Mitoglou: “Strict, but simple Ataman – Logical ups and downs at the high level”

His personal performance during the season, as well as that of the team, was referred to in his statements Dino Mitoglou speaking to ERT after the Panathinaikos AKTOR-PAOK final.

At the same time, the Greek forward idolized him Ergin Ataman and argued that ups and downs are reasonable when you want him to compete at the highest level.

For the double-double he achieved: “I chased it, I was also a bit lucky. It is important but the statistics are not to be chased of course. The goal is to play hard for your team every time, to give 100%, to play to win. Statistics come second. The point is to come in, play hard and be focused. For me, that should be the mindset every athlete should have.”

For playing enough time in one more game: “I’m not tired, I’m doing my rehabilitation. I rest when I have to and try to perform on the pitch, that’s my job. I feel very good. Thank you basketball, that’s what it’s all about. Play hard for your team to win but also enjoy basketball. We all started with this purpose. That feeling when you catch the ball, smiling inside and out. We must have a smile on ourselves and for the people who come and see us, the families, the children. For some of them we are role models so we have to have a smile on us.”

About the game: “Congratulations to PAOK, they played excellently even though they were absent. If you relax, PAOK can attack your weaknesses. We are waiting for Juancho, he will give us many solutions in “3” and “4”, Ioannis (Papapetrou) will also come. Grigonis was also out today. There were moments when we relaxed, PAOK made big shots. We have to build a winning mentality”

And he continued about the effort made by Panathinaikos: “Changes are happening at all levels. From the president and I have to give him credit for that, in the world and his behavior. There will be ups and downs, there will be bad times. The high level has these. We have to go match by match, that has to be our mentality.”

For Ataman’s instructions: “He doesn’t ask me for anything special, just to come in and play, to give everything. He is simple but strict. It is not by chance that he is who he is.”