By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Previewing the upcoming game between Zalgiris and Olympiacos in the Peace and Friendship Stadium, the head coach of the Lithuanian club Andrea Trinchieri shared his opinion on Sasha Vezenkov.
“He is Vezenkov. He is a genius. He is Klay Thompson in Europe,” he mentioned during a press conference on Wednesday, “He can score 30 points without one dribble. Very rare. He is a unicorn, one of a kind. Guarding him is a headache for the coach, for the players, for everybody.”
Vezenkov, 29, reunited with Olympiacos after spending the 2023-24 season in the NBA as a member of the Sacramento Kings. After being traded to the Toronto Raptors in June, he was waived in July. From there, back to the Reds and starting the 2024-25 EuroLeague Regular Season with 11 points in a losing effort versus Fenerbahce Beko.
In contrast to the team coached by Giorgos Bartzokas, Trinchieri’s side went up to 1-0 by taking down FC Barcelona in Zalgirio Arena last week.
Moving to the trademark defense constantly featured by Olympiacos, the Italian mastermind answered a question about possibly finding open paths through Evan Fournier.
“Their defensive system, which is unique, is made, built, and crafted for not having defensive liabilities because they have the best help system in Europe. I do not see liabilities there,” he replied.
The Round 2 contest will take place in SEF on Friday. Besides Tomas Dimsa (shoulder) and Brady Manek (ankle), the remaining players of Zalgiris are healthy and available.