Naz Mitrou-Long spoke to Basket News about his move to Zalgiris and the influence Gigi Datome had on him.
After spending his first EuroLeague season with Milan, the Canadian-Greek guard Naz Mitrou-Long is now ready for a new chapter in his career, this time with Zalgiris in Kaunas.
Last season, Zalgiris surprised almost everyone by making it to the EuroLeague playoffs, leaving behind clubs like Anadolu Efes and Olimpia Milano.
In his first season with the Lithuanian champions, coach Kazys Maksvytis did an exceptional job and maximized the qualities of the players he had at his disposal.
The Lithuanian team managed to retain most of its players from the previous season but lost Isaiah Taylor, who chose to go to the Chinese league. To replace him, Zalgiris decided to invest in Naz Mitrou-Long.
After signing a 1+1 contract with Zalgiris, Mitrou-Long is now ready for a season that will be crucial for his future.
“As we studied the teams, we realized that Zalgiris’ offensive system suits my game the most. I think it’s a type of offense that involves a lot of players, where multiple people can be playmakers,” Mitrou-Long explained.
During his season in Milan, Mitrou-Long played alongside Luigi Datome, who recently ended his professional basketball career after representing the Italian national team at the FIBA World Cup.
Just by watching him, Mitrou-Long realized how important Datome was to the team and how his presence changed the tone of the club.
“Without Gigi, I don’t think we would have won the Italian championship. It was incredible to see the things he did. He’s a protagonist of one of the best basketball stories I’ve seen in my life. It’s a story similar to Kobe Bryant’s,” concluded the 30-year-old guard.