By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Speaking during the presentation of the third edition of the “Stoiximan 22oz Elite Basketball Tournament”, Thanasis Antetokounmpo was confronted with several topics.
Among them there was the potential creation of the NBA Europe. “It’s amazing! Can I play in the NBA and be in Europe? It sounds really cool. But I think there will be more competition than many people think,” he started.
“There is a lot of impatience, but from what I see, things are being done to make something like this happen. In the end, there will be cooperation. It’s very attractive, especially for players like us,” he said.
Giannis’ brother also touched on both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos making it once again to the EuroLeague Final Four, this year in Abu Dhabi. “I am proud of both teams. It will be very competitive both on and off the court. I think Abu Dhabi will see something it has never experienced before,” he said.
“It is an opportunity to show how much Greek basketball has improved. It is impossible for two of the 14 teams to maintain such stability. There are, of course, several teams, 5-6, that make you drop everything to watch basketball, and I hope we get back there.”
“They used to close the shops to watch basketball. If we can be in the Final Four in every competition where we have a Greek team, that is a success,” Antetokounmpo also commented.
Ultimately, the Greek forward also commented on his return to the floor. “I give it my all for any team I play for. The body just has to be ready for something like that to happen. I can’t do something like that if I know that my body isn’t 100% ready,” Thanasis said.
“I was definitely okay since December, but I didn’t want to play. It would be unfair to me. I would look like a different player. I want to come back and be the same.”