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"Our dynasty was bigger than Maccabi's. No one knew who we were" - Voila! sport

2022-12-22T15:36:10.058Z


Vasilis Spanoulis has gotten used to life as a coach, does not regret the past ("I knew I would be able to handle the curses") and laughs: "If I had a player like me, I would let him do what he wants"


Exactly 20 years ago, in December 2002, Vasilis Spanoulis made his first visit to Israel.

He was only 20 years old at the time, but scored 21 points and gave 10 assists as he led Marosi to an away victory over Bnei Hasharon in the Champions Cup.

Yesterday (Wednesday), when he had already turned 40, he came full circle and won for the first time in Israel as a coach - this time against Bnei Herzliya.

In doing so, Peristri saved his team from relegation in the Champions League.



There is no peak that Spanoulis has not touched.

The EuroLeague's all-time scoring king won the European Cup three times with arch-rivals Panathinaikos and Olympiakos, and in these three Purim finals he was named MVP;

Before that, he was crowned European champion with the Greek team and finished as the vice-champion of the world.

A year and a half ago he retired from basketball, and in the last two months he began to perform his baptism of fire on the lines.

And yes, it's still strange to see him walking around in a suit and tie, and not running around on the field in a tank top and sneakers.



But the legendary Greek guard felt comfortable with the transition, and he has already gotten used to the new reality.

"It's not strange to me," he says in an exclusive interview with Walla!

sport.

"I understand that my chapter as a player is over. I gave everything, I achieved achievements that I didn't even dare to dream about, and now I'm in a new phase. It's also related to basketball, because this game is my life, and I enjoy it."

"Swearing at me? It's fine. I knew I was strong enough and believed in myself to cope."

With his friend and rival Dimitris Diamantidis (photo: official website, Action Images)

- And after everything you went through as a player, where do you find the willpower to start building yourself from the bottom up as a coach?



"I don't need to look for motivation. It's part of my character and my nature. I don't want to be good - I want to be great in everything I do. When I'm in a bad situation, or when things don't work the way I want, it just spurs me on to work harder. There is no difference in my feelings and emotions as a coach or as a player. It's clear that now I'm not on the field, but I have to find the chemistry, prepare the team, change momentum. I'm the one who has to inspire others."



- But as a player, you almost always take the last shot.

As a coach, in the end, your fate does not depend on you, but on your players.

Isn't that frustrating?



"That's really the case, but I was able to break away from what was in the past, close that door and make the separation. I need to choose the right players, and give them the tools to score the decisive shots."



- What kind of coach are you going to be?

A control freak who must control every detail, like Ronas Jasikvicius, or one who gives freedom to his players, like Argin Atman?



"Neither this nor that. I don't have one approach or one method. It depends on the group I have, and it can change from year to year. There are only three things I don't compromise on: work ethic, discipline and respect."



- How would Spanolis the coach get along with Spanolis the player?



"What do you mean?", he laughs, "I'm sure we would get along quite well. As a coach, I would just sit on the bench, watch and let him do what he wants"...

"Now I have to give the players the tools to score the decisive shots."

Coach Spanolis on the lines in Hadera (photo: official website, Champions League)

Despite his long and rich career in European basketball, yesterday's visit was only Spanolis' fourth in Israel (and it was his third victory).

"I remember myself as a child watching the battles between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aris Thessaloniki, with Nick Gallis and Panaiotis Yanakis against Doron Gemchi and Kevin Magee. Years later, I myself had the privilege of playing against Maccabi, with its great atmosphere and huge crowd."



- Today we are in the era of Anadolu Efes, which won the last two Euroleague Cups.

Only two teams have done this in this factory since its inception: Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and your Olympiakos in 2012 and 2013.

Who is the greatest dynasty of the three?



"Everyone will give you a different answer, and of course I'm not objective, but Olympiakos. Why? Because we did it with the lowest budget, and without big names. No one knew some of the players we had. Maccabi had Charas, Anthony Parker, Nikola Vojcic, Macieu Baston, Derrick Sharp and Tal Burstein. Zero today has Vasilija Micic and Shane Larkin. I do not underestimate that, because it is not easy to manage such a group of stars. But we were like David against Goliath."

"I'm not objective, but we were like David against Goliath."

Spanolis in front of Lorenzo Brown (Photo: GettyImages)

- I interviewed you 15 years ago, when you left the Houston Rockets after one season and returned to Panathinaikos.

You said then that "not all decisions in the NBA are professional."

Is this episode a miss and miss for you?



"I don't see it as a mistake, and I don't regret my decision. To be successful in the NBA, you have to be in the right place and in the right situation, and that didn't happen to me. Therefore, returning to Europe was the right thing for me. I accomplished everything that could be accomplished."



- has been asked countless times in the past about the move from Pau to Olympiakos.

You didn't have an easy life in Oaxaca, and you managed to function under this pressure and even score winning baskets and one championship basket.

But I have to understand from you: the curses and insults you received, and the objects thrown at you in the hall that used to be your home - did they not touch you in any way?



"No, and that's fine. That's how it is in Greece. I understand and respect that. Everyone loves their team, and I knew I was strong enough and believed in myself to deal with these things."

  • sport

  • basketball

  • Euroleague and European basketball

Tags

  • Vasilis spanolis

Source: walla

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