By Vangelis Papadimitriou/ info@eurohoops.net
After a season in the NBA, where he played for the Sacramento Kings, Sasha Vezenkov decided to return to Olympiacos.
Prior to the official start of his second tenure in Piraeus and the beginning of the season, the 2023 EuroLeague MVP talked to Eurohoops about his decision to leave the NBA and return to the familiar environment of Europe.
“These are nice dilemmas. I filter through all the possibilities. It gives you joy when you return to a familiar environment where you are loved. I prefer to be in a competitive environment, to fight for titles, and to feel important. I didn’t know if I would have an opportunity in the NBA like the one I gave myself. This is what I wanted to do, and I wanted to do it with Olympiacos. This is my home,” Vezenkov said.
Olympiacos was dominating in Greece during Sasha’s first stay, but while he was absent, Panathinaikos took the throne and even won the EuroLeague title.
“We know where Panathinaikos was two years ago and where they are now. Kudos to them for achieving that. We know that there will be many strong teams; we want the trophy, and we will fight for it. Panathinaikos also has a fantastic roster. The bar is set very high.”
Having played for so many years in Greece, it was inevitable that he would be asked about the prevailing relationship and the rivalry between the two “eternal” opponents.
“I saw it last year too. Shall we talk about toxicity? We have nothing to divide; we are friends. Should I tell you my personal matters with Panathinaikos players? For what reason? I know, and I keep it to myself. What should we divide outside the court? With whom? Let’s not exaggerate everything. Players, managers, fans—we all go overboard sometimes, but we have two of the best teams in Europe. Should I say they are the two best? Maybe that’s a bit too much. Others should envy us and talk about the product we have, both on and off the court. Panathinaikos fans stop me and say, ‘Well done, what a guy you are.’ A week ago, you stopped me for a photo, and now you insult me? Why? The same applies to Olympiacos fans as well,” Sasha Vezenkov concluded, talking to Eurohoops.