By Cesare Milanti / info@Eurohoops.net
When Shabazz Napier came to Milano in late January, the Italian red-and-white side was in the middle of a EuroLeague crisis, being at the latest places in the standings with a 6-15 record. Facing Baskonia in Round 22, they managed to break a five-game losing streak, with the American providing 10 points.
Following that game, Ettore Messina spoke highly about the newcomer, underlining his performance as unusual compared with the first appearances of his fellow countrymen joining teams mid-way through the season.
“What struck me is that he didn’t do what we saw many times in debuts, that is, maybe shoot 20-25 points. He played a normal first half, but he was concerned with putting his teammates in rhythm, and then in the end he also scored buckets. He gave me the feeling of never being in trouble”, Milano’s head coach said.
From then on, he helped Milano come back in the battle to enter the EuroLeague Playoffs, entering a six-game winning streak. But he doesn’t really think he was the crucial X-Factor for the team, giving that offensive spark that was needed on the Mediolanum Forum court.
“It’s crazy because I think I get too much credit for the change: this team was still talented before I came here. The only thing I’ve done so far is that I came with the confidence of not having lost too many games. When you lose a couple of games back and forth, your confidence disappears. I came in and I was excited to be here to play, I think that’s the biggest thing I brought to the table, understanding the game. This team was talented as it is, there are still a lot of injuries, guys in and out of the rotations. I just did what I could in terms of playing with confidence”, he said in an interview with Eurohoops.
Despite not reaching the EuroLeague Playoffs and ending the European campaign earlier than expected, the 31-year-old former NBA player looks happy in Milano, where he’s currently leading 2-0 in the Quarter-Finals of the Italian league Playoffs against Victoria Libertas Pesaro.
After averaging 15.0 points, 3.9 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in the EuroLeague, shooting 45.2% from two, 45.6% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% at the line, he’s been hot in the LBA as well, entering the last part of the season with 21 points and 11 assists combined in the first two games of the best-of-five series.
“It’s a nice situation, I think I’ve walked into a situation where they needed somebody being themselves and being confident. Hopefully, we can bring a big-time championship. It’ll be hard, but it’s exciting to be playing for something big at the end of the season”, Shabazz Napier added about being in Milano.
In the 12 games played with the Italian team, the UConn Huskies product has a 9-3 record, having lost against Maccabi Tel Aviv in Round 32, against the reigning champions of Anadolu Efes in Round 31, and most importantly against Real Madrid, which is heading to the EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas, in Round 29.
Against the Blancos, Shabazz Napier went close to his first-ever EuroLeague double-double with 17 points and 8 assists but had to readjust his usual offensive game, full of driving to the basket after handling well the ball on P&R situations, due to the presence of Walter Tavares.
Asked which has been his toughest opponent to face since jumping to the EuroLeague, the answer is easy. “Without a doubt, I think the guy that I’ve always jogged around with the players after playing is the biggest game-changer I’ve ever seen, because the way he’s able to move, is Tavares. His ability to contest shots, slide his feet, or even make think about not taking the shot”, he commented on the Capoverdian center, recently named EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year for the third time.
Going deeper in his explanation, Shabazz Napier recalled a moment during that 91-87 on-the-road loss against Real Madrid. “When we played Real Madrid, I got the switch on him almost at the end of the game. I drove to the basket and if there wasn’t this giant behind me, I would have laid it up. But I dribbled it out, and Brandon Davies was on the right-side block, and he was with their guard. Yabusele was helping a little bit, and Jo [Voigtmann] was on the left-side corner. Usually, I’d like to drive. But I thought: “If I drive, he’s gonna be there”, so I passed it to Jo. His ability to be that tall, quick, and strong at the same time is surely a game-changer”, the former Washington Wizards player also added.
After not being able to debut with Zenit Saint Petersburg following the departure of Kevin Pangos due to an early injury at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, we finally managed to see Shabazz Napier establishing himself in the European landscape by making the overseas jump to Italy. However, he doesn’t know yet if he will continue playing here.
“I don’t think too much about the future. I’m excited to be here, ready to play more and more in the playoffs. I’m just excited to face important teams, we are doing a great job”, the Roxbury native finally said. Fully focused on the present, he will make sure he ends the 2022-23 season on a positive note for Olimpia Milano. A team which was talented before he came there, as Shabazz Napier said. But which can’t do without him anymore.
PHOTO CREDIT: EA7 Emporio Armani Milano