BasketNews Talks

Sasha Vezenkov on his stint with Barcelona, playing with Spanoulis & Cyprian basketball | BN Talks

Olympiacos Piraeus forward Sasha Vezenkov sat with BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas to talk about his childhood and basketball culture in Cyprus, experience in Barcelona, and the pleasure of playing with the legendary Vassilis Spanoulis.

Dimitris Itoudis talks his willingness to learn, Alexey Shved qualities and CSKA mentality

Last two seasons Dimitris Itoudis, one of the basketball masterminds, coached Mike James and dealt with his character. In the upcoming year, he is ready to face new challenges, including Alexey Shved’s integration into the team. Itoudis talks to BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas about his desire to improve and his way of thinking.

Topics:

• Intro and three facts about Dimitris Itoudis (0:00);
• The start of the journey and the off-season period (7:53);
• Calm, stable summer and conversations with Alexey Shved (13:27);
• CSKA and Dimitris Itoudis mindset (19:27).

Jan Vesely on leadership example from Partizan, Zeljko’s surprise & Czech adventure

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Fenerbahce Istanbul center Jan Vesely about his Olympic adventure with the Czech national team, surprising Zeljko move and how they surprised the EuroLeague together in Fenerbahce, turning down the NBA offers, his second home in Istanbul and the example he wants to set in his beloved team.

Topics:

• Intro about the first Olympic adventure (00:00);
• The main thing behind Czech National Team success (3:02);
• Why Zeljko Obradovic surprised Jan Vesely (7:17);
• What is Istanbul for Jan Vesely and how they changed the EuroLeague (9:10);
• Why Vesely turned down the NBA offers (13:34);
• The exceptional leadership example which Vesely always turned back to (17:04);
• Fenerbahce rebuild and retiring his jersey in Ulker Sports Arena (23:48);

Achille Polonara talks joining Fenerbahce, the expectations of Djordjevic, and the Olympic Summer

BasketNews' Uygar Karaca connected with new Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul power forward Achille Polonara and talked about him finally being rewarded for his humble attitude and hard-working approach. He also remembered Italy's successful Olympic run and gave his thoughts on the upcoming EuroLeague season.

Topics:

• First thoughts after recent friendly game against Turk Telekom (0:30);
• Olympic Summer and recent National Team Success (1:23);
• Foundations of National Team Success: Domestic League competitiveness (4:50);
• Thoughts about Meo Sacchetti, National Team Coach (7:06);
• Decisive factors regarding choice on Fenerbahçe. Rumors about CSKA (9:13);
• About his long terms in the Legabasket, reasons about his delayed accession to Euroleague (12:00);
• Reasons behind his exceptionally successful season with Baskonia (14:26);
• His role in this season, the expectations of Djordjevic (17:14);
• Early impression on Fenerbahçe playing style, a defensive or offensive-minded team? (20:32).

Thomas Walkup talks lifelong friends in Kaunas, epic steal against Sloukas and playing with him now

Last year Thomas Walkup famously stole the ball from Kostas Sloukas and made a game-winning basket against Olympiacos. This year he is a teammate of Sloukas, as Walkup moved from Zalgiris Kaunas to Pireaus.

Walkup talks to BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas about his decision to change teams and how he is adapting to different cultures in Europe.

Topics:

• Intro and Summer workouts (0:00);
• Finding lifelong friends in Zalgiris (4:05);
• The decision to leave Zalgiris and move to Olympiacos (9:48);
• Epic steal from Sloukas and how he accepted Walkup to the locker room
• (12:45);
• Getting used to Greek Alphabet (18:21).

Janis Strelnieks on rejecting the NBA offer, Patrick Beverley experience & stunning rise

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Zalgiris Kaunas guard Janis Strelnieks making a stunning rise in basketball after signing in early years and being unnoticed among the top Latvian prospects, rejecting few crucial offers in his career, learning from Andrea Trinchieri and Vassilis Spanoulis, facing Patrick Beverley in practice and dealing with an uncomfortable situation.

Topics:

• Intro about the Greek fans on Instagram and “Chicken” song contest (00:00);
• Strelnieks rejecting the Spurs offer (3:25);
• Andrea Trinchieri lessons (6:00);
• Being close to Panathinaikos before getting the offer from CSKA (9:31);
• Vassilis Spanoulis example (11:18);
• Crazy practice experience with roommate Patrick Beverley (13:04);
• All-Strelnieks teammates team (16:00);
• The beginning of unexpected Strelnieks rise (17:41);
• Painful feeling for Latvian basketball (19:44);
• Funny Kyiv story which even Strelnieks didn’t know about (24:07);
• Handling agitating question and post-career plans (26:00);
• Strelnieks’ goal in Lithuania and Zalgiris playoff chances (30:07).

Alexey Shved on how badly he wanted to play for CSKA and NBA offers

BasketNews' Jonas Miklovas talks to CSKA Moscow newcomer Alexey Shved on moving to a club that he knows so well, respect to coach Dimitris Ituodis, and his NBA days.

Topics:

• Coming back to a familiar place (3:25);
• About a different role compared to Khimki (9:27);
• What he hated in NBA and offers from US (18:06);
• Playing in empty gyms and what is behind No. 91 (22:38).

#CSKA #EuroLeague #VTB

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Jamar Smith talks about a decision to skip EuroLeague and favorite teammates

BasketNews collaborator Uygar Karaca spoke to one of the most prolific scorers in EuroCup history Jamar Smith. The American guard, who was named last year's EuroCup MVP and helped UNICS reach the EuroCup finals, currently ranks second with the most points scored and tops the most 3-pointers made list.

Topics:

• Life in Istanbul (1:14);
• Why did he chose to play for Bahçeşehir Koleji instead of a Euroleague season with UNICS? (3:00) ;
• The preparation games and pre-season period (05:13);
• Last years’ Eurocup final: The heartbreak with UNICS Kazan? (06:30);
• Thoughts about Dimitris Priftis: will he be successful at Panathinaikos in the upcoming Euroleague season? (10:00);
• Will he miss the big crowds from Kazan, Bamberg, Limoges? What is his projection with Bahçeşehir? (12:14);
• Unforgettable moments from Eurocup title season in 2017, relationship with Joan Plaza (15:00);
• The tendency for three-pointers.. The process of becoming Eurocup’s most successful three pointer in terms of successful attempts? (18:00);
• His favorite teammates as center and guard: John Brown & Errick McCollum (20:00);
• The playing level differences between Eurocup and Euroleague (23:00).

Martin Schiller: new Zalgiris, NBA example and surprising questions in Lithuania

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Zalgiris Kaunas head coach Martin Schiller on the critical things of Zalgiris rebuild, interesting experiences in Lithuania, and the NBA examples which helped him in the EuroLeague market.

Topics:

• Intro and what Schiller would ask Ergin Ataman (00:00);
• Trip to Germany from Lithuania by car and free agency conversations in Warsaw’s hotel (2:52);
• The key of Zalgiris rebuilding process (4:26);
• Schiller’s reaction on Jokubaitis departure (6:02);
• Unexpected No. 1 overall EuroLeague draft pick by Martin Schiller (7:45);
• Why you can’t compare Walkup to Mudiay (10:08);
• What’s behind one of the main strengths of Martin Schiller (14:30);
• Schiller’s self-evaluation of his EuroLeague rookie season and experiences which stuck to his mind (16:45);
• A different approach on LKL level and surprising questions about Marek Blazevic (22:10);
• Challenging Zalgiris pre-season (26:13).

Mike Batiste talks struggling Panathinaikos, GM Diamantidis, and Zeljko returning home

BasketNews' Giorgos Kyriakidis catches up with EuroLeague icon and Panathinaikos legend Mike Batiste.

Topics:

• Intro (00:00);
• Donating to Greece wildfire victims (1:38);
• Returning to OAKA and participating in the training session with Pao (4:02);
• How Panathinaikos can return to being a winning organization (5:52);
• Dimitris Diamantidis becoming the General Manager of Panathinaikos (7:16);
• Chatting about Panathinaikos with Mario Hezonja back in the NBA (8:11);
• Surprising Zeljko Obradovic return to Partizan Belgrade (9:11);
• Agreeing with Zeljko that NBA doesn't trust coaches from Europe (11:52);
• Most positive and negative changes to the EuroLeague since his playing days (13:43);
• Kyle Hines following his footsteps as an undersized center (15:40);
• Being great friends with Spanoulis and his future plans (18:59).
• Accepting the end of playing career (20:23)