Nike Basketball News

Playing the big games

nikebasketball_emea — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:22:35 GMT

Here we go – the final four. The stakes are higher. The game is different. But the objective is still the same: winning.

We’re always the team everyone wants to beat, so we’ve learned to take every game seriously - no matter who we’re playing against. At the final four we’ll meet the best teams in Europe. And we’ll meet them on a night they’re most eager to crush us. But we’re used to that, our opponents are always coming at us armed to the teeth.

You can’t worry about high stakes or rivalry during the game. Once you allow these thoughts to takeover your mind, you’ll lose focus of what the team’s supposed to do. You lose focus of your defensive assignment or that cut you’re supposed to make on offence. You should always focus on winning; let the fans worry about rivalry.

At the final four, we’ll take the teams as they come. It’s not about who we’re playing - all the teams are tough and experienced. It’s about what you want to achieve. If you want to be the best, you have to play the best - and beat them.

NO PRESSURE

nikebasketball_emea — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:00:04 GMT

This is it - the final chapter of the season, the Final Four. The pressure’s breathing down your neck - but you can’t let it take control. Any distractions will only damage your game.

I’ve been in this situation for the last seven years, so it’s easy for me to say. But it’s true; it’s not about the pressure. It’s about the team that performs best - the team that manages to stick to their play, because that’s what brought them to the finals in the first place.

There’s only one way to do this: work even harder, get into the best possible shape and prepare your team for any situation. Make sure you know how to react when you’re down ten points in the final, or whether to shoot or to pass with just seconds left on the shot clock.

Finals will always bring high expectations. There will always be that immense pressure, but in the end results aren’t decided by outside pressure - they’re decided by the team.

Theo

The little differences

nikebasketball_emea — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:52:14 GMT

Every baller knows Europe and the States play a different game. But can anyone define what sets them apart? Josh can.

Crunch time

nikebasketball_emea — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:17:58 GMT

Any athlete knows that trophies are won in springtime. It’s not a reason to get nervous. It’s a reason to work even harder to be prepared for what’s coming.

The Euroleague is one of the toughest leagues in the world. And when I get back, games will be even tougher, because they’re the most crucial games of the season. We know. And the crowd definitely makes sure we know. The atmosphere in the European stadiums is mental. I love it.

We’ve got the crowd backing us and we’ve got the talent. We’ve definitely got a shot at winning everything this season. More than a shot – and I want to be part of that.

That’s why I’m working my butt off here. Working my way back to the team. I do a lot of mobility, stretching - and working as hard as I can to make everything stronger, get my core stronger. It’s the only way.

I’m going back a week before I’m ready to go - and wrap up my rehab in Greece. That way I can kind of get back into swing of things and learn the new offense that they might have put in. It’s better to immerse myself back in right before I start playing as opposed to jumping right in again.

You’ve got to make sure you’re prepared - because if you know what’s coming there’s less to be nervous about.

Josh

The Ultimate Medicine

nikebasketball_emea — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:12:38 GMT

Win or lose, every team in Europe yearns for one thing more than any other: the Euroleague title.

I know, because I’ve been on both sides. I’ve been sent home from the final four. Had my dreams dashed in the Semis. And I’ve experienced the ultimate hurt of coming second in the final itself.

But in the long run, none of the disappointments matter. Because in Madrid last year I also learnt how it feels to celebrate with your teammates and coaches as Euroleague Champions.

That’s why setbacks like the recent defeat against AJ Milano don’t hold me back – they just spur me – and the team – on to succeed next time.

As a new team the bitter taste of defeat is the ultimate medicine. It reminds us we can take nothing for granted. It focuses our minds and our energy towards the job in hand. It alerts every player to the fact that there is no such thing as an unimportant game.

It is hard enough to qualify out of these groups to go to the Quarterfinal Playoffs, but it’s also very important to qualify as first of the group and earn home court advantage in the next round.

With this attitude, and the talent on court at Olympiacos, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

We proved it Vs. Tau Ceramica. And we’ll prove it again – all the way to this year’s Final Four in Berlin.

Just watch and see.

Theo

Josh Childress: Changing his game.

nikebasketball_emea — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:00:34 GMT

In 2004, Josh Childress, (AKA J-Chill) joined Atlanta’s Hawks as a No. 6 draft Pick, and completed his first season as one of the NBA’s Top Rookies.
Fast forward to 2008 and Josh stunned the basketball world by signing with Olympiacos becoming the highest profile US player ever to make the leap to the European game. How will he adjust to a new basketball culture? Find out here from the man himself on Josh’s blog: “The new kid”.

New kid on the blog

Hi, I am Josh Childress - better known as J Chill. I came over from the Atlanta Hawks to Olympiakos Piraeus in August 2008, and I’m loving it so far.

With this move I want to challenge myself to grow as a person and as a player, but the first hurdle is just finding my way and getting comfortable. This is the first time I’ve been in Europe for longer than a two-week holiday and my first visit to Athens. I am still finding my feet, but this is a great city.

Before I came over I had only lived in big American cities, in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta, and the change is huge. Everything is different. But in a good way. The Greek for instance take great pride in their food. It is always very fresh and when they bring it out it is always a display, like a work of art. The only foods I miss are Cinnamon Toast Crunch and turkey bacon.

The mentality on the court is also very different. There is a lot more focus on the team here than on the individual. My first big game was against Maccabi Tel Aviv and I think I had 14 points and five rebounds and I was like: ‘But I need to score 25’. Coming over here as an NBA player I felt a lot of pressure. I thought I had to be unbelievable. But my teammates walked up to me in the dressing room and said: ‘Great game’. I do not need to score 25 points. I just need to do what I can to help my team win. It is a struggle figuring out exactly what is expected of me and sometimes I feel like a freshman in college again. But my team is always there to help me out like a big Greek family.

I have set myself high goals for this adventure: I want to win the Greek League and the Greek Cup – which are very important to my team and myself - and the EuroLeague. I think the team is capable of that with Papaloukas, myself and a bunch of other new guys. But I also have a greater goal: to reach my full potential as a baller and as a person.

Thanks for checking out my blog. Come back to see how I am adjusting to life – and balling - in Europe.

Josh Childress

Josh Childress is currently in California recovering from his recent abdominal tear surgery, but he expects a quick recovery and a return to Athens in a few short weeks. We want to wish him a speedy recovery from his friends at nikebasketball.com. To send a get well message to J-Chill email us at nikebasketball.europe@nike.com and we will ensure he receives your message.

His game. Your design.

J-Chill challenges you to unleash your creativity by designing his shoes. Send in your design, encourage your friends to vote for it and win a pair of Huarache 08 signed by the Olympiacos star himself!!

START DESIGNING >>

Theo Papaloukas: Welcome to my blog.

nikebasketball_emea — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:19:26 GMT

Papaloukas exploded onto the world stage in the silver medal winning Greek World Championship team in 2006. His road to global player status began in a Greek Minor league and passed through a roll call of top teams in European Basketball, collecting two Euroleague titles along the way at CSKA Moscow.
Now, back in his native country, he’s on a mission to bring the Euroleague crown home.
There’s nothing this man doesn’t know about basketball. And he’s going to be sharing just some of it here for you. Stay tuned.

Welcome to my blog!

Hi, this is Theo Papaloukas, you better know who I am! I’ve decided to start writing a regular blog on nikebasketball.com to share some of the things I’ve learned over the years. I hope you enjoy my blog and that I can teach you something about basketball.

I was born in Athens and started playing basketball because I could do it near our house and my parents could relax while I stayed close by. My interest in the game grew and my friends and I got pretty good and had some success. I also liked playing because we always had coaches who inspired us with a love of basketball, even in the lowest divisions of the Athens championship.

Most young players only want to score, but I have always liked passing. I believe a pass makes at least two people happy. I am happy that I made the pass and my team-mate is happy that he scored. Some people are good at writing, others are good at singing or scoring. I am good at passing and doing what I do best has made me a better player.

I was never the greatest talent in my age-group, but I got there in the end by always setting achievable targets, by trying to catch-up with the player that was just that little bit better than me. Every year I tried to improve. First I had to make sure I was part of the team, after that I wanted to be the second point guard, than the first point guard. And after that I tried to be part of better teams and eventually the national team. And then I wanted to win championships, EuroLeagues, the European and World Championship. I always try to find motivation. Motivation is the most important thing in life and in sports.

That’s it for now, but do visit my blog again. Some of the lessons I learned might help you become a better player too. But you still need to make your own game. So take in everything you read here and put your shoes on, take your ball out to the court and learn to play basketball!

If you have any questions for me please submit them to nikebasketball.europe@nike.com and I will make sure to address your questions in my next post. I’m here to help you become a better baller.

Theo Papaloukas