Spanoulis: “We expected Ataman to say something about Giannis – He’s been trying for years to influence people’s minds”

“Spanoulis is not lone a bully manager technically but besides precise astute psychologically. In the past, we talked a lot; I deliberation helium learned immoderate intelligence strategies from us—or possibly helium already had them. In Cyprus, helium said that Giannis takes less escaped throws compared to Doncic, Sengun, and Jokic, and I saw yesterday against Lithuania helium attempted 16 escaped throws. Smart move. In the NBA, there’s a batch of abstraction connected offense, and Giannis is the champion astatine exploiting it. In European basketball, it’s different. There are nary antiaircraft rules, and I saw him perpetrate galore violative fouls. Referees tin telephone fouls against him, but they indispensable besides cautiously cheque erstwhile helium drives if determination are violative fouls. Because I saw galore successful the erstwhile games. This is my psychological strategy,” said the Turkish coach, starting the caput games early.

Spanoulis did not permission that unanswered:
“Of course, we expected him to accidental that. Ataman is simply a precise bully coach, and he’s been doing this for galore years—trying to power people’s minds. I don’t judge anyone’s caput is being influenced. I didn’t accidental what I said to impact anyone; I said it due to the fact that I saw reality. And if we rewatch the games, we’ll spot however galore fouls Giannis doesn’t get, however galore are unsportsmanlike, and however galore violative fouls helium has really committed. I don’t deliberation he’s committed galore successful this tourney that weren’t called. Those helium has made were called—and adjacent galore that weren’t. We saw against Spain, for example, a important play wherever helium was wrong the restricted area. He’s being whistled for much violative fouls than helium should, portion not getting the calls helium deserves fixed his benignant of play. He’s the astir assertive player, perpetually attacking the basket, with 2 oregon 3 defenders pulling astatine him.”

On the semifinal against Turkey, the Greek nationalist manager added:
“You already cognize their profile. We cognize their players and however they play. Beyond that, this is simply a crippled that leads to medals and to the final. There’s nary different subordinate successful EuroBasket similar Giannis Antetokounmpo. I judge he’s the MVP of the tournament. I deliberation it volition beryllium a precise bully and competitory game.”

He continued:
“It’s a mode of life. We won’t illness with 1 loss, nor volition we alert to the entity with a win. We play basketball, and we privation to assistance Greek hoops higher. We’re astatine the close timing. I judge we’re the squad that has improved the astir during the tournament, from wherever we started and what was being said astir us. With our style, we’re playing bully basketball. From there, I deliberation absorption and humility successful pursuing the adjacent extremity are key. There are nary secrets—whether we play Israel, Turkey, oregon Lithuania, it’s the aforesaid thing. We attack each crippled with the aforesaid seriousness. But the thirst and information grow. The appetite opens, and the squad feels much liberated. That volition assistance america play adjacent better—because we person to play better.”