By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
Vassilis Spanoulis feels proud that his name was given to a basketball court in Belgrade, feels sorry that several Olympiacos players are leaving, but as he says to Eurohoops.net: “Olympiacos was, is and will be.”
Almost all the players from Misko Raznatovic’s office have been invited to Belgrade but the spotlight was on “Kill Bill,” who is the weekend’s indisputable star in the Serbian capital.
Vassilis Spanoulis spoke to Eurohoops.net shortly after the great honor he received and his comments were not limited to the event, but he also made clear he will definitely be playing in the national team and he expressed his thoughts regarding Olympiacos’s transfer moves.
How did you feel when you heard for the first time that there would be a basketball court built in Belgrade in your name?
“I was quite surprised when my agent called me and told me what was going to happen. I wondered about it and told him: ‘Are you crazy? How did they accept that in Belgrade? In such a basketball country, building a court with my name?’ He told me that they accepted it because they admire me vey much. It’s something that is important to them. It’s a great honor.”
Do you feel that love from the kids that are here?
“Of course, I feel the love from the kids, and everything that is happening here. To see a court with my name, my picture, my hands in a foreign country and in fact in a basketball country that has spawned so many legends of European and world basketball. It makes me very proud because I represent Greece first of all, and then Olympiacos, my team. I wish that, in the future, other players as well will get the chance to feel the honor of seeing their name given to a basketball court.”
The people’s love towards you is impressive, as they have embraced you more than Serbs or Croatians.
“It’s fantastic. It fills me with pride, but it also makes me think of all those hours of work I’ve put on the court, the sacrifices I’ve made, the joys I’ve had, and the sorrows I’ve experienced to get to this point. I still haven’t reached the point I would like, I need to improve more.”
Isn’t it a bit strange that the first court with your name is in Belgrade and not in Greece?
“Sure, it is a bit strange, but I don’t have anything to say about that.”
Besides, it’s not so common in Greece…
“I hope they do this in Greece too for players that deserve it. And even if they don’t, basketball is for us a way of life and this is what we’ll keep doing regardless of what happens outside of it.”
Can your participation in the national team be considered definitive?
“Barring the unexpected, yes. I spoke with the coach, we have enough time to rest, I will follow a special fitness program as I did last year. I have all the time ahead of me and this is very important for me. So barring anything shockingly unexpected, I’ll play.”
In the last few days two basic members have left and only three players from the two consecutive European championships are left in Olympiacos, you, Giorgos Printezis and Vangelis Mantzaris.
“It’s not pleasant. It’s sad, when you’ve shared so many beautiful moments with your teammates. But this is how it is in sports and in basketball. Decisions are made. Everyone follows their own path. Everyone determines their future, their life. Olympiacos was, is and will be, no matter who departs, who stays. We have to respect everyone and everything and to remember the good times.”
Are you optimistic about the guys that are coming up through the ranks? Can they gradually assume leading roles?
“This is what we want. They’ve grown up, five players at least have distinguished themselves in Olympiacos. They really deserve it and every one of them have given everything for the team. It’s a team that produces players, it’s a program that raises players in terms of basketball. I’m sure that the management and the coaching staff will do their best to keep the team at a high level, competitive, where it deserves to be.”