By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow coach Dimitris Itoudis analyzed his team’s recruiting process in an interview for EuroLeague Basketball.
“The most important thing is to know your strengths and weaknesses, and to find the right player who can fit, chemistry-wise,” Itoudis said “If you sign an MVP at every position, that doesn’t mean you’re going to have the best chemistry or the best team. You need to fill your team with the best possible players at that moment, to help with whatever you need as a team. You need certain roles to be filled and, in a team, you need players who are willing to accept their roles. So before we sign a player, I might have a phone conversation and tell him: “Listen, you’re going to do this and that, but in your spot we already have these players. So are you ready for that?”
Itoudis, a two-time EuroLeague champion as head coach of CSKA (2016, 2019) and five-time Euroleague (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011) champion as an assistant coach on Panathinaikos, used the example of star guard Mike James to emphasize the importance of being honest with his players.
“For example, before we signed Mike James I spoke to him and said: “You’re a great player, you became top scorer here and there. But now you’re coming to a winning team. So are you prepared to accept certain things?” I told him that he has to feel accountable towards his teammates, coaches and the fans,” Itoudis said.
“Players have to know that I will be honest, even if they may not like what I’m going to say. I have to tell them the truth. Sometimes it might be brutal, but it’s the truth and it comes from my heart and soul, because players need to know before they come here what I’m going to expect from them. So we have those conversations, and with Mike now it feels he’s been around for many years, even though he actually only played 70% of one year with us.”
Check out the rest of the interview at EuroLeague.net