and often tells his friends at TA Maccabi that "this is not a real world." If athletes usually invest in clothing and footwear, Hunter's fashion and hot trends are really uninteresting. He is always clean and tidy, but this is where the flights go, while his friends watch movies or take time to sleep, he writes a personal diary of the experiences he has undergone and gives himself insights on what to do next.

Seriousness and professionalism are also reflected in a huge investment in the physical face. Hunter is one of the first to come to the gym and after games runs to the ice bath. Especially remember the scene in which sports reporter Nir Kaplan was interviewed from the bath after the big victory over the ex-CSKA Moscow. Instead of putting ice on my knees, I just jump in here and relax. "

This is exactly why despite his advanced age and high minutes (23.2, second only to Wilbkin), he maintains a high level of performance throughout the season. "He's a professional," Fanning explains why the professional and medical staff aren't worried about him. "Hunter keeps his body, always from the first to come to the gym or to the treatments, he does extras, so we never have to worry about that."

Above all competition
Who remembers that in the summer Hunter in general reached a standard replacement for Tariq Black, but since he was injured, Hunter caught the reins and significantly upgraded his numbers and status. The team testifies that, unlike other cases, the chin does not really feel in competition with the other players on the stand. As mentioned, Reynolds is concerned and Amara Stodmeyer is responsible for teaching the new exercises and passing with him on the demands and expectations of the professional team from the face players.

"I like to start on the bench," Hunter was surprised when asked about his status change. "I prefer to look first at how the game develops, understand what I need to do and then come up. But in a team-created situation, somebody has to give more of himself, and if the coach wants that to happen, Giving as much as I can. " Tonight his coach needs him to lead to a tough match in Valencia.