By Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
After winning the Eurobasket in 2005, getting the silver medal next year in Mundobasket, two Euroleagues and an illustrius career, which concluded with the record of appearances in Euroleague Final Fours, Theodoros Papaloukas decided to retire after the end of the current season: “Of course, our goal comming here was to play in the final. I wanted it even more, since this is the end of my Euroleague career, I have also one month left of VTB games, but things don’t always go the way you want. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, if you consider the fact that my career started in the fourth regional division of Athens, in Ethnikos Ellinoroson club and I got to experience all this things with the Greek national team, CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Ι think that a career like this is a blessing and a privilege”.
Leaving the courts is not an easy decision, as Papaloukas explained: “It’s a very emotional moment for me. I try to control my self and it’s not easy. My family is here with me. It was a beautiful moment and I am hapy that it ended with a win”.
If he had scored one more point in London he would became the fourth scorer in Final Fours’ history leaving behing him Dejan Bodiroga, but as he said: “I didn’t even knew it. There is a great production of players, a mass production and specially Greece produce also great teammates. The point is to be remembered by the people who have seen me play and remember what I did right. The records are always breaking”.
What he considers the highlights of his career? “Many things. The gold medal with the national team left a sweet taste in my mouth, there is a bitter sweet taste from Japan after beating USA in the semifinal and then losing in the final and of course the first Euroleague that we won with CSKA. We had problems in the team, we had injuries and we managed to get a European trophy after all those years. I think all those moments are important, but everything, good and bad, helps you in your career”.
Is he ready to leave basketball? “More or less, yes. But when you are still on the court the things are different. For sure I will need some time to rest, to clear my mind, my body, to get in the rhythm of a normal life as a regular person. Athletes have a different schedule, a different 24 hour day, a lot of travels, we don’t get to live in our house a lot”.
And what is he thinking about the future? “We have to conclude the season in VTB and then I will rest, I will see my friends, my family and my wife”.
Will basketball be a part of his future? “I haven’t think about it, because it will not be easy to take such a decision. I have think about it, I am speaking about my retirement but the transitional period will be hard. You are under the spotilight, you are under the microscope and suddenly all that ends, you have to leave all that behind and it’s difficult. However, it’s something that every athlete has to live throught”.