By Nikos Varlas / varlas@eurohoops.net
Kyle Hines and Olympiacos will be forever connected. The undersized center, already one of the most important players in the history of the Euroleague, won two titles wearing Red and White, before going to Moscow and winning a third trophy with CSKA.
One of the most down to Earth guys that you would ever meet spoke to Eurohoops before his return to Piraeus on Thursday for one more game against Olympiacos. The 30 years old center of CSKA shared interesting thoughts on his team, Milos Teodosic and Vassilis Spanoulis!
CSKA is the reigning Euroleague champion and has been convincing after 4 weeks in the new Euroleague season. Hines notes: “We have an even more qualitative roster compared to last year. We’ve kept our structure from last year and made additions in the low post, as we suffered a lot in that field due to injuries last season. We’ve got a great chemistry. And now we have players like James Augustine and Jeff Ayres that offer us a lot of solutions in the frontline. This season is going to be bigger than ever, more games, more traveling, so I think it will only help us.”
His teammate Milos Teodosic is once again a pleasure to watch in the new season. Here’s what Kyle thinks of the Serbian guard:
Man, that guy Milos… He sees everything long before it happens on court. He has an immense and natural talent in perceiving the court, his teammates’ and opponents’ moves and his passing. He makes crazy passes! He could easily be a great quarterback in the NFL!
Is it that easy to see Milos’ passes coming? “When I first came to CSKA it was difficult knowing what he would do. You have to always be prepared, because you never know what could cross his mind! After so many years of playing together, I’m always ready. Though I always watch out so that the ball won’t hit me in the head!”
Hines thinks his Serbian teammate could make it big in the NBA under the right circumstances. “For top notch European players like Milos, you always have to find the right chance. In a team with a good working system that believes in you and knows how to make the best use out of you. You know that some of the best Europeans of all time, like Spanoulis and Jasikevicius, moved to the NBA and found themselves in situations that didn’t work out for them.”
The American player also notes that his ex team, Olympiacos, is playing differently this season. “This year it looks like they are changing their style”. But what does he have to say about his ex teammate and captain, Vassilis Spanoulis? “He’s very smart and a teacher for everyone, including himself. He’s had injuries that cost him a lot, though now he’s healthy and always motivated. If you take a look at the best players in history, you’ll notice how they always create motivation for themselves, no matter how much they have achieved in their career. Spanoulis is just like that!”