Βy Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Even without Giannis Antetokounmpo present yet – because of some extra days off – one of the main topic of discussion in the first meeting of the Greek national team was him.
As coach Fotis Katsikaris admitted the role of the Bucks‘ star will be more than crucial in the upcoming pre-Olympic tournament of Turin: “I think it is important to do an analysis about Giannis. He is a player who every year in the national team was having a role similar with the one he had with the Bucks. At this point we can afford to give him more responsibilities than anyone else, having the ball in his hands. We will build around him. Giannis will be the one who will take decisions on the court for us”.
Only center Giannis Bourousis is left from the old guard of the team, Spanoulis and Zisis have retired and Giannis is going to be the future of the Greek national team. Coach Katsikaris also explained why he left Nikos Pappas out of the team – “there was a denial from his side in order to work our personal differences out and be on the team” – and the coach spoke also about his personal challenge of facing probably in the game which will decide if Greek goes to the Rio Olympics the Italian NT of coach Ettore Messina: “For me it is a challenge that I am at the helm of the national team and I have this honor. So this has nothing to do with my job as a coach on a club and if the results can help me on a personal level or not. The aim is to qualify but do not forget that we have the first three games, before playing in the final”.