Giannis- Best interview of his life

[Top10alltime]

Spoiler:

Mods how is this poster not banned yet?

Sent from my SM-S918U using RealGM mobile app

He is. I can't go back and delete all his posts from before he was banned but he is currently on hiatus.

Good

Imagine being someone who hurls insults at someone for an opinion they cannot attack. It's extremely frustrating the mods are like this too, so they proceed to ban me for Lebron and Giannis slandering . It's ridiculous

Poster managed to sneak a few comments in before the administrator processed his ban. Please ignore, everyone. -b

[CharityStripe34]

This was an excellent interview. It was less about his career and more about his life and mentality. He has floated the idea of playing in Greece a few times and recently even intimated he (and Thanasis) would possibly buy the team they played for as kids (Filathlitikos) to try and elevate them to the A-League in Greece. He even mentioned how once he retires from the NBA both he and his wife want to move to Athens. He greatly enjoys playing for the national team as it reinforces his love for basketball.

He even said that out of guys like he, Jokic and Luka he can envision Jokic, as well, moving back to Serbia to finish out his playing career and be with his horses lol.

[lambchop]

Not really. He would need way more finesse and shooting to pull that off. But if he goes there at 37, it would be interesting.

NBA MVP, three time NBA scoring champion, two time NBA champion, and hall of famer Bob McAdoo, was the last old NBA player to ever have any relevance or success in EuroLeague.

That was 38 years ago, and any serious and objective fan that follows the EuroLeague, knows the level of competition back then, was far lower than it is now.

Just look at some recent examples of old and/or physically past their prime NBA players going to the EuroLeague.

Pau Gasol, when he went back to Barca, he couldn't guard anyone and couldn't play effectively for more than 4 to 5 minutes at a time. At the end of the season, he was Barca's third center, and only played in certain matchups.

Luis Scola, when he played with Milan, he couldn't guard anyone. In the first 3/4s of the season, he was still effective with scoring and rebounds. In the last 1/4 of the season, he couldn't score or rebound either, and he was out of the team's rotation entirely.

Lamar Odom, when he was on Baskonia, he was the team's 12th man. He lasted about 2 weeks, before they cut him.

Allen Iverson, when he was playing with Besiktas in the EuroCup, not in the EuroLeague, but in the second tier level European league, called EuroCup, couldn't guard anyone and he was inconsistent on offense. After a few weeks, he wasn't good enough to deserve playing time anymore, and was cut.

Kemba Walker, when he was playing with Monaco, couldn't guard anyone, was below average, at best, on offense, and he was probably the second least athletic gaurd in the league, only being more athletic than Ricky Rubio. Walker was his team's third string point guard.

Ricky Rubio, when he went back to Barca, couldn't play defense, was the least athletic guard in the EuroLeague, and was a below average player on offense. By the end of the season, he was the team's 5th guard.

Andrea Bargnani, when he was on Milan, was absolutely, by far and away, the worst defender and the worst rebounder in the entire EuroLeague, at the center position.

It's no longer the 1980s, when Bob McAdoo was playing in the EuroLeague. NBA players that are still good at an old age, just stay in the NBA. The ones that have already declined some, and go to another league to still be relevant, have to take the DeMarcus Cousins, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard path, and go to places like:

Puerto Rico
Venezuela
Indonesia
Taiwan
Philippines
China
Australia

Such NBA players, even the ones that were hall of fame level guys, are no longer good enough to really help any EuroLeague team.

Wild how Pau and Odom struggled in Europe

Pau had already been battling injuries for a while. Odom was finished. This was when he was already mentally "wrecked" and hadn't trained consistently a long time.

Both of them would obviously still have looked impressive at an LA fitness run, but that's not comparable to pro basketball.

I agree with the Rubio assessment. He was a liability. This season he'll be playing EuroCup which is probably a better fit for his game and physical ability.

[Mirotic12]

If Giannis goes to Europe at 38 he will be playing the center position.
Even without the 80% of his athleticism he will be the best big.
You can't lose your height or your defensive awareness neither you can lose the footwork.
Who's the best big now?
Lessort? Tavares? Milutinov? Poirier?
Please. (with all the respect to these guys- especially Lessort is one of my favourites)

I hope you just forgot to make use of the green font.

[Mirotic12]

Pau had already been battling injuries for a while. Odom was finished. This was when he was already mentally "wrecked" and hadn't trained consistently a long time.

Both of them would obviously still have looked impressive at an LA fitness run, but that's not comparable to pro basketball.

I agree with the Rubio assessment. He was a liability. This season he'll be playing EuroCup which is probably a better fit for his game and physical ability.

Joventut Badalona moved to FIBA. So Rubio will actually be playing in the BCL this season.

https://www.championsleague.basketball/en/teams/joventut-badalona/152350-ricky-rubio

But pretty much the same thing though.

On another note, FIBA has morons doing their height conversions. They have Rubio's height wrong there on his FIBA BCL profile. 193 cm = 6'4", and they list it as being 6'3". I noticed many players also had the wrong height listing at EuroBasket.

Lots of players at EuroBasket were listed shorter than their actual correct heights, based on how they should actually convert from the metric system to the empirial system.

It's really not that hard to Google a centimeters to inches, or meters to inches calculator.

That's just embarrassing that they can't even get something as simple as height conversions right. It's really not all that difficult to learn how fractions work.

The draft threads for some European players will probably get even more ridiculous now. Some posters were already claiming guys like Poku and Sengun were only 6'7" in draft threads here before. Now, with FIBA getting the height conversions wrong and lowering them, there will probably be some posters here claiming some 7 footer from Europe is really only 6'5".

[oversteerdawg]

This is the best Giannis interview:

https://youtube.com/shorts/OH9NNW4hfNE?si=zr5foFjxXMk2Q62x

[KGtabake]

If Giannis goes to Europe at 38 he will be playing the center position.
Even without the 80% of his athleticism he will be the best big.
You can't lose your height or your defensive awareness neither you can lose the footwork.
Who's the best big now?
Lessort? Tavares? Milutinov? Poirier?
Please. (with all the respect to these guys- especially Lessort is one of my favourites)

I hope you just forgot to make use of the green font.

I didn't forget anything.
Giannis is a top20 player in the history of the game.
It doesn't require any super elite ability to be the best player in Europe.
Guys like Vezenkov, James and Nunn are getting the MVPs. Giannis at 38 has these guys for breakfast.

[pepe1991]

So.. when is he finally leaving ?

[Packbuckman]

So.. when is he finally leaving ?

2035

[Mirotic12]

If Giannis goes to Europe at 38 he will be playing the center position.
Even without the 80% of his athleticism he will be the best big.
You can't lose your height or your defensive awareness neither you can lose the footwork.
Who's the best big now?
Lessort? Tavares? Milutinov? Poirier?
Please. (with all the respect to these guys- especially Lessort is one of my favourites)

I hope you just forgot to make use of the green font.

I didn't forget anything.
Giannis is a top20 player in the history of the game.
It doesn't require any super elite ability to be the best player in Europe.
Guys like Vezenkov, James and Nunn are getting the MVPs. Giannis at 38 has these guys for breakfast.

Giannis minus 80% of his athleticism would be a worse player than his brother Kostas is.

Kostas has been a 3rd string / 4th string center during his entire EuroLeague career.

Claiming that Giannis, minus his athleticism, would be the best player in the EuroLeague, is actually one of the most epic level trolls in the history of this site.

Kudos to you on that.

[Packbuckman]

I hope you just forgot to make use of the green font.

I didn't forget anything.
Giannis is a top20 player in the history of the game.
It doesn't require any super elite ability to be the best player in Europe.
Guys like Vezenkov, James and Nunn are getting the MVPs. Giannis at 38 has these guys for breakfast.

Giannis minus 80% of his athleticism would be a worse player than his brother Kostas is.

Kostas has been a 3rd string / 4th string center during his entire EuroLeague career.

Claiming that Giannis, minus his athleticism, would be the best player in the EuroLeague, is actually one of the most epic level trolls in the history of this site.

Kudos to you on that.

If you believe that Giannis minus his athleticism is a worse player than Kostas than you don’t know anything about basketball. Giannis ball handling alone is superior to 99% of bigs the only one that compares is KD. Giannis is going to play as long as he wants to play his outside shooting is way better than Kostas too and getting better

[Mirotic12]

There isn't even a need for the kind of player Giannis would be without athleticism in EuroLeague.

Amare Stoudamire minus athleticism already played in the EuroLeague. That already happened. This isn't even a hypothetical. Amare minus athleticism already was a thing in the EuroLeague that happened.

Post athleticism Amare was so dominant in the EuroLeague, with his averages of 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. Post athleticism Amare was very clearly the best player in Europe, as everyone knows that 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game automatically makes you the best player in Europe.

Everyone that has even a very rudimentary understanding of the most basic basketball knowledge, knows that third string centers that average 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game, like Amare did in the EuroLeague, are of course, easily the best player in all of Europe.

[Packbuckman]

There isn't even a need for the kind of player Giannis would be without athleticism in EuroLeague.

Amare Stoudamire minus athleticism already played in the EuroLeague. That already happened. This isn't even a hypothetical. Amare minus athleticism already was a thing in the EuroLeague that happened.

Post athleticism Amare was so dominant in the EuroLeague, with his averages of 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. Post athleticism Amare was very clearly the best player in Europe, as everyone knows that 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game automatically makes you the best player in Europe.

Everyone that has even a very rudimentary understanding of the most basic basketball knowledge, knows that third string centers that average 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game, like Amare did in the EuroLeague, are of course, easily the best player in all of Europe.

Amare had major injuries that robbed him of not just athleticism but being able to compete in basketball anymore. Giannis has had no such injury history now if your saying he is going to have those kind of injuries instead of just aging that’s two different things. Giannis at 38 without major injuries is still going to be more athletic than 90% of centers. I think your going to very surprised how long Giannis stays a player.

[NyKnicks1714]

Pfft, it wasn't even in English

[Mirotic12]

I didn't say anything about Giannis' athleticism. I didn't say anything about Giannis and injuries. I didn't say anything about predicting what Giannis would be at at any age.

Some posters here are claiming that Giannis without any athleticism, would easily be the best player in Europe.

A claim is being made that Giannis WITHOUT ATHLETICISM, would easily be the best player in Europe.

I am simply pointing out how absurd and ridiculous that claim.is.

I never talked about Giannis' athleticism, what injuries he might get, what he might be at whatever age. Not once did I even mention it.

I disputed the claims that no matter how old he was, in the specific terms of how washed he was physically, how that even if he had lost his athletic ability, couldn't really move anymore, etc., that he would without question, easily be the best player in Europe. That's the claim being made by some posters here.

I am disputing this absolutely absurd claim being made that without athletic ability, as has even been stated here, that if he was a stiff and could barely walk, and was without athleticism, that he would easily the best player in Europe.

This wildly bonkers claim, that is being made by some posters here, is what I was disputing.

Boban Marjanovic lasted about a few weeks in the EuroLeague, before he was cut by Fenerbahce. He wasn't their main center. He was simply their third string center, and all he had to do, to stay in the EuroLeague, was be adequate as a third string center.

He couldn't manage that third string role and he was cut early in the season. Boban has plenty of skills and he can shoot. The EuroLeague also allows a true zone defense, as it does not have the defensive 3 seconds rule. So Boban's enormous size could shut down the paint, simply by him standing in it

It didn't matter. He wasn't even worth having as a third string center in EuroLeague.

And yet, we actually have trolling at such an audacious level here, that some claims are being made that a big without any athleticism and that couldn't move, would easily be the best player in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the real world, there are all kinds of bigs in Europe that have more skills than Giannis does, that are better shooters than Giannis is, that have more shooting range than Giannis has, that are also physically without athleticism, that never even make a EuroLeague rotation in their entire careers, and many of them never even make it to the EuroLeague as a player at all.

Back on planet Earth, and in actual reality, a good outcome for a big without any athleticism that can't move, is being a third string center in EuroLeague that doesn't get cut.

And just for reference, every NBA player I mentioned in a previous post in the thread, that was physically old, as in they had lost their athleticism, and that all were huge busts in the EuroLeague - every single one of them had posters on these forums saying at the time, that they were going to be the best player in EuroLeague, and some claims were even made that they would be the best player ever in the history of the EuroLeague.

[Packbuckman]

I didn't say anything about Giannis' athleticism. I didn't say anything about Giannis and injuries. I didn't say anything about predicting what Giannis would be at at any age.

Some posters here are claiming that Giannis without any athleticism, would easily be the best player in Europe.

A claim is being made that Giannis WITHOUT ATHLETICISM, would easily be the best player in Europe.

I am simply pointing out how absurd and ridiculous that claim.is.

I never talked about Giannis' athleticism, what injuries he might get, what he might be at whatever age. Not once did I even mention it.

I disputed the claims that no matter how old he was, in the specific terms of how washed he was physically, how that even if he had lost his athletic ability, couldn't really move anymore, etc., that he would without question, easily be the best player in Europe. That's the claim being made by some posters here.

I am disputing this absolutely absurd claim being made that without athletic ability, as has even been stated here, if he was a stiff and could barely walk, and that without athleticism, he would easily the best player in Europe.

This wildly bonkers claim, that is being made by some posters here, is what I was disputing.

Boban Marjanovic lasted about a few weeks in the EuroLeague, before he was cut by Fenerbahce. He wasn't their main center. He was simply their third string center, and all he had to do, to stay in the EuroLeague, was be adequate as a third string center.

He couldn't manage that third string role and he was cut early in the season. Boban has plenty of skills and he can shoot. The EuroLeague also allows a true zone defense, as it does not have the no defensive 3 seconds rule. So Boban's enormous size could shut down the paint, simply by him standing in it

It didn't matter. He wasn't even worth having as a third string center in EuroLeague.

And yet, we actually have trolling at such an audacious level here, that some claims are being made that a big without any athleticism, that couldn't move, would easily be the best player in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the real world, there are all kinds of bigs in Europe that have more skills than Giannis does, that are better shooters than Giannis is, that have more shooting range than Giannis has, that are also physically without athleticism, that never even make a EuroLeague rotation in their entire careers, and many of them never even make it to the EuroLeague as a player at all.

Back on planet Earth, and in actual reality, a good outcome for a big without any athleticism that can't move, is being a third string center in EuroLeague that doesn't get cut.

And just for reference, every NBA player I mentioned in a previous post in the thread, that was physically old, as in had lost their athleticism, and that all were huge busts in the EuroLeague - every single one of them had posters on these forums saying at the time, that they were going to be the best player in EuroLeague, and some claims were even made that they would be the best player ever in the history of the EuroLeague.

Lol well that is pretty dumb to say that you can’t morph out what Giannis is physically just like you can’t with Wilt. But those two players had skills too just that it’s amplified with their physical traits not just athleticism both are huge too Giannis can handle the ball exceptionally for his size. But I do see what your saying though lol

[KGtabake]

I hope you just forgot to make use of the green font.

I didn't forget anything.
Giannis is a top20 player in the history of the game.
It doesn't require any super elite ability to be the best player in Europe.
Guys like Vezenkov, James and Nunn are getting the MVPs. Giannis at 38 has these guys for breakfast.

Giannis minus 80% of his athleticism would be a worse player than his brother Kostas is.

Kostas has been a 3rd string / 4th string center during his entire EuroLeague career.

Claiming that Giannis, minus his athleticism, would be the best player in the EuroLeague, is actually one of the most epic level trolls in the history of this site.

Kudos to you on that.

No kudos to you.
You just compared a top20 player in the history of the game with a 3rd stringer in Europe.
Congratulations.

[AussieBuck]

I didn't forget anything.
Giannis is a top20 player in the history of the game.
It doesn't require any super elite ability to be the best player in Europe.
Guys like Vezenkov, James and Nunn are getting the MVPs. Giannis at 38 has these guys for breakfast.

Giannis minus 80% of his athleticism would be a worse player than his brother Kostas is.

Kostas has been a 3rd string / 4th string center during his entire EuroLeague career.

Claiming that Giannis, minus his athleticism, would be the best player in the EuroLeague, is actually one of the most epic level trolls in the history of this site.

Kudos to you on that.

No kudos to you.
You just compared a top20 player in the history of the game with a 3rd stringer in Europe.
Congratulations.

It must be tough being the one Greek who hates Giannis. Imagine this guys basketball conversations in real life if he talks to people outside of the internet. A hell of a depressing hobby stanning 24/7 for minor league Monta Ellis for 2 decades.

[Mirotic12]

You just compared a top20 player in the history of the game with a 3rd stringer in Europe.
Congratulations.

It must be tough being the one Greek who hates Giannis. Imagine this guys basketball conversations in real life if he talks to people outside of the internet.

Posting that a stiff version of Giannis without athleticism, would easily be the best player in Europe, would get you an automatic insta ban in the vast majority of European basketball forums.

It's a truly astonishing level of trolling.

UcanUwill is a EuroLeague fan here that underrates the EuroLeague in general. Even he already posted in this very thread that it's an absurd level of trolling.

Of course, you want to pretend that no one pointed it out.

[NO-KG-AI]

Seeing Giannis play in Europe would make me really sad. A legend of basketball having to stoop that low. Easily the best greek player to ever touch a basketball is too far above that.