The top Euroleague executives
Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos were in Barcelona Friday afternoon (July 6, 2012) representing the European Champions at the Euroleague draw for the 2012-13 season.
The leaders of the Olympiacos basketball team were presented the award of top executives of the year by Euroleauge’s CEO Jordi Bertomeu, following a voting that was held among the teams participating the competition.
For being elected top executives of the year…
PANAGIOTIS ANGELOPOULOS: This award is the best epilogue for the past season and the best prologue for the season to come. We are happy and anxious to start the new season. I wish to dedicate this award, despite having a team with a coach, 16 players, full staff, to my brother and Giorgos Skindilias for the endless hours we have spent together in the past years to build this team.
GIORGOS ANGELOPOULOS: The most important thing in sports is to be recognized by your opponents. All the teams voted to present this award, so this distinction is of special importance and symbolism. And the thinking behind Euroleague’s decision is very special and whatever is written in it very important.
For Dusan Ivkoivc being elected coach of the year…
PANAGIOTIS ANGELOPOULOS: We are proud for the coach. Without him, we may have not had that kind of a season; we might have not achieved all that we achieved together. We never talked in public about the hours we spent with the coach, but we have made endless talks about this team, he listened to us, and we listened to him about what’s best for Olympiacos.
GIORGOS ANGELOPOULOS: I think that most of the congratulating should be addressed to Mr. Ivkovic for doing an incredible job, and anyone can witness the results of his work both on the team and on the players’ improvement. You may even witness the results in the National team of Greece. So, most of the congratulating should be addressed to Mr. Ivkovic for an excellent co-operation, which we need to thank him for.
A message to the fans of Olympiacos for the new season…
PANAGIOTIS ANGELOPOULOS: Euroleague has somewhat changed the system and thus we are going to be having more good games during the TOP-16. Four good games at home and eight more as a total. It’s a good opportunity for the fans to buy season tickets, support the team, enjoy the show and we hope for the best which is making it to London.
GIORGOS ANGELOPOULOS: The team is taking one step at a time. We don’t need to talk big and promise big. Everyone has seen how the Olympiacos model is working. We had said that maybe the European basketball model has changed or is changing, we try to continue on the same path and I believe that everything is going to be OK.
Τheir comment on the draw…
PANAGIOTIS ANGELOPOULOS: It is an interesting draw. Our group is a strong one, all the teams are strong, but this is a good thing, playing against strong teams from the beginning of the season. All the groups are tough and I don’t think this really matters. The tough part starts with the TOP-16.
GIORGOS ANGELOPOULOS: I think it’s a very strong group. You can’t say there are any easy teams, so we need to be very careful to do well.