The Greek Olympiakos, who will take the floor tonight at the Menorah Hall and meet Maccabi Tel Aviv, is considered one of the top candidates to win the tournament this year due to its high-quality and deep roster of players.
Among all the bright names in the team from Piraeus there is also one that is well known and remembered by yellow fans - Tarik Black.
The American center who spent two years with Yad Eliyahu and was one of the best centers in Europe and in the Israeli league, signed with Olympiakos this summer in the hope of returning to the center stage of European basketball after two difficult years since he left Tel Aviv.
Just before he goes on the floor again in the hands of Eliyahu in front of the ex, Black was free to give an exclusive interview to Israel Hayom.
Black.
Remember well in the hall, photo: Oded Karni
Tarik, how does it feel to return to the temple after two years?
"It's an amazing feeling. My family and I came to Israel last summer for vacation, but this is the first time I'm returning to the hall as a player against Maccabi, and it's very exciting for me to see the people and the crowd again."
When you look back today on your time at Maccabi how do you sum it up?
"I sum it up as a blessing. I love the club, the fans, Tel Aviv and all of Israel. My family and I still consider this place our distant home, and that's why we're coming back."
In your second season you were looking very good in the Euroleague until the corona stopped everything. How far do you think the team could go?
"We all still talk and are in good contact to this day, and we are united in saying and feeling that if the corona virus had not stopped us, we would have reached the Final Four without a doubt."
Black.
"We are still in touch", photo: Oded Karni
In that season you were injured. Tell us a little about the rehabilitation process from the injury and how it affected you.
"
I actually had a difficult injury to my right knee. It happened in the game in Milan but I played despite it in the next game against Madrid. After that I tried to continue playing but it got worse, so I had to go back to my doctors in Los Angeles to undergo rehabilitation. It definitely affected my ability , because I played for at least a month with the injury until I couldn't bear it and I had to focus completely on rehabilitation. I felt like I was disappointing the guys and they told me I wasn't. Only then did I focus on the long-term goal, which is to be healthy
. "
Do you think this injury stopped your career a little
?
"I don't believe it. I think the corona epidemic and my wife's pregnancy had more of an impact on the next year of my career. That's why I didn't return to finish that season. My wife was heavily pregnant when the league was restarted after the corona, and I couldn't risk the safety and health of my family at that stage That was the only reason I didn't continue at Maccabi."
You have come a long way in basketball and played at the top of the industry in the
NBA
and Euroleague, but in recent years we hear less about you.
What happened on the way and is it because of the injury?
"Not at all. The following year I played for Zenit. I wasn't productive because of the time I took to focus on my daughter's birth and my wife's recovery, as well as my own. I decided to stay at home to make sure everyone was healthy, and only then did I turn to Zenit."
Black.
"I was concentrating on my wife's birth", photo: Twitter
Olympiakos is considered a candidate to win the Euroleague this year, how do you see your chances
?
"I think we have an excellent team with depth. Many factors affect the identity of the champion off the field, reasons such as the health of the players and injuries for example, but I think we have a good chance if we show up in the best shape we can be in."
There were reports in the summer that linked you back to the biggest teams in Israel. Is this true and if so, how close was this move for you?
"Not that I was aware of that. I didn't talk to any group in Israel this summer."
Finally, if you have a chance in the future, would you like to return to Maccabi?
"It's a possibility that existed. I talked to them about returning, but it didn't happen. Maccabi will always have a special meaning for me and for Israel, my family loves Israel. I believe it's a mutual love, from my family members to Israel - and from our fans, when they appreciate my character and energy on the pitch so never say never. We'll see."
Black.
"We talked about going back, it didn't work out," Photo: AP
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