By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In the 81-73 win against FC Barcelona, Fenerbahce could count as usual on Johnathan Motley, who was the highest scorer of the Turkish team with 16 points and 3 assists.
The American center had to go against Jan Vesely, who left Istanbul after eight EuroLeague seasons in the summer of 2022 to join Sarunas Jasikevicius in Barcelona.
The Czech big went close to a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds against his former team, which honored him before the start of the game.
Her şey için teşekkürler Vesely ailesi! @JanVesely24 💛💙#YellowLegacy pic.twitter.com/WqGdxnq0gk
— Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) March 10, 2023
“No words can describe the feeling. It will always feel like home. Thanks to all the fans, teammates and thanks to the office and the staff for this unforgettable emotion”, the former Fenerbahce player said on Twitter, thanking the yellow-and-blue world.
After the game, Johnathan Motley spoke about replacing Jan Vesely. “I am motivated every game, but he has a special bond here and I have a big pair of shoes to fill. I respect what he did, he played with some of my guys and they won the EuroLeague championship. Hopefully, I am doing OK and I’ll just try to keep building”, the 27-year-old said about the 32-year-old veteran center, praising him.
The former Lokomotiv Kuban big is having one of the best rookie seasons in the modern EuroLeague era, averaging 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He has been named MVP of Rounds 7 and 19.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague