Member of the five majors of the season, the French international leader returned to the season, the play-offs and… the inevitable subject Wembanyama.
The pride of being in the five of the season : “We must not hide it, it is a source of pride for any player who trains hard every day and who plays in this championship. It is a pride to be in this five major. Afterwards, we know that it depends on a lot of things, first of all what we do collectively and, as I have always done, do the maximum individually for the team.»
Asvel arrives launched in the play-offs : “We continue to work, there are always small details to improve, that’s what we want to do. The season is not over. On the contrary ! This is the best part that will start on Sunday. We had a fairly complicated start to the season in terms of rhythm collectively, and there were rotations. It was complicated with the rhythm of the Euroleague, the injuries, the players we lost along the way… But that’s how it is. You have to move forward. We are third and the play-offs are coming, we have to be ready.»
Le Mans in the quarter-finals : “They’re a very good team, they’ve proven that all season. In the top 7, there are not many surprises given the teams’ season. We have this comeback from the Sig but the others have been rather constant even if Cholet fell a little at the end due to injuries. The others held on and always responded.»
If we want to give ourselves the means, we will have to be more than perfect.
monaco : “If we want to get the title, we want to reach the final to give us the means to hope. Afterwards, we are not going to hide it, we know how Monaco has been able to evolve during the season. They took place in the Euroleague and in the championship. If we want to give ourselves the means, we will have to be more than perfect. But before thinking about Monaco (and a potential final), there is a quarter to play on Sunday.»
The presence of Monaco in the Final 4, its return to France, to give credibility to the Betclic Elite : “I don’t know if it’s up to me to ask the question, more to strangers. Asvel and Monaco have allowed the French to pay more attention to the Euroleague. We were more focused on the NBA and the French championship during my years abroad, and afterwards, we tried to be a little interested in what was happening abroad. It’s obviously a plus to have a team in the Final 4…»
The hype around Wembanyama : “There is of course a difference. It’s normal. It’s a phenomenon compared to what he was able to show and what he will show behind. There is real and deserved media coverage. It might have been even more if he had been American. We don’t necessarily have that culture. It took us a long time to sign a deal with the NBA so that they could see the matches… It takes time on our side. We have a culture that has nothing to do with American culture or others in Europe. On the other hand, we have to see how all this will evolve when Victor is gone.»
Read alsoNBA: in the footsteps of “TP”, Wembanyama to San Antonio to live his American dream
If he manages to p the physical stage in the United States, staying physically and mentally strong as soon as the opposing players come into him, he will progress as he should.
Nando De Colo
Wembanyama’s American Dream : “For him, it’s not a dream, it’s a goal. I don’t know him personally. I hope we’ll meet more this summer if you know what I’m talking about (De Colo and “Wemby” could play for the France team this summer during the World Cup, editor’s note)… He seems to having his head on his shoulders, who knows what he wants. If he manages to p the physical stage in the United States, staying physically and mentally strong as soon as the opposing players come into him, he will progress as he should. If in addition he goes to Spurs, as everyone expects, I know they have the right structures and people to allow him to develop in the right way.»
Gregg Popovich, probable future coach of “Wemby” : “He seems like an interesting person, listening, it might click well with Popovich. But it’s not the coach, but all the people around him. We know how very important Spurs istants are for player development. I know because I was there and I had a lot of room for improvement at that time.»
Statements taken at a press conference
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