Check out what the stars said during media availability on Thursday
Semifinals pregame quotes: Fenerbahce vs. Panathinaikos
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On the eve of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals, the Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens players spoke with the media before and after the practice sessions at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. Here's what some of the stars had to say.
Wade Baldwin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard
"This [matchup with Jerian Grant] isn't an individual thing. It's made out to be. It's fun, you know, it's all about talking sh*t shit a little bit before, during, and afterward. We're all competitors here. This is what the game's about. It may make it a little more fun for the media, but this is Fenerbahce against Panathinaikos. They're a team that beat us two times in the regular season. Not too many teams have. And we just want to get that revenge game back in a way. Fresh from last year, losing in the Final Four to this team and in the same atmosphere. We take it on that approach.
"A lot of is ball control. You take a look at the last two games [against Panathinaikos]. At home, a ton of them by myself late in the game. At Panathinaikos, Marko [Guduric] had a turnover late in the game that was a deciding factor, so taking care of the ball is always the most important thing.
"It feels like it's about time for me [to play in the Final Four] and that was the goal in the move [from Maccabi], coming to a team that has a history of being there with a coach that’s been here now five, six times in a row. That's where I wanted to be. I'm here and now, it's time to show what I can do and what our team can do."
Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center
"I think we got better [than last year], yeah. We are in the same position as we were last year – semifinal of the Final Four against Fenerbahce. It’s not going to matter who’s the best team, just who’s gonna be the best in those 40 minutes. They got a good frontline, experienced guys who have been here before, a guy who won the EuroLeague already. We've got to be ready, but it’s going to be a big battle. Everyone fought the whole year to be here, it’s going to be a battle, for sure.”
Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul big man
"It is nice to be back in the Final Four. Hopefully it's a luckier one than the previous ones I have been to, but it's nice. This is a new venue, I have never been here before, so I'm very excited. I think it goes beyond just the opponent. It is just about the Final Four being super intense. We have to leave everything out, play with a lot of energy and be focused. We played against them already twice this year. We know what they do, they know what we do, so it's just a matter of being precise, focused and playing with a lot of energy.
"[Mathias] Lessort is a very good player, an incredible player. But again, they arrived here without him, so they are an incredible team even without him. We will see what's going to be tomorrow. Whatever it will be, we will try to be ready. It is very nice to be here. This was one of the reasons why I came back to Fenerbahce. We are one step away from the finish line and hopefully we will be able to take this extra step."
Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward
"Obviously, we are expecting a tough battle tomorrow, another tough game. But it’s just like another game, everybody is motivated, everybody is really excited and we are ready to go. I am very hungry. I am definitely excited and ready to play.
"This is something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Before the NBA, this was my goal: to go to the EuroLeague Final Four and win a EuroLeague title. I was not lucky to do it, but I am lucky to do it now. It feels great, but it’s just another game that we need to win, and that we are going to win. We believe in ourselves, but we know how great they are. They had a great season. We are just ready and just motivated. I am sure they prepared something, we are going to prepare something. It will be like a chess battle."
Errick McCollum, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard
"I feel like every year is a different year, a different team. Even though they have some of the same players, roles change, people evolve, and I think the style that Fener plays now is a little bit different to last year.
"If we can slow down [Kendrick] Nunn and [Kostas] Sloukas, make things a little difficult for them, you have to find a way to slow them down. I'm sure on our end they'll want to slow down Nigel [Hayes-Davis], Marko [Guduric], Wade [Baldwin], so we'll see the battle of that. Sometimes the best players and the key players are always going to do what they do, but the others... I think the role players make the difference in these types of games."
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward
"So far, it has been amazing: the hospitality, the hotel we are staying, the food, the people... the people are very hospitable, generous. Their whole tradition is amazing. The facilities and the court are amazing, and basketball-wise, we are preparing for a very difficult game which we hope to win tomorrow. The trickiest, most difficult and most challenging part is to beat a team three times in a row. Fenerbahce went 3-0 in the playoffs, so they had more time to prepare for us. They had more time to go over more tactics on us and our key players. I mean, it is going to be difficult. We are ready. We got prepared physically and mentally for this game and I think it's going to go to whoever wants it more. This feeling [of winning the EuroLeague] doesn't compare to anything else in the world, for sure. It tells you that all your hard work is paying off, but the past is the past. This just needs to stay in your in our minds to motivate us more to win the games."