Lessor: “Ataman is completely different from Obradovic, both great”

Happy and vindicated for his choice to play in Panathinaikos AKTOR feels o Matias Lessor. Speaking to a Serbian website, the French center talked about how he ended up at the “clover”, his adaptation to the new environment and his role in the “greens”. At the same time, he described them as great, although completely different Zeljko Obradovic and Ergin Atamanwhile he talked about his repulsed Final 4 and his…repentance for last year’s episodes against Real.

In detail, Lessor spoke about:

-his return to the Stark Arena: “Of course I was thinking about this moment. The first thing I looked at the calendar was when we would come to Belgrade. Glad to be back and seeing loved ones. It will be special for me. I don’t know what to expect, it will be interesting.”

-his love for Belgrade: “Those who have visited me while I have been here have been amazed by the city and the warmth of the people. If you don’t know Belgrade, it might seem cold to you, but the reality is completely different. Those who came when I was in Belgrade loved it.”

– the contact with his former teammates: “I am in contact with everyone. Papapetrou is with me at Panathinaikos, while I am in contact with Exum, Madar, Pander, Ledei… With everyone. Our relationship is bigger than basketball and I want it to last.”

-when did he decide to go to Panathinaikos: “I decided when I realized that I would not stay at Partizan. My goal was to stay, we tried to find a solution with the team, we talked many times. But when it became clear we weren’t finding them, I told my agent to look to other teams. I waited until the season was over to talk to other teams. I examined all the proposals and the one from Panathinaikos was the one I liked the most.”

-adaptation to a new environment: “It wasn’t easy for me, but since the beginning of my career I’ve been constantly changing teams and I’m used to it. Partizan was the first one I played over a season, so I got more attached to it. Papapetrou’s presence helped me and made my adjustment easier. My other teammates and the coaches also helped me and now they support each other.”

-the comparison between Ataman and Obradovic: “They are all different. Different philosophy, different perspective, different way of playing… Ataman is a coach who trusts his players and gives them more freedom to create, while Zeliko is a coach through whose system results come. Different coaches but both great. It’s a blessing to work with them.”

-his role in Panathinaikos: “He’s different, but the many changes in the team somehow helped me find my way faster. They trust me, they give me a lot of responsibility and that makes me happy. I’m happy to have a role where I can help the team win.”

-the collaboration with Sluka and Vildosa: “Luca and I keep joking about Partizan’s derbies with Red Star. Today they probably won’t welcome him like me (laughs). They are both great playmakers, who like to create and work with the tall ones. They are great players and they help me a lot in the transition from one system to another.”

-what would change from his tenure at Partizan: “I would not participate in the incidents in Madrid. Only that. I would remove Pander. This is what I would change, but the image you saw is part of the unit that this group had. The whole team was involved in the situation that was created.”

-the Final 4’s… pushback: “I hope to be back in the position I was with Partizan and we can move forward.”

– the world of Panathinaikos: “Panathinaikos has a large audience and they know basketball. My personality is like that, I’m a fighter and people like that.”