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(originally posted by hagakure, 09-29-2005, 08:53 AM)
great Diamantidis interview
BELGRADE (EuroBasket 2005) - Dimitrios Diamantidis hit a shot for the ages when he buried a three-pointer in the final seconds to give Greece an amazing 67-66 triumph over France on Saturday night and put his team in the EuroBasket 2005 final.
One day later and the 25-year-old Diamantidis was at it again, this time leading Greece with a superlative defensive effort to set the tone for Greece's 78-62 win over Germany to clinch the gold medal.
It is the first time Greece have won the title since 1987, when Nikos Gallis, Panagiotis Fassoulas and current national team coach Panagiotis Yannakis captured gold in a major upset over the old Soviet Union, a result which helped a continent fall in love with the basketball.
Diamantidis is young, talented but also very humble.
In an exclusive interview with PA Sport's Jeff Taylor on behalf of FIBA after Greece's famous success on Sunday, Diamantidis talks about his country's EuroBasket title run, and his place in the game.
FIBA: "Dimitrios, Greece trailed France in the semi-final by seven points with 43 seconds left and yet still came back to win with your three-pointer. Looking back on that shot, what comes to mind?
DIAMANTIDIS: "The shot belongs to the past. All I have on my mind is the fact that we won the championship."
FIBA: "Is this the greatest time of your life, winning the European Championship?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "Yes. It is the happiest day of my life. It all started in 1987, watching that team. It is the dream of every player. I was one of the lucky ones to make my dream come true."
FIBA: "When did you first realise you would be able to play basketball at this level?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "In the beginning, I never really thought about this. I was just enjoying playing basketball. Eventually, I signed with Iraklis (Thessaloniki), I was 19 by that time. That is when I started believing this was to be my career."
FIBA: "What did your family think about you playing basketball?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "They were never an obstacle. They always encouraged me. They had seen how much passion there was about it (the game). And like every child, I owe them a big thank you. Maybe now is that time I should say that to them."
FIBA: "You had some of the best defensive efforts of all the players at the EuroBasket. Against Israel in the elimination round, your had six steals and then against Germany you had four. Do you get as much joy from playing defence as offence?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "I just do what I can to try and help my team. I'm doing what my coach asks, whether it's defence or offence."
FIBA: "How difficult is it for Greece to play that intense man-to-man, pressure defence for 40 minutes?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "It's not difficult to play defence like that. We play it like that at our clubs as well. Our coach (Yannakis) explained to us from day one that good defence makes it easier to have a good offence. And this happened in our games. We realised how important it was, and we raised our level of defence and it made the difference."
FIBA: "Everything has changed now for Greece, looking ahead to the FIBA World Championship next year. You have not only qualified, you have qualified as European champions. What is this year going to be like for you, your team-mates and Greek basketball?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "The World Championship is too far ahead (to think about right now)."
FIBA: "What are your thoughts on Greece's football team winning Euro 2004, and your team winning the basketball one year later?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "More children will come to the sport. That's how we started, by watching in 1987. At the same time, we don't feel like we are rivals to football. We focus, concentrate on our part. And then of course, the officials in basketball should be careful and look after the sport in terms of clubs. We've done our part."
FIBA: "How difficult will it be for you to leave European basketball if you ever have a chance to go to the NBA?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "I never want to go to the NBA. I know what I can do, and I know that I can't play over there. So I will play here."
BELGRADE (EuroBasket 2005) - Dimitrios Diamantidis hit a shot for the ages when he buried a three-pointer in the final seconds to give Greece an amazing 67-66 triumph over France on Saturday night and put his team in the EuroBasket 2005 final.
One day later and the 25-year-old Diamantidis was at it again, this time leading Greece with a superlative defensive effort to set the tone for Greece's 78-62 win over Germany to clinch the gold medal.
It is the first time Greece have won the title since 1987, when Nikos Gallis, Panagiotis Fassoulas and current national team coach Panagiotis Yannakis captured gold in a major upset over the old Soviet Union, a result which helped a continent fall in love with the basketball.
Diamantidis is young, talented but also very humble.
In an exclusive interview with PA Sport's Jeff Taylor on behalf of FIBA after Greece's famous success on Sunday, Diamantidis talks about his country's EuroBasket title run, and his place in the game.
FIBA: "Dimitrios, Greece trailed France in the semi-final by seven points with 43 seconds left and yet still came back to win with your three-pointer. Looking back on that shot, what comes to mind?
DIAMANTIDIS: "The shot belongs to the past. All I have on my mind is the fact that we won the championship."
FIBA: "Is this the greatest time of your life, winning the European Championship?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "Yes. It is the happiest day of my life. It all started in 1987, watching that team. It is the dream of every player. I was one of the lucky ones to make my dream come true."
FIBA: "When did you first realise you would be able to play basketball at this level?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "In the beginning, I never really thought about this. I was just enjoying playing basketball. Eventually, I signed with Iraklis (Thessaloniki), I was 19 by that time. That is when I started believing this was to be my career."
FIBA: "What did your family think about you playing basketball?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "They were never an obstacle. They always encouraged me. They had seen how much passion there was about it (the game). And like every child, I owe them a big thank you. Maybe now is that time I should say that to them."
FIBA: "You had some of the best defensive efforts of all the players at the EuroBasket. Against Israel in the elimination round, your had six steals and then against Germany you had four. Do you get as much joy from playing defence as offence?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "I just do what I can to try and help my team. I'm doing what my coach asks, whether it's defence or offence."
FIBA: "How difficult is it for Greece to play that intense man-to-man, pressure defence for 40 minutes?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "It's not difficult to play defence like that. We play it like that at our clubs as well. Our coach (Yannakis) explained to us from day one that good defence makes it easier to have a good offence. And this happened in our games. We realised how important it was, and we raised our level of defence and it made the difference."
FIBA: "Everything has changed now for Greece, looking ahead to the FIBA World Championship next year. You have not only qualified, you have qualified as European champions. What is this year going to be like for you, your team-mates and Greek basketball?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "The World Championship is too far ahead (to think about right now)."
FIBA: "What are your thoughts on Greece's football team winning Euro 2004, and your team winning the basketball one year later?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "More children will come to the sport. That's how we started, by watching in 1987. At the same time, we don't feel like we are rivals to football. We focus, concentrate on our part. And then of course, the officials in basketball should be careful and look after the sport in terms of clubs. We've done our part."
FIBA: "How difficult will it be for you to leave European basketball if you ever have a chance to go to the NBA?"
DIAMANTIDIS: "I never want to go to the NBA. I know what I can do, and I know that I can't play over there. So I will play here."
by hagakure, 09-29-2005, 08:53 AM: I really like what he says. I especially like his comments about defense. I remember Giannakis 11 years ago in Toronto saying that if you tie my hands behind my back you still won't be able to beat me if I play good defense.
I'm not so sure about his comments about the NBA. I really don't know why greek players are so modest (even though some idiots from other countries believe the exact opposite about us). I just wish they would try to prove that greek basketball players have enough talent to make it in the NBA too.
One thing I will say about this generation of players is that they all love basketball. You can see it from the style of basketball guys like Diamantidis and Papaloukas play. I know it because I have seen Zisis a professional basketball player play ball with his friends in Thesaloniki. Even guys like Papanikolaou, Fotsis play basketball in their free time.
This is definitely the legacy of the team of 1987 because I'm about the same age most of these players and I always loved playing basketball as a teenager.
I'm not so sure about his comments about the NBA. I really don't know why greek players are so modest (even though some idiots from other countries believe the exact opposite about us). I just wish they would try to prove that greek basketball players have enough talent to make it in the NBA too.
One thing I will say about this generation of players is that they all love basketball. You can see it from the style of basketball guys like Diamantidis and Papaloukas play. I know it because I have seen Zisis a professional basketball player play ball with his friends in Thesaloniki. Even guys like Papanikolaou, Fotsis play basketball in their free time.
This is definitely the legacy of the team of 1987 because I'm about the same age most of these players and I always loved playing basketball as a teenager.
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