In a wide-ranging interview with EOK WebRadio, Olimpia Milano GM Christos Stavropoulos also discussed the creation of NBA Europe.
“The fact that there could be another organization and that it could compete with us is something that can happen… The point is that, qualitatively, for the European basketball ecosystem, the best solution is to have one very strong and united organization. We have a responsibility toward the fans: situations must always be clear. We are confusing the fans, and the responsibility we have is a very great one. I believe that ultimately both FIBA and the NBA will understand that collaborating with EuroLeague is the best solution.”
On the increasingly packed schedule:
“It’s a new model that we are experiencing, and I believe teams have been working on it constantly in recent years. It’s a special situation because there are so many games and, in fact, so many important ones. I remember that in the past you could ‘drop’ some games until December. Now every game is a ‘war’, every game is important and you have to win it, otherwise you immediately risk falling behind. Then you have the domestic league, which is very competitive in Italy, just as it is now in Greece. With all of this, you end up with an extremely packed schedule. It is no longer an easy job for coaches because they don’t have the time to ‘teach’, to work with the team the way they would like. Essentially, they are just trying to keep the team in shape… The way things work has changed.”
On Giorgio Armani:
“We are talking about a fantastic man who has always been close to the team in a very discreet way. He was always close to us, attending all our home games and, sometimes, away games as well. As a team, we never lacked anything. As a personality, we are talking about a charismatic man, a leader, someone who is highly respected all over the world. He took over the team when it was in great difficulty and at risk of disappearing, and he did it because of his love for the team and the city of Milan.”
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