By Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
This Tuesday is going to be a day to remember, as basketball legends from all around Europe are gathering in Thessaloniki for a long delayed tribute game for Nikos Galis. Limoges CSP’ members landed in the city at noon and coach Panagiotis Giannakis was the first one who talked to the journalists they were waiting for him. “Nikos was the one who motivated all Greece to watch and play basketball. Aris is the team which made popular in Greece. Coming here, I can only feel a great honor after I have the chance to participate to this great celebratory game. Maybe tomorrow’s game will function as a spark to push basketball ever more”.
When they asked him if only Aris, when Nikos Galis was playing over there, is the only team which can compare to Panathinaikos and Olympiacos of the modern times, he said “nobody can achieve what Aris did back then: everybody in Greece loved a certain team and a certain color. That team, that companionship, with Nikos as its leader, did that. He is one of the best players in the history of Εuropean basketball. Ι think Nikos is celebrated every day all these years, since he was proud of the Greek basketball’s progress. Everybody remembers him, even if people didn’t see him the past couple decades. I want to believe that this game, will make him even more proud for everything he has done for the sport. Many people learned all about basketball, by watching Aris and Nikos. Everybody will remember him for ever”.
Aris’ arena will be named after Nikos Galis and Panagiotis Giannakis said “it’s the least it can be done. Nikos’ presence is an every day factor for people to play basketball”.