By Javier Molero/ info@eurohoops.net
In the fifth installment of Final Four Stories by Stoiximan TV, Sergio Llull reflected on his game-winning shot for Real Madrid in the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship game, despite being scoreless throughout the clash opposite Olympiacos. The 38-year-old combo guard recalled head coach Chus Mateo trusting him with the final play despite having attempted only two shots prior, highlighting the immense pressure and confidence placed in him.
“During the timeout, Chus Mateo decided that the play was for me,” he told Eurohoops. “I was initially surprised because I had a quiet night up to that point. I hadn’t even scored a single point and had attempted only two shots. It wasn’t my best game. Once more, however, the coach and the staff put their confidence in me, and my teammates trusted me as well. In that moment, when you are given this responsibility, you have to take it and try to find the best option for your team to win. The play was a high pick-and-roll. We forced them to switch on defense. I went against their big and somehow managed to create the shot for us to win the EuroLeague.”
Llull admitted that the weight of the moment brought a flash of doubt before he stepped back onto the hardwood. “When the coach said the play was for me, I was surprised and thought, ‘Oof, in such a bad game, if I mess up and miss the shot, everyone will be against me’, all these critics and the so-called experts. But when you step on the court, you enter ‘only-basketball’ mode with total focus. Whenever I have been given this responsibility, I have never refused it,” he underlined.
“For better or worse, you must understand that if you miss, you will be the villain, but if you hit the shot, you will be the hero, and everyone will love you,” added the three-time EuroLeague champion.