By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
After the retirement of Vassilis Spanoulis from international basketball with the completion of EuroBasket 2015, Giannis Antetokounmpo has become the absolute leader of the Greek national team.
The Milwaukee Bucks star been established as such and, as Vangelis Mantzaris says, he’ll pretty much be the focal point of the strategies that Greece will implement on the floor to fight for a return to the podium after eight years and the bronze in EuroBasket 2009.
“We ain’t going to lie: Giannis (Antetokounmpo) is the star and leader of this team,” Mantzaris said in an interview for newspaper GAVROS. “He’s an All-Star caliber player, the first Greek who has ever done that. He made us all proud and I wish he continues doing so. We’d be fools not to rely on him and his talent. The point is to be able and create these circumstances and situations for Giannis to let his talent unfold on the court.”
Greece is competing in Group A of the EuroBasket, together with France, Slovenia, Poland, Iceland and hosts Finland.
“However, we shouldn’t only play transition or unruly basketball but also play “5 vs 5″. Read the game and find our advantages against our opponents,” added the two-time (2012, 2013) EuroLeague champion.
Mantzaris also expressed his desire to complete his career with the jersey of Olympiacos, the team he’s been playing since 2011. “As I’ve said before, I owe much to Olympiacos. I’ve been in the team six years. I’m having a great time, we’re going for nine (after the latest contract renewal) years and I hope to finish my career with Olympiacos.”