Dinos Mitoglou talked with Basketball Sphere about the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and his national team of Greece.
Athens is a historical city in many respects. History, culture, and lifestyle are deeply woven into the capital of Greece. It is not only culturally and philosophically significant, but also basketball-wise, and all fans of the sport know why.
Of course, when we talk about Athens, the first thought is of Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, but there are also other teams like AEK, Peristeri and Maroussi, whose importance should not be overlooked. Now, Athens, specifically the Piraeus district, is in the spotlight due to the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Greece hopes to play at the Olympics for the first time since 2008, when Beijing hosted the Olympic Games.
First impression Dinos Mitoglou had about Vassilis Spanoulis
There has been a generational shift in the meantime, and this one looks very serious. Among the team leaders is Dinos Mitoglou. We primarily talked to him about the great defensive potential that the Hellenes possess. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nick Calathes, Thomas Walkup, and Kostas Papanikolaou are players known for these skills. For our website, Panathinaikos’ power forward shared an anecdote told by the head coach of this national team, the legendary Vassilis Spanoulis.
“Coach Spanoulis said on the first day: ‘I don’t care if you miss shots or find your rhythm in offense. That’s not me, and we don’t do that. I will substitute you and judge you based on your defensive abilities and performance in defense.’ That’s how our team has been prepared from day one. We have a great group of guys who are exceptional in defense and have great size. Our talent in offense is also good, and if we can balance that, we can achieve a lot,” began Dinos Mitoglou in an interview for Basketball Sphere.
Slovenia and Croatia are the biggest threats to Greece in this tournament. Even though Luka Doncic is not at 100 percent physical capacity, he is playing for his national team. On the other hand, Mario Hezonja and his team want to go to their first Olympic Games since 2016. However, the former Wake Forest University student does not overlook the other opponents, namely the Dominican Republic and Egypt.
“Both are great players. Everyone knows they are very talented and know what they are doing. My opinion and my life motto are to take each day and each game one by one. Today we play against the Dominican Republic, which is a very tough team, and when we face those teams, we will be ready.”
No Kostas Sloukas, no joy
Kostas Sloukas was the heart and soul of Panathinaikos’ EuroLeague campaign. He was the one who took responsibility in the big and crucial moments. He practically single-handedly decided the final against Real Madrid, and our interviewee had a big role in that with two extremely important three-pointers.
However, he will not be there. Probably fatigue, probably emotional exhaustion played a big role in the 33-year-old player’s decision not to play in Piraeus. The “Hellenes” will miss him, and his teammate is aware of that.
“Kostas Sloukas absence is huge because he is one of the best playmakers in the EuroLeague. He is characterized by years of experience. He can offer a lot on the court just by reading different situations. An incredible player. I miss him, he makes our job as big guys easier.”