By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
It’s never easy to debut in the EuroLeague, so imagine debuting for the reigning champions by replacing one of the best centers in the whole competition.
That’s what Wenyen Gabriel did today, making his first-ever appearance for the Greek powerhouse following Mathias Lessort’s injury. In the post-victory flash interviews, he was heavily praised.
Kostas Sloukas applauded his attitude.
“It was a very tough game. I want to dedicate this win to Mathias [Lessort]. All the games will be for him. We miss him, but today [Wenyen] Gabriel fought. I can’t say he replaced him, but he put up fighting spirit: that’s important for us”, he said.
Kendrick Nunn, who played with him in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, also mentioned it. “Wenyen [Gabriel] stepped up big tonight in his debut game”, tonight’s MVP said.
All the way up!#FlightTime I @TurkishAirlines pic.twitter.com/xuD7L5iBtB
— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) December 27, 2024
The South Sudanese center finished his first encounter with Panathinaikos with 6 points over 3/3 from two-point range, including a thunderous alley-oop dunk assisted by Kendrick Nunn, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks. He played a total of 29:45 minutes in SAP Garden.
Before the game, Ergin Ataman said he wouldn’t have had many minutes. “Before the game, I told also my coaching staff that he could manage 4-5 minutes because he didn’t know plays. But basketball is like this, it’s simple: sometimes you don’t need to play the plays you worked on all week”, he said.
“We played simple pick-and-roll, and when I saw he was giving us great contribution defensively, I kept him on the court”, Ergin Ataman added.
“He closed everywhere and went for block shots. We didn’t concede Bayern any penetration, as [Wenyen] Gabriel closed the paint well”, Panathinaikos coach concluded.