See what players on AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul said at the media availability session on the eve of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game.
Players' thoughts before the Championship Game
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Nick Calathes, Monaco guard
"It feels great. It is always great to have a chance to be able to win a championship, so for us to make it to the final is huge. And we want to do better than that. Obviously, we want to win it. It is huge for us to get your body right, to get your mindset right and to stay locked in. They are well coached. They have got a lot of guys that can create and get shooters the ball in the right position. They know how to play, their guards are really tough. And then obviously you got Nigel [Hayes-Davis] who pretty much can do it all. It felt really good to be out there. It's been a long time, it has been an up-and-down season for me with injuries, and just to be out there with the guys and help was great. I hope to do the same thing tomorrow. My knees felt great, everything felt good, so I will be ready to go for the final. You never know when you can get another chance. I had a chance in Barcelona that I regret. This would be amazing to get."
Elie Okobo, Monaco guard
"We have to stay locked in like we were yesterday and bring even more intensity, do even better. They are a really talented team. We are really excited that it is about to start, and we are ready. The semifinal showed we evolved, that we improved as a team throughout the years, throughout the season and you gain experience. And when a team makes a run, it’s about keeping your composure, staying focused and locked in on the game plan and what you have to do. I think that’s what we did yesterday, we did it at a high level and we will have to do it in the championship game. I feel like we have been sacrificing for the good of the team. It does not matter who is scoring, who makes an assist. The goal is to play as a team, play at a high level defensively and share the ball. You can see that everyone can shine on this team, everyone can bring something to the table on offense and on defense and that’s what we're gonna have to do. These games are to win titles, not for stats."
Mam Jaiteh, Monaco center
"I think we have extreme determination and extreme willingness of trying to win, win this final. You never know if we are going to have a chance again to have this kind of game, so the goal is to have no regrets and to be able to give it all in tomorrow's game. Our goal is to play even more physical than what we did yesterday. We know that this is a final and there are going to be some x-factors, some tactical things that can be different, so if we play with this physicality and this energy, that's how we are going to give us a lot of chances to win. I'm feeling great, and I think this is the mood and the mentality of every guy on the team right now, being able to give everything that the team needs, and being available to contribute to the team, because this is the only way to win. We have to play as a team and everybody has to bring something."
Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce guard
"I think we had 9 turnovers in the semifinals, and I think that’s the key for us. We have seen how Monaco threw Olympiacos off its game with the defense and pressure, they have players who do a great job with that. Key will be our turnovers, how we will get into our offensive sets and control the game. We are watching our games against Monaco from this season, and last night’s game. Honestly, the film was not long. I believe it is not easy to put too much information at this point into players’ minds, and I think [Coach Jasikevicius] knows that, and knows it better than us. It’s to make it as simple as possible, to stress just a few important things. Monaco’s semifinals performance did not surprise me because we played five playoff games last season against them. It’s the same players, and I remember how physical and tough it was. Now they also have Nick Calathes, who was with us last season and does some great defensive things not seen in the box scores. And they have Daniel Theis, who was not there last season, and gives them extra quality."
Bonzie Colson, Fenerbahce forward
"It's going to be a fun atmosphere. We're blessed to be in situation to play for a final. They're a really great, progressive and talented team, so we got to focus in on being patient and executing as best we can offensive. Tomorrow's a whole new game, but we got to play that same way [we did on Friday], and we think it's going to be more aggressive. Monaco has always been talented, they have great chemistry. They have the same guards, they added Nick [Calathes] as another veteran guard, but they’re scorers, they defend really well, they're very aggressive. I’ve played them a lot, so I know what they do. They know what we do. So it's gonna come down to just executing and playing more aggressive than them. It should be an exciting game. A EuroLeague championship is why I'm here. It’s a goal of a lot of people, So, it'll be definitely the highest achievement that I can reach, being a player in Europe. I'll have my girlfriend, my daughter – actually, her birthday is Monday – and then, my girlfriend's mom, sister, and cousin here for the game."
Sertac Sanli, Fenerbahce center
"It is amazing to play the final because we played the whole season for this game. Everything we did was to play this game, and everybody knows that, all of my teammates know this. And everybody wants to play as soon as possible because nobody can wait. We are excited to step on the court in the EuroLeague final and I hope we are going to win. There are no favorites in this kind of game. It is just one game and there is nothing you can do about it the day after. This is a there-is-no-tomorrow kind of game, everything we did was to play this game, and who wants it more is going to win it. We have to fight for 50-50 balls, dive for loose balls and fight more, make good fouls. The team that fights the most is going to win the game. I can be the first player to win the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce and Efes. It's really exciting and with the help of our fans, it is a really great opportunity for my career, a great milestone for me. I hope we are going to win it tomorrow, and I can check one more box in my career."