By Niki Bakouli
After letting him write all his thoughts about Panathinaikos Euroleague’s play off series against Maccabi Tel Aviv, we asked Doron Jamchy few questions and got to learn which team he would choose if he had the change to play this year, his predictions for the Euroleague finalists and what we can expect after Giannakopoulos brothers and Simon Mizrahi leave Panathinaikos‘ and Maccabi‘s ownership.
-At some point, during Game 3, we saw Simon Mizrahi -who was sitting at the end of Maccabi’s bench- to… ask a player’s change! What’s your comment about Maccabi’s president, who actually devoted his life to this team? Does Mizrahi remind you Thanasis and Pavlos Giannakopoulos, who have also dedicated to Panathinaikos half of their lives?
“There are not so many owners or people like Giannakopouloi and Mizrahi. They are so CRAZY for their teams -this is the only word which can describe them… sufficiently. And not only for the team but also for the colors and the spirit of their teams. They are coming from the same generation, which when its gone, we will never witness something even close to this phenomenon, ever again”.
-You have read about Giannakopoulos brothers decision to leave Panathinaikos, after the end of this season. Do you think this will be the end of Panathinaikos’s dynasty at European basketball?
“People have to understand even if Giannakopoulos brothers will stay forever and its clear they already are a big part of Panathinaikos’s history, the main reason Panathinaikos BC became a huge basketball club, a new generation will have to come out. And the same goes for Maccabi Tel Aviv. I remind, people thought after Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson retired, the NBA would be finished. BUT, it didn’t. And you have Kobe Bryant, LeBron James etc… So, a great basketball club like Panathinaikos will find the next generation, to take the reins, to create the new -and even stronger- foundations, for many years to come”.
-From other series, is something that got your attention? Something that was a surprise for you?
“No, I didn’t see any surprises. Olympiacos qualified to the Final Four, CSKA is the No1 favorite to take the cup, although in a tournament like the Final Four anything can happen. You see, when you have Obradovic in the town, you cannot exclude any option. Someway, somehow he will manage to find the way for Panathinaikos’s success. And in one game, everything can happen. But, my biggest surprise would be to see this year’s Final Four, without the presence of CSKA Moscow, Regal Barcelona and the two greek teams. In that case, i would say WOW! And its a pitty you cannot have a Final… Five”!
-If you had the chance to play this year, which would be your favorite team?
“Panathinaikos. Why? Cause it’s a Greek team and Obradovic is the coach! You know, everybody asks me now, how can you be a player and don’t react when your coach yelling at you. BUT when you look what Zoc have done for Panathinaikos’s club, you know you want to play for him. Of course, it’s only a dream for me… “