By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The coach of the Adelaide 36ers, Mike Wells, spoke after his team’s 106–89 defeat to Panathinaikos in Sydney and expressed his admiration for the Greek team following the conclusion of the 7th Pavlos Giannakopoulos tournament.
Among other things, Wells stressed that Panathinaikos is perhaps the best team in the world outside of the NBA.
“I think it was truly a unique opportunity for everyone in Adelaide and in the NBL in general. Our players deserve the chance to play in a game at this level. Panathinaikos is probably the best team in the world outside of the NBA, and that roster is loaded with talent. For the NBL and for the Adelaide 36ers, it’s a huge honor to be invited. To me, it’s just a really cool event. The talent, the roster, the coaching—it’s special.”
Building on his previous remarks, the coach offered further insight into the difficulties and excitement of competing against a team of Panathinaikos’ caliber.
“I thought it was a very fun and unique challenge. They’re tall, they’re big, they shoot the ball well. They do a lot of different things. And for us, it was an enjoyable night to face them, to throw some punches, and to see where we stand, what we need to work on and improve. But overall, I really thought it was a fantastic experience. When you’ve been in the NBA for so long and then you see Panathinaikos play, to have the chance to coach against them—it’s one of the highlights of my career. I really enjoyed it. I hope the players enjoyed it too, I hope the NBL enjoyed it, I hope everyone did.”