Papapetrou: “We cried with Zots last year, for him to return to where Panathinaikos belongs”

For Nationalhim Panathinaikos but his collaboration with Zeljko Obradovic spoke o Ioannis Papapetrou in a recent interview.

The “official favorite” scored her first victory against Jordan in the Philippines World Basketball Championship, but it was bittersweet after losing him at the last minute Dino Mitoglou due to injury: “He is an important absence for us and a valuable player. He’s back after a long time and he’s in great shape, he meant a lot to us. We have to focus on what we have and do the best we can.”.

Papapetru za Mozzart Sport: Plakali smo posle titule i nismo hteli da odemo, Zeljko je bog kosarke https://t.co/fPgGAZOwM3 via @MozzartSport

— Mozzart Sport (@MozzartSport) August 28, 2023

You don’t build a team of 10 new players in one year

For the transfer to Panathinaikos and the new team being built: The club’s ambition is to return to where it belongs, to the successes of previous years. We have a great team, great coach and it’s a great invitation for all of us».

Regarding whether the greens are running for the Euroleague the new year: “It’s hard to say. Teams are not built in a year. You can’t bring in 10 new players and think that team chemistry will magically come. We have to focus on getting better, getting back to the playoffs and challenging for a spot in the Final Four. Winning the Euroleague takes luck like Real did last year with Yule’s shot».

As for him Matias Lessorwith whom they were teammates in Belgrade and will now co-exist in the greens: “I am very happy. He is a great player, dominant. Last season he played excellent basketball in Partizan, I believe and hope it will be the same in Panathinaikos. He is also a great character so I am looking forward to working together in Athens”.

The international forward also referred to the full season he had in Serbia and Europe, as well as the World Basketball Championship, which leaves no room for rest: “When the season ended I had a shoulder injury that kept me out for almost two months. Then came the preparation with the national team and now I feel very good».

Obradovic is a god of basketball, we were crying for the championship

In a question about him Zeljko Obradovic and their partnership last season, the words were eloquent: “Our relationship was excellent. A unique personality, a god of basketball, that you should and deserve to know. I feel privileged that we worked together at Partizan, that I trained under his leadership and I’m glad that he chose me”.

“It all starts with him and the way he approaches training, his players, his staff on and off the pitch. That’s why we had such a good season, we were one step away from the Final Four“, added his 29-year-old basketball player Panathinaikou.

“The series against Real Madrid in the playoffs was incredible. With the score at 2-0 and the first game at home 15 points ahead, everyone thought it was over. However, Real won both of their next games. After the incident in the final of the second match, we were not able to play, the mind was confused because we lost Pander and Lessor and the balance was lost“, he commented explaining last year’s series-thriller with the Madrid team.

For the course with Partisan which culminated in the conquest of the Adriatic League: “These memories will be with me forever. With these teammates and this coach, it will be written forever. When we won the title we were crying, we didn’t want to leave because many didn’t know if they would come back after their contract ended“, the trefoil forward revealed.

Edited by: Maria Sarafoglou