By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Kostas Papanikolaou is Euroleague’s Rising Star for the season 2012-13, a trophy he didn’t really expected since he is not exactly a new face on the league. However, his age is right and the league coaches preferred him this time ahead of last two season’s winner, Nicola Mirotic of Real Madrid.
Eurohoops spoke to Olympiacos’ forward and he clarified that he has a bigger goal in his mind at the moment: “After last season and what we achieved it’s clear on my mind that every really big achievement comes through the team. This award doesn’t change something for me as a player, doesn’t make me better, because I believe that without those teammates I wouldn’t get this award and I wouldn’t live last season’s triumph”.
Asked if he feels like a Rising Star he replied: “I feel just rising. I still have many things to improve”. Why he is presented so modest? Because he knows that what really counts is to be the champion: “If we don’t do something important in London, nobody will remember this title, not even me, if we don’t achieve our target”.