Vezenkov: “Spanoulis and Printezis are… symbols, – I have not yet become the next leader”

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Not even in a conversation of comparison should anyone’s name be included next to those of Vassilis Spanoulis and Giorgos Printezis, according to what he said in an interview with APE-MBE, the Sasha Vezenkov.

After the victory in the derby of the ages, the forward of Piraeus analyzed what has happened and… is going to the season, he commented on the goal of Kaunas and made it clear that he is not choosing an opponent.

Sasha Vezenkov’s interview in detail:



-Once again, this team showed that their “weapon” is their ability to read the opponent’s game and react even when their backs are against the wall?

“We didn’t play well today, but the truth is that we don’t give up any game. We struggled, especially in the 3rd quarter, we lost the +9 we had very easily. Simply, this is how the matches with Panathinaikos are. They are difficult, we always want to beat them, they always want to beat us too. It is important that there are nice matches in secular contexts and that both teams enjoy it. We won, we are very happy because we want to stay in first place in the Euroleague. There are still two matches and we’re going to give it our all.”



-Was Serelis well read or did your own failure in the peripheral shots allow Panathinaikos to threaten?



“It’s a combination. It is rare that games with Panathinaikos end with big differences. Certainly, Panathinaikos is a team with very good players, that has changed its coach and that will fight for the last remaining goal, namely the championship. We know. We are thirsty, humble, hungry and we see the games and the goals we have set one by one”.



-Three players are equally vying for the title of MVP of the game: You, Thomas Walkup and Tarik Black. Sasha, you who have been at Olympiakos for several years now, what has changed compared to before and you are the only first in the standings?



“It is important that we have a body with Greeks, but also with foreign players who have been in the team for many years. Shaquille (sr. McKissick) is five, Thomas (sr. Walkup) along with Mustafa (sr. Fal) are two, so that helps a lot with the good atmosphere. We know each other, each other’s quirks and strengths, so that helps a lot to have a homogeneity in the game as well. From then on, everyone has sacrificed the “I” and put it under the “we” for the team to succeed.”



– I remember your first year at Olympiakos, David Blatt’s first year as well, while you were hitting the three-pointers in training… they didn’t come into your game in the first season. And since your second year, when you started getting more time… your development is rapid and you are considered the best player in the Euroleague.



“I like the job. Some things I didn’t do so well. I have put other elements into my game and into the team, but the most important thing is that the whole organization has embraced me, all the guys, from the first to the last. From the president to the man working behind the cameras. We all have excellent relationships. Difficult times will certainly come, failures will come. The most important thing is to forget what happened that night and keep moving towards our goal.”



-Sasha, when Spanoulis “hung up his shoes”, then Giorgos Printezis, the two leaders, many believed that Olympiacos would not be able to fill their void. Did you feel, did you know that you would be the next leader?



“I haven’t become the next leader yet. These children have written history, they are Olympiacos legends, they are symbols and no one enters the Olympiacos conversation with these two. But, the team is above all, they have said it themselves. Like when they came in, some previous ones left, the team had hard times, then they climbed back to the top, so do we. It wasn’t all rosy. In 2018, 2019, 2020 we didn’t make the playoffs, so it’s not like we suddenly turned a button and we’re first in Europe or in the regular season, we’ve worked a lot, we’ve hurt a lot, we’ve fallen and we’ve gotten back up. We have built a family.”



-Are you picking… an opponent for the playoffs?



“I don’t choose an opponent. Whoever comes! Let’s go for 100%!”.



-Kaunas… do you dream about it, in your sleep?



“No… it’s still too far…”

Source: Sport Fm

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