By Manos Firogenis/ info@eurohoops.net
Moustapha Fall is in Piraeus to stay. The Olympiacos center extended his contract with the Greek team until 2027, and after the victory over LDLC ASVEL in Round 31 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, he commented on his renewal.
Arriving in 2021 to Olympiacos from ASVEL, the 32-year-old center could stay for a total of six seasons in Piraeus.
“I really appreciate the team’s trust in me. I think my professionalism has been appreciated, as has the fact that I’m always on time. I respect everyone, and I like it here a lot. We have the same way of thinking with the organization, and I’m on the same page with the coach, so we’ve matched perfectly,” Fall said to Eurohoops.
He’s been significant for Georgios Bartzokas’ side this season, averaging 7.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists for a PIR of 14.8 per game in the EuroLeague. Fall seems to fit perfectly with Olympiacos, and that’s why the negotiations for his new deal were swift.
“The negotiations did not last long, nothing else. It was shorter than the other time. We said we’d find out quickly; that’s what we all wanted. When we started to discuss, we had in front of us the game against Panathinaikos and several more crucial games to come, and obviously, when you are in constant negotiations, and you are always in discussions about your future, this disrupts your daily life, ‘spoils’ your mind. Everything happened very quickly, in a week we agreed, shook hands, and are moving forward together.”
After the win over ASVEL, Olympiacos is sixth in the standings with a 19-12 record and still in contention for a Top 4 spot, which would give them a home-court advantage in the playoffs. The season so far has been full of ups and downs for the Piraeus team, but they are still on the right track.
“We know that every game is a nightmare in the EuroLeague. We must always be focused and fight with all our strength because you never know what will happen. We saw Monaco lose at home by twenty points; certainly, no one would bet on that. We must respect every opponent. It’s the top competition in Europe, and there’s a reason it’s called the EuroLeague,” Moustapha Fall concluded.