By Kostas Giataganas/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite being a EuroLeague veteran and a two-time leading scorer (most recently in 2017) at the top basketball competition outside of the NBA, new Panathinaikos guard Keith Langford has seen people doubting that he still can perform at a high level.
“For me, it’s kind of an interesting situation,” Langford said during the first open pre-season practice of Panathinaikos. “Because from everything that I’ve seen and the stuff that I’ve read and from what people have told me, I guess everybody thinks that I can’t play anymore and that I’m a bad player now. For me, there’s no pressure. I’m excited to come out and just have a clean slate and be free and play.”
Langford has read and heard such belittling comments but at 34 years of age, he doesn’t feel that they can add any extra motivation to the one he already carries.
“Obviously, I do hear things and I see stuff. But I try to ignore it. If you try to use these things as a motivation it doesn’t last long. As a young man, I did that sometimes. But what I believe comes from inside.”