By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Michael Roll was officially presented by Olimpia Milano on Wednesday along with Paul Biligha and the first spoke in detail about his decision to join the Italian team, his role, and facing his former team, Maccabi within the season.
“I am very happy to be here. Speaking with Coach Messina I saw that he asks for things similar to what Coach Spahija asked at Maccabi, in the sense that he too came from the NBA and had similar requests on how to handle certain situations, similar movements. I consider myself an intelligent player, who catches the concepts quickly, I just need to be with my teammates, to know where they want to receive the ball, what they want to do exactly and help the team starting from here”, mentioned Roll.
On his role on the team, the Tunisian guard notes that there is not a definite answer for that. “Basketball is increasingly a sport without roles, everyone knows how to do many things and even long ones are technically valid. Playing guard or winger is no different, there are at most a couple of post-up situations that differ. Apart from that, going on the field and creating is what counts. Playing 2 or 3 is similar, the guards change in the same possession. I know my companions, I’ve seen them for years, I know they have talent, they’re smart, I’m just happy to play with them”, he commented.
Roll had just returned from China and FIBA World Cup, where he competed with the Tunisian selection. “It was a fantastic experience, we also had the chance to play against Spain which then won the gold and it was an interesting educational experience because we played a great first half, we were under only three, then lost so much. First lesson: the games last 40 minutes, all the games, and you can never take a break. There is so much talent in every corner of the world and there is always someone who works hard and you can’t do it, rest, you have to come here and work every day to improve”.
Roll arrived to Milan after a tenure with Maccabi Tel Aviv and now looks forward to facing his former teammates on the court when the new EuroLeague season tips off. “People expect to see the magic in the field when these two teams face each other. Over the past two years, people were talking about this and then there were fun games between us, finished at the last second. But in EuroLeague, from top to bottom, every game is difficult, anything can always happen, and what you can do is be prepared “.
Photo credit: Olimpia Milano