Panou and Saratsis: “John will never change as a man”

Giannis Antetokounbo is one of the best players in the world. Basically one of the best players of all time. However, according to his two representatives, Giorgos Panou and Alexandros Saratsis, Giannis in particular remains from Sepolia.

The two Greek Freak reps spoke on Pick n’ Roll about how they discovered Giannis, what made them believe he was special and, most importantly, how humble he was after so many years and humble stays hardworking, keeps his principles.

The two representatives of Giannis explained in detail:

When they first saw Giannis play and how the first contact took place:

George Panou“Philathlitikos had given me the opportunity to get into coaching, I was assistant to Takis Tzivas. The next year, when we won promotion, I went to Maroussi as assistant to Panagiotis Giannakis, but I kept in touch with the kids. As I became a manager, my first players were Nikos Gikas, Saloustros and Kamberidis, so I was always there and watched their progress and we had contact.

Thanasis (ss Antetokounbo), who was the star of the team at the time, whom I didn’t represent, saw my work with the children and wanted to put me in touch with his younger brother and that’s how we had our first contact. It was the classic John speaking in the plural. Basketball I can’t say that from what I saw he stood out.

But there’s a struggle in Doukas in his first year as a teenager, around age 16, that pushed him to play a game where you could see the full potential of his take on the game and the choices he made. It was a match where I saw the whole future. “I was convinced that this child could do more.”

Alexandros Saratis: “Dimitropoulos picked me up in 2012 and sent me a VIDEO in which you could see that something was there. You saw the potential, the talent, he could read the game. I had no idea he would become who he is now, but you could see her perspective while we have 100% belief in the knowledge Panou has. When he tells me that “he’s a good player, I have to listen to him”.

About how much Giannis has changed as a person since becoming a star:

George Panou“He hasn’t changed. He’s just as humble and hardworking. He has the same motivation to improve. And the good/bad thing is that the circle of people trying to follow him, follow him, we’re on are of the same wavelength.

What Alex (ss Saratsis) is trying to do in America is to make them understand the value of the man behind it. We’re not talking about basketball here. If someone represents Giannis, it has nothing to do with basketball. Basketball is the reason. The child has not changed. We try to represent his values ​​in the best possible way. “His own values ​​and those of his family.”

Because what Giannis needs not to change as a character:

George Panou“The truth is that 1000% will not change. The environment will change. The people around you change as you gain fame, money and glamour. According to your filter – and I trust his filter – you have to be who you are effectively “I think we did a good job there, with respect for the people who try to get close to him, either through agreements or otherwise . to help him.”

Alexandros Saratis“I remember when he signed the first big deal for $100 million. Someone told him at the time that he was going to switch, and he himself said that ‘growing up, I would switch the first check I got. ‘ “Now I’m not changing.” So, as George says, as a person, John will not change.

Whether there was a crucial point in the negotiations for the new contract with the Bucks:

Alexandros Saratis“You can’t tell John to do something he doesn’t want to do. John thinks of everything. That was a decision for the next 5 years. Money and Milwaukee were easy. A kid who’s also a father had to make a decision , where it is going will be the next five years in which he does not know what will happen the day after tomorrow.

The good thing about me and George is that we always give him the space to make the decision. We say, “Here’s the data and the data, if you want our point of view, ask us”. “Giannis made the decision alone and nobody can force him to make the decision sooner or later.”

On whether it’s true that Giannis and Alex Saratsis speak Greek when negotiating with the Bucks so the Bucks won’t understand:

Alexandros Saratis: “We always speak Greek. In an appointment with some company, we’ve gotten to a point where we don’t even have to speak anymore. And with the Bucks, we spoke Greek when we discussed the contract. That’s a big advantage because no one can understand what we’re thinking”.

If there is an aspect of John that is not known:

George Panou“He’s also a dad’s aspect because we mustn’t forget that he’s a dad too. He tells us he won’t force Liam to play basketball. We go back one day, he says to me: “Did you see that? I caught Liam with the ball, put it in the hoop and he did it…so he nailed her. And then there was another kid, his mother gave it to me and he couldn’t do it. Liam saw it, that’s why he did it.” And I tell him, “Come on, be serious. I’ve treated fathers and fathers, I can’t treat you. “As a player, I can do that, as a father, no.”

For which photo would Alexandros Saratsis use Giannis Antetokounbo’s autobiography if he had written it?:

“I’m going to tell you a story that struck me. In the fourth game in Atlanta, where he was injured, I was in Atlanta with my wife. John doesn’t fall and doesn’t get up. We know John. I see him go back, I go With my wife we ​​see him, we see the knee and as we sit down he turns to my wife and says, “What are you doing, how are your kids? “Thank you for coming and sorry. A child who doesn’t know what happened and if they will play again is such a lovely person that they wanted to ask how my children are.”