By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
BERLIN, Germany – Part of the EuroLeague Final Four with AS Monaco last season, Chima Moneke took the interviewing position this year. After catching up with some Fenerbahce players in the Turkish team’s last practice before the 3rd-place game, he talked with Eurohoops.
“I love it. I think I’m natural at it”, he said when asked about grabbing the mic. “I like answering the question better, but I also like asking the questions. I like asking my peers as well because there’s a lot of respect between us. It’s just fun. It’s not that serious because I’m on vacation right now”, he added.
Taking part in EuroLeague’s live show alongside head coach Dimitris Itoudis, Leigh Ellis, and Deniz Azsoy, he got a sweet taste before catching up with the action in the Semi-Finals. “Baklava was incredible, it was amazing”, he said. He ate that with a legendary company.
“But Scottie [Pippen] was cool, he was Scottie [Pippen]. I shared my funny story with him, it was cool talking with me off-camera as well. He was great”, Baskonia’s own added.
Going from unknown to one of the faces of the EuroLeague, Chima Moneke’s story is one of a kind. “It’s crazy. Last year it didn’t feel like I belonged and I was respected because I wasn’t playing as well and people didn’t know what I could do. It was like, “Okay, you are good in the [Basketball] Champions League, but…”. I feel like I belong now, I’m happy to be here. For sure”, he shared with pride.
He wasn’t really impressed with Fenerbahce-Panathinaikos and Real Madrid-Olympiacos. “They were decent games, not the best games because they were kind of not as competitive as I would have liked. But two of the teams I picked to win won, so yeah”, he said.
Asking if that first half by Olympiacos reminded him of AS Monaco’s third quarter in 2023 when they suffered a 27-2 run, his answer came out clearly. “No, it does not. Nothing reminds me of that third quarter. I feel like Madrid was perfect. We were just shook in that third-quarter, that’s a difference”, he added. Last year, talking to Eurohoops, he described it as “embarrassing”.
Last but surely not least, he finished with his prediction ahead of tomorrow’s game. “Panathinaikos wins, [Mathias] Lessort MVP”, Chima Moneke ultimately said dropping the mic.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague