Calabros: “Six amazing years at Olympiacos-I immediately told YES to Antetokounbos”

Yes without a second thought the Michalis Calabros in Giannis Antetokounboswhen he called him last year to become his personal trainer. The well -known coach talked about collaborating with Greek Freak, but also his six years at Olympic. In detail his statements to the EEC Web Radio:

For his decision last summer to leave Olympiacos and go to the US for the individual improvement and training of Yiannis Antetokounbos: “As a result, yes, it’s a decision you don’t easily make. However, I took it in the minute, as John told me I immediately said “yes”. We were standing up in the SEF, we did workouts and he told me. We do years of workouts together and decided that last summer it was time to make it more frequent, to be on a permanent basis. As soon as he revealed to me his thought, I immediately told him “yes”. Saying “yes”, I left Olympiacos after 6 years, which is professionally the best thing in my life. It is an honor to be in a club like Olympiacos. I had a great time for 6 years and lived amazing moments. But when this player makes such a proposal, this personality, there is no second thought. It was also on my own object, in improving the players. I didn’t get into a dilemma, though it was difficult for me to leave Olympiacos. The hardest thing in the case is to leave your home and your family. I’ve done it again, but now it was probably for the best in my career so far. I’ve been back to America again and it’s my second home. ”

For what he holds since his year in the US: “We all have a picture of how the infrastructure of an NBA group is, how their weights are, we know what it is. You expect something amazing going there. The difference with Europe is clearly their facilities. It is a group of 15 children and there are 50 people serving these 15 children. The last player comes out to make a shot and three coaches come automatically to make his passes. Their professionalism is incredible. Of course, they have the means to do this. They have 15 people scouting groups. The conversations with the scouters stayed with me, what they are looking for in each player, what a player needs to have. Even the conversations with the GMs, the philosophy of their anxiety. Workouts do not do much, all winter the Bucks could have done 10-15 regular workouts, lasting 1.5 hours. They make a very individual program. The truth is that it has nothing to take and carry it to Europe, it’s all different. However, only the image you have and your association with people there is an “school” incredible. They have calm, they do not have the pressure we have. I mainly kept the images I saw, this greatness they have, the amenities. ”

Whether in the NBA give a basis to the tactic: “They give too much basis. Only that is. Sometimes you play Wednesday night and Thursday night. Wednesday you will work out, but on Thursday morning you will only do a tactic for the opponent you will face on Thursday night. Their tactics there is incredible. Someone had used the word “Intellectual”, it really is. It has … simplicity, but their tactics are very good. Especially in the play-offs it is a university, because in the season they don’t want to give too much, they keep them for Postseason. ”

For the evolution of MacKisik and Vezenkov: “I didn’t help only I just helped him, many helped him. First of all, Barzokas helped him by giving him the opportunity. I have dealt with him, but I can’t connect my name with him. For Sasha I can say, it was “my”, we worked together almost exclusively. Or with Papanikolaou. However, we all contribute to this part, everyone comes out of the organization’s process. ”

For the evolution of Constantine Bilalis: “One of my biggest decorations is Bilalis, who was playing with AS last year. Papagou and came out the best young player in the Elite League. He stayed 2-3 months out with pneumonia, that is, he lost 2-3 months and at first he didn’t play basic. This is a badge for the child, but also for me who have helped him get somewhere. It’s not just the NBA. With your job, your ability and your vision to help a child play much higher than he is made to play. Of course, we all, the coaches, the trainers, are auxiliary, we don’t get a child and make it a player. In some cases you can make it 0, but most of the time you help him go from 7, where he has arrived alone, at 9. ”

How much technology helps him in his work: “All I use is Synergy. I use it very much. Nevertheless, if I want to draw conclusions about a kid I don’t know I will see his toys, good and bad. Then in Synergy I will cut the pieces I need, its features. I go into this process … studying the player. You have to literally see thousands of clips and phases so you can help a player. I see all this through technology, but more than a clean match. To see a match can take me 1.5 days and a 2 -minute 2 -hour. ”

On how he defines success in the part of individual improvement: “The success is to reach the maximum of your potential. If the maximum is to play in the NBA and you play in the Euroleague, you haven’t reached it for me. I try to get into the player’s mold, to see where he can get. First of all, you have to find the player’s “identity” and on it to “build”, always keeping this “identity”. With work and vision to help him get the most. I have stopped set goals on the player, I have focused on habits. For example, if you make 300 apt shots a day, you will play Euroleague. This number will only help you get to where it is. So all you have to do is just push yourself to get this number every day. ”

For his presence at the SEF at the women’s Eurobasket: “I couldn’t go, I owed it to Mariella Fasula. We’ve been working for 11 years together. He is a unique professional. “