By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After losing only in Game 5 to the then-champions of Panathinaikos with Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2023-24 season, Wade Baldwin IV transitioned to Fenerbahce, where he ultimately reached the goal of making it to the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time.
During the Turkish team’s Media Day ahead of the biggest event of the whole year, the American guard touched on his move to the yellow-and-blue powerhouse from Istanbul, speaking with Eurohoops.
“In the process of coming here, I knew it was gonna be different. At Maccabi, I was one of the top three scorers in the league, and statistically one of the best players in the EuroLeague for two years,” he started.
“But coming here to Fenerbahce, I knew that there was a little bit of sacrifice that I would have to make with playing for a team and a coach like this. I did my research on everything. I knew when I made my decision that my minutes would decrease, and my role was gonna be different.”
“But I believe I’m a great player, and in order to be a great player, you need to be versatile to any role, any situation you’re put in. Outside of Olympiacos in my first year, I was always able to adapt to a role and be successful with that. I found a way to do that this season as I got healthy,” Baldwin added.
As he improved with time passing by in the series against Paris, he said he was “brought here for these playoff moments” and to “be the creator.”
“When you look back at my career, I have always been one of the two best players in the EuroLeague in terms of creation, scoring and assisting behind Mike James, for the last four years. It’s an easy role to play, it’s my game. The Paris series allowed me to show that,” Baldwin commented.
Fenerbahce will go up against the team that broke Wade Baldwin’s hope of making it to the EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin. “I have marked May 23rd on my calendar since the last Final Four. I’m happy it’s Panathinaikos. It’s a game I’ve been waiting for since last year. I can’t wait until May 23rd.”
Full interview with Wade Baldwin IV:
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague