By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Dimitris Diamantidis retired and this is an end of an era. It’s obvious that everyone related with Panathinaikos and also Greek basketball will have only good things to say about him. But what about his opponents?
Eurohoops spoke with Milos Teodosic and asked him to comment on Dimitris Diamantidis on the occasion of his retirement from action. It’s true that the 29-year-old guard never had a good relationship with Panathinaikos’s leader and after a certain point a final rupture occurred in their personal relationship, which resulted in them not even greeting each other.
Not only did Milos want to respond, he was glad that we asked him about a very big current issue in European basketball, 3D’s farewell.
“He’s one of the players I always had as an opponent, never as a teammate. We experienced some intense moments through that rivalry and the passion that exists in the games between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. Some things happened between us, things that happen so often between rivals who fight for the same titles.
At some point, we stopped greeting each other. I tried to shake his hand, he didn’t want to shake and from then on we didn’t speak to each other at all. No big deal, these things happen in sports. My opinion about Diamantidis is not at all affected by things like that. We’re talking about a huge athlete. He’s definitely one of the best European players of all time.”
Milos explains the reasons he glorifies Dimitris. “First of all, he had a long duration in his career, something that puts great value on everything he has accomplished and ranks him even higher. Diamantidis did everything on the court. He could change the pace of a game or decide a confrontation, in many different ways.
Through his defense, the rebounds, his creativity, his big shots at crucial moments.
He’s one of those few players who can make all their teammates much better but who, when they realize that sometimes this is not enough, come forward and win with their own signature. Diamantidis is the definition of team play in basketball, in combination with his competitive and mental talent, and he’s going to leave his imprint on the sport. Definitely one of the all time greats.”