By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
You can’t say or write many things about what Sergio Rodriguez is doing this season. You could try to, but in such occasions what a player is doing on the court is much more emphatic that pretty words.
What can’t be denied is that every game of Real Madrid is a pleasure to watch specially when he is on the court doing everything. He can run, he can create, he can score and he is the ideal combination of basketball IQ, speed and excellent knowledge of the fundamentals.
And the pleasure is not only ours. Sergio is enjoying this season, his teammates – specially when they are getting his pinpoint passes – do the same, his coach, Real Madrid‘s fans and everyone that truly loves quality and also spectacular basketball.
The leader of Real Madrid in the best season of his team in the last 20 years talked to Eurohoops about himself, his game, his club, the Spanish national team and his own philosophy about losing and of course winning.
– Do you think that Spanish players adapt better in the NBA in comparison with the other Europeans because of your game style or is it just matter of talent?
“I think there are a lot of European players playing in the NBA, not only Spaniards. Luckily we have a big group of players that played there, that is currently playing there, making a good job and having success, but there are also great European players there: Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki…”
– During the last three years you started only nine Euroleague games in a total of 68! Do you feel more comfortable to “read” the game from the bench and then enter the court? And also do you feel sorry you had the only two turnovers of your team vs CSKA? It would have been a historic record…
“I’m here to satisfy the team needs and I’ll do whatever the coach tells me to do. We all like to play but we also know we have a very good team and we have to arrive at the important moments of the season in the better conditions, ready to play at a high pace. About the two turnover I didn’t realize about it till the end of the game: the important thing is that we got the win in a tough game against a great opponent”
– Do you think that this is the most consistent season of your career so far and if so, which is the main reason? If we have to vote now, you’d be our choice for the regular season MVP!
“First of all I have to thank you for your words. I’m very happy for the performance of the team in this season so far and for my season. Every game motivates me to improve, to win, to help the team, and you know that at the Top 16 you can’t make mistakes. I’m proud of the way we handle the situations in difficult courts at this Top 16 and I’m happy with the way I’ve played till this moment, but I’d like to do it better”
– You do everything almost perfect on the court. If you have to “isolate” a weakness in your game, a part of the game you would like to improve, what it is?
“Thank you once again, but I think I have to improve in several aspects of my game. I’d like to improve in every aspect, you can always be a better player. I had some games with a great shooting accuracy but you can always improve. You have to work for this and for the victory”.
– How many times have you thought the last year’s final vs Olympiacos? What do you think happened after the second period and the game went wrong for Madrid?
“I thought about it, but it’s also true that it’s difficult to reach the final, especially in the last two years, with a lot of games. It was important to reach the Final Four, then you have to arrive at it in a good moment, but unfortunately we didn’t have our day to get the victory… Anyway, it made us stronger, we worked even more since that moment and we grew as a team, ending the season with the Liga Endesa tittle”.
– They have taken two consecutive Euroleague titles and their budget is not even in the top 5-8 of the league. What was the secret of their success? Spanoulis or the supporting cast around him?
“They have a good team, the play together really well and they are a winning team, especially at their home. During the season their confidence grew. Spanoulis is the team leader, a great player, but he’s surrounded by great players, high level players”.
– You have played in the NBA and you know the differences comparing to European style of basketball. Do you believe Mirotic should go there and is he capable to make an important career?
“I can’t tell people if they have to go or not. You have to analyze the moment and think about it, depending on different factors . He’s a great player and I see him focused in this season’s team work, it’s all that I can say”.
– I need to ask you something about the difference in culture of Greece – Spain. Spanoulis got two consecutive Euroleagues and he has never lost in the Final Four. Diamantidis has made a great career. When they lose a title or a big game, everybody judge them very strictly, even the fans of their team. I think this is not the case with the idols of Real and Barca like Navarro, you or Rudy. Why that happens, your opinion?
“If you win, people see things pretty well and if you lose people see things in a very negative way and I don’t share this point of view. We have to see things with perspective and analyze why you won and why you lost. Even in the defeats you can extract positive things and also in the victories there are things to improve, to correct…We took good lessons from the important games that we lost in the past. You have to look at things in perspective”.
– During the last 10 years the Spanish national team is by far the best national team in the world after the U.S. What do you do better than all other national groups? What is the element that gives Spain the supremacy?
“The first thing is that we have a great team, with great players, not only the 12 players of the national teams. There are also more great players in Spain that help the national team to be as good as it is. Also the good work of our federation is a key aspect in the career path of the national team and, of course, we have a great generation of players with an incredible quality and we count in our team with players that are extraordinary in the physical aspect, like the Gasol brothers”.
– What Rodriguez votes? A) The 5 best Europeans of all time B) The 5 best Europeans since 2001 when modern Euroleague was established?
“Difficult and tough question. I can’t tell you these ten names. It’d be really difficult to choose them, but I can tell you that I pay attention especially to the players that play in my position and I like players that enjoy themselves playing a game”.