By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Interviewed by Repubblica, Kevin Pangos spoke about the difficult season he experienced with Milano, in a basketball year full of injuries for Ettore Messina’s team. The 30-year-old Gonzaga Bulldogs product also commented on his relationship on and off the court with Shabazz Napier, brought in to temporarily replace him.
Milano has ended its EuroLeague Regular Season out of the playoffs, and it’s now focusing on the Italian league, fighting with Virtus Bologna for the top of the standings. But this has been a season full of injuries for the Italian side, including Kevin Pangos’ one. “It was very difficult not to play for so long: first the knee, then the abs. But these things happen. I worked hard and tried to do everything I could to speed up the recovery and get back on the field as soon as possible. Now I am fine and the only goal is to keep myself in the best condition. When you’re out for a long time, the support of your teammates is crucial. In Milan, I found friends with whom I had already played, such as Baron, Mitrou-Long, and Davies, but all were equally close to me”, the former FC Barcelona playmaker recalled.
The former Zenit Saint Petersburg point guard commented on the guy who replaced him temporarily in Milano after doing that in Russia as well. “We talked a lot with Shabazz. It’s fine when we alternate, but we also enjoy playing together and we are able to gain the trust of the teammates by putting them in a position to express themselves individually. We face the final part of a season that has lived moments with many different options and possibilities”, Pangos expressed about Napier.
Finally, he talked about the shared European disappointment with Virtus Bologna, the other Italian team. “The EuroLeague unfortunately is over for us but it is useless to look back, and think about the injuries we suffered. The Italian league is very competitive and in the playoffs, the great mutual knowledge makes every game a real fight. It would not be smart for us to look too far ahead without focusing completely on a single series. But in the end, Virtus is the strongest opponent”, he said.
In his first EuroLeague Regular Season with Milano, Kevin Pangos averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, but missed 18 games out of 34 due to injuries. Since coming to the Italian team in late January, Shabazz Napier had 15.0 points and 3.9 assists per game in 12 appearances.
PHOTO CREDIT: EA7 Emporio Armani Milano