Olympiakos Piraeus 2017-2018

[Adon]

When did Riley make that statement ? Because like I said I was in my early 20's in those days and followed the Knicks religiously. I don't remember any talk like that whatsoever. The Knicks were coming off a 60 win year and the best record in the East and the series loss to the Bulls was a toss up. I don't remember any such drastic changes being discussed. The Mitch Richmond scenario I discussed was actually the following year. I don't put too much stock into his brother coming up with juicy info for book purposes. Most likely it's Pat Riley looking back at those years and seeing Drazen as a missing piece but not at that time.

Although another argument one could make is that with the highly heralded Toni Kukoc joining the Bulls that summer it's hard to see Drazen letting him get all the attention had he came out strong right out of the gate while he was in a lesser league. But then again maybe he was just hungry for a club championship after 4 years in the NBA?
It's all speculation but I think the evidence mainly Drazen's own words would probably lean to a 60-40% chance he was going to Panathinaikos in my opinion.

I read some very insightful and convincing remarks in your post.
About your (rhetorical?) question in bold, when I was reading his interview I understood that he meant European championships, the predecessor of EL title. It's not so prestigious as the NBA title, but there is another Greek saying, true for some people: "it's better to be the first of the village than the second of the city".

[usagre]

Nice story on Espn website about Petrovic focusing on his incredible work ethic. Interesting tidbit on how due to his reverence of Larry Bird on multiple occasions he declined to be introduced to him. Also Toni Kukoc weighs in on how he thought Drazen was going to stay in the NBA. The article also references the serious threat that his departure to Greece was. Good stuff on an all time great player.

[KWSN-Men]

This is Drazen’s interview btw.

http://3-ponto.blogspot.gr/2010/07/blog-post_06.html?m=1

Anybody with more time can translate.

[EverGreen]

When Drazen died, it was like a family member died. He was my favorite player (even more than Galis) and the strong story he was coming to PAO made the sorrow even greater. Outside the football stadium someone had graffittied "Ερχετε ο Ντραζεν" (Drazen is coming).

Anyway, I dont have the time to translate but google does a decent job

If anyone heard him talk about Panathinaikos, he would have no doubt that Mozart would eventually sign a hegemonic contract and lead the green people to the Promised Land. Neither Giannakopoulos would have been paying for Panathinaikos, as if he had already put his cheek and is entitled to guide the team's goals, aspirations and dreams.

The great conqueror of European basketball insists that he will probably wear the Panathinaikos jersey next year. The jersey of Arian Komazec, who is currently under systematic medical observation in Zagreb.

"I believe it and I do not hesitate to say it, I am close to my deal with Panathinaikos", while next to him, Stoyan makes ... a party, since "... the dream of my life is to play in the same group during the whole season and not just in a tournament. "

Mozart, a Mozart in the land of Chopin (Poland), smiles meaningfully and does not give us the impression that he is mocking. Besides, for a long time he has seriously crippled his tongue, as he once did in front of Kormbalan and Biroyakov.

On the merits now, Petrovic seems to have touched on that the future for the next two years will be with Panathinaikos.

Drazen, are you finally working for us? The Americans who were in Wroclaw argue that you are playing your game to blackmail Nets, as Gulliota and Olympiacos did last year.

"These are stupid! My Nets offer $ 3,350,000 a year but the money is not everything. I have decided to go back to Europe. "

What is the minimum contract duration you asked for?

"I want a two-year contract so that in 1995 I do not belong to the Nets and as an unrestricted free agent I can freely choose the group I will belong to.

So will you return to the NBA?

"Yes I will play there for two more years and in 1997 I will return to Europe to finish my career in Cibona. Then I can get married already!

How do you think things will evolve from now on?

"My agent is missing in Costa Rica and I have not talked to him in the last week. I do not know what happened last week. "

I'll tell you what happened. The president of Panathinaikos came out on television and said we were a step from Petrovich.

"A step forward or a step back?".

It matters;

"No joke. I know my agent has spoken with Benetton, but the Italians do not know what to do with Kukots, although I think he will go to Chicago. "

When will the serial finish?

"Which serial? The president said the truth that we are very close (Drazen said about "pretty close"). Bengare will be in Athens on June 20, and then we will finish. We will sign before the Eurobasket starts. "

Croatian journalists insist you want unprofitable $ 4,000,000 a year but Panathinaikos offers around 6,500.00. a maximum of $ 7,000,000 for a three-year contract.

"Let everyone write that he thinks. I told you beforehand that I will sign for two years and the money is not everything. the most basic criterion in my choice will not be how much money will be placed in my bank account but how many trophies will I get. Can I tell you a friend? I showed how much I deserve in the best league of the world and I'm now coming to regain titles. I want to play in a team that will take the championship of Europe and I said it to Stoyan. You, Galis, me and the other children of Panathinaikos, if we are together, we will make Panathinaikos the first in Europe and his world happy. I'm telling you right now that I'm thinking about the final in Tel Aviv. This Panathinaikos - if I sign - will be a team that will not think or fear the defeat, wherever it is playing. "

Your own appetite?

"I come to Europe to devour everything!"

Something was also heard about Olympiacos.

"Yes, last year my agent had received an informal proposal, but nothing more. I've been told that I want to play with Stoic. "

What happened to Dave and Nets? Why did you rock them up?

"Everything was beautiful until I was injured. I missed a few games, and when I came back I faced a completely different situation, having removed some of my initiatives and downplayed my role. I was scared because my offer to this group was great and the coach knows it well. However, the coach said that if Dudley and I left, he would also leave. I already said goodbye to my teammates. "

And are you preparing to greet the next? And Galli ...

"What do you mean. Galis is a great player and he is a winner like me. Together we will achieve great things and assure you that we will reach a ball. They also said for Croatian nationality that they will play in the same group I, Kukots and Raja, and yet the whole world saw what basketballwe played. The same will happen to Panathinaikos. I prefer to have 9 gales in the group 9 than average players and to monopolize the game ".

At 29 you have won everything. What else do you expect?

"A third champion. I believe that together with Gali and Stoikos, if I sign, we will make the round of triumph in Tel Aviv and I will not regret my choice.

[Adon]

When Drazen died, it was like a family member died. He was my favorite player (even more than Galis) and the strong story he was coming to PAO made the sorrow even greater. Outside the football stadium someone had graffittied "Ερχετε ο Ντραζεν" (Drazen is coming).

Anyway, I dont have the time to translate but google does a decent job

Same here!
Everything I wrote was based on memories of that time. That's how intense it was for me. I had forgotten the part about the two-year contract and his desire to return unrestricted to the NBA though.

[usagre]

Great job KWSN-Men and Evergreen. It seems he had a a pretty clear path laid out on how he wanted the rest of his career to go.
2 years with Panathinaikos in hopes of a couple of European cups, two years in the NBA with an unspecified team but not the Nets, and then a final return to Cibona to end his career.

If I am reading between the lines I think his problem was probably with Nets coach Chuck Daly who preached the importance of defense due to his Pistons background. I find it hard to believe he would harbor such dislike for the Net franchise who unlike a Portland actually gave him a legitimate shot to shine.

I too had forgotten the details of the 1988 NBA Cba agreement which would be effect until the 1995 offseason hence Drazen’s motive to sign a two year deal in Europe to cover that period. Only then would he have truly become an NBA free agent and eliminated the Nets ability to match any offer and retain him.

[Adon]

An amusing fact as an epilogue of the above discussion about Drazen and Pao.
The discussion had started on 25 February and a few days later, on 28, quite coincidently , an article with the same subject appeared on a Greek sport site.

https://panathinaikos24.gr/2018/02/28/erxomai-na-kanoume-ton-pao-proto-stin-eyropi-nik-i-yposxesi-pou-tha-allaze-tin-istoria-tou-mpasket-esvise-stin-asfalto/

It's not the first time I see a Greek journalist getting inspired by the discussions in here. Some other times I have read an exact translation of some comments on Greek sites, anonymous or signed by known reporters. We should be very careful about what we write or else we'll misinform them

[LuDux]

Spanoulis has let himself go

https://static3.krepsinis.net/Uploads/Static/Images/690x500/3/53/83/46/538346dab0a11bd83d6d99e3c809d7b2.jpg?v=2.02.89&t=cr&s=690x500&m=3&f=/Uploads/UArticles/leadPhotos/75/b7/2e/f3/75b72ef357945d4b0345eab360b3dd9a.jpg