# Sofoklis interview



## qwertyu (Dec 29, 2002)

Sofoklis this week had one of the best games of his career and he was voted Player of the Week ( http://www.euroleague.net/ ) after he scored 25 points and led his team Olympiakos to a victory against Zalgiris Kaunas that makes Olympiakos one of the favorites to qualify for the Euroleague's quarterfinals.
He then gave an interview to a greek radio station and I'll try to give you a rough translation of what he said:

http://sport24.gr/html/ent/977/ent.106977.asp

*About the game* 
I enjoyed it. It was a great game for me and Olympiakos. We have all now found our role in the team and that's why we play better. As for the first two games in this round of the Euroleague, we just used our home advantage. But now we have a game in Barcelona who has won two away games. In order to increase our chances of winning the group and making our dream of going to the Euroleague's quarterfinals true, we must play our best, in a game that will be much different than the last one we played against them. A lot have changed for our team since then.

*About his mother* 
My mother is of great help to me in every game. It makes me happy to see her in the arena. She gives her own show and there are times when I see her dancing.

*The NBA and the Clippers* 
I'll wait till the summer to see how things go, but I wouldn't mind staying in Europe for one more year to gain more experiences and go to the NBA when I'm really ready. I entered the draft very early (he was hardly 18 at the time) and I'm not planning to make the same mistake again.

*About his former team, Aris* 
I still keep in touch with my former teammates. Aris always aims for the Euroleague and I hope they make it this year. I won't forget my time there, especially my relationship with the fans. But now I'm only thinking of Olympiakos and his fans who love me very much.

*About the Greek National Team* 
It would be a great honor for me to be in training camp and help as much as I can, regardless of whether I will make the final cut for the World Championship in Japan.

















I thought you would like to read this!


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## yamaneko (Jan 1, 2003)

Great post.

When is the world championships this year? First of all, lets see him make that team. If he cant even make a week greek national team, its doubtful hes ready to play in the nba yet. IF he does make the team, and if the world championships is before league play, then it will be a good forum to see how he plays agasint the best players in the world, including against brand and USA. With wilcox gone, and rebraca hurt all the time, unless a GREAT guy falls to the clippers in the draft this year, i can see them seriously considering bringing sofo over. Look at the size of his arms. Just having him in practice would be great to show kaman how to work against the stronger centers in the league.


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## qwertyu (Dec 29, 2002)

yamaneko said:


> Great post.
> 
> When is the world championships this year? First of all, lets see him make that team. If he cant even make a week greek national team, its doubtful hes ready to play in the nba yet. IF he does make the team, and if the world championships is before league play, then it will be a good forum to see how he plays agasint the best players in the world, including against brand and USA. With wilcox gone, and rebraca hurt all the time, unless a GREAT guy falls to the clippers in the draft this year, i can see them seriously considering bringing sofo over. Look at the size of his arms. Just having him in practice would be great to show kaman how to work against the stronger centers in the league.


Greece is the european champion so I wouldn't say that they are a weak team. They demolished Nowitzki's Germany in the final. I think he will make the team but he will have some competition. 
The World Championship is in August I think, or September.


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## RSP83 (Nov 24, 2002)

qwertyu said:


>


OMG!!!     

Is that a new human specimen!!!!??

Look at those arms!!! His looks alone will intimidate a lot of people on the court. And if he really play every game with great enthusiasm like that in the picture. I'd really hate to be the one checking him. HE hasn't stepped his foot on the NBA yet, but, I'm going to give him a nickname. "Hercules" It doesn't get any better than that.


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

Sofo Sofo Sofo Sofo Sofo!


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

Sofo will make the final cut in Greece. They only have Papadopoulos at center, and Sofoklis is already dominating in international competition for some stretches in the games.

Against Zalgiris, it was ridiculous how he rolled over the Lithuanian paint game. Banging and dunking over his rivals, it was (again) a perfect impersonation of Shaq. Indeed O'Neal will likely be the only guy in the NBA that he won't be able to outmuscle. He's devastating in the low post, and a complete steal in the second round for the Clippers.

Size might be a concern, but he's sooo strong that he should be able to score against most defenders in the NBA, particularly considering that there are more spaces for big man in the American League and he moves rather well in the paint (it's not only a matter of strength and athleticism).

I think he should really stay for another year in Olympiacos. He has found estability there after various seasons in different teams with mixed results. There, he could keep on maturing and polishing his game in a Euroleague team (meaning the best basketball level outside the NBA) with a good coach like Kazlauskas that trusts young players.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Oh man this is too good.


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## leidout (Jul 13, 2005)

Holy cow, i will never make fun of this guy again.

Anyone who misses the "banging" Elton Brand will soon see why he decided not to try to be the strongest guy on the team anymore.


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## yamaneko (Jan 1, 2003)

i meant weak greek team as in the front court. overall yes, they are a good team, but greek national team is not exactly known for its dominating big men, so if he didnt make the team even with them being weak there, that would have been something. Good thing he is making the team according to genjuro. 

what did he measure out to be? 6'9"? what is his wing span?


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Wingspan is close to 7 feet I heard.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

If he develops a jumper, the next Karl Malone?


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## universal! (Mar 5, 2006)

Totally forgot that the Clips had his rights... he might be the key to the Clips future (I wish Livingston could be it, but hope is dimming) 

I'm more concerned with him being the nexy Robert Traylor or Oliver Miller than the next Karl Malone.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

We got him in the Second round of the 2003 draft.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

He measured 6'10 in shoes, 314lbs with a 7'2 wingspan weeks after his 18th birthday, just before the 2003 draft.

So he's at least 6'10 with a 7'2 wingspan. I'll take it.


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## STUCKEY! (Aug 31, 2005)

Hes a big boy lol


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## yamaneko (Jan 1, 2003)

whoa rd is back from the dead after a 7 month layoff.


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

sofo did well against tanoka beard(not very good center) in euroleague but did poorly when matched up against darius lavrinovic.


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## LegoHat (Jan 14, 2004)

Some more pics:








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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

Should be interesting to see how he handles the NBA. From what I hear he should do better in the NBA as it allows more physical contact than Europe.


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## universal! (Mar 5, 2006)

Genjuro said:


> Against Zalgiris, it was ridiculous how he rolled over the Lithuanian paint game. Banging and dunking over his rivals, it was (again) a perfect impersonation of Shaq. Indeed O'Neal will likely be the only guy in the NBA that he won't be able to outmuscle. He's devastating in the low post, and a complete steal in the second round for the Clippers.
> 
> Size might be a concern, but he's sooo strong that he should be able to score against most defenders in the NBA, particularly considering that there are more spaces for big man in the American League and he moves rather well in the paint (it's not only a matter of strength and athleticism).
> 
> I think he should really stay for another year in Olympiacos. He has found estability there after various seasons in different teams with mixed results. There, he could keep on maturing and polishing his game in a Euroleague team (meaning the best basketball level outside the NBA) with a good coach like Kazlauskas that trusts young players.


How's his basketball skills? Such as footwork, defense, passing? It sounds like since he's very young and very strong, he relies on his strength and athleticism to play...


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

Weasel said:


> Should be interesting to see how he handles the NBA. From what I hear he should do better in the NBA as it allows more physical contact than Europe.


That's actually incorrect. There is far more contact in euroleagues than in the nba. Less whistles when people scrap too. The nba game is a lot slower imo because they have so many tick tack type fouls. The older days was more physical for the nba than today.


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

universal! said:


> How's his basketball skills? Such as footwork, defense, passing? It sounds like since he's very young and very strong, he relies on his strength and athleticism to play...


He's very fat and needs to lose weight. he's slow, 6'8 and can't jump very well. He had a good game but other than that has been average to poor all season. think tractor traylor from the cavs.


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## universal! (Mar 5, 2006)

That's what I was afraid of. But he's still very young. How's his work ethic? Is he making progress working on his game, or even showing signs he _is_ working on his game?


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## sipclip (Jan 21, 2005)

Don't listen to Oggdog he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. Sofo has been very good most of the season. He is much more athletic and stronger than the Tractor and has already lost alot of weight this season.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

oggdog said:


> That's actually incorrect. There is far more contact in euroleagues than in the nba. Less whistles when people scrap too. The nba game is a lot slower imo because they have so many tick tack type fouls. The older days was more physical for the nba than today.


That goes against eveyrthing the media guys say when making comparisons, and goes against all common sense.

Everyone that comes over from overseas is soft/finesse/perimeter oriented. They have no power, and are not use to contact. Even Pau Gasol still cringes in the paint anytime someone touches him. 

The Euro game is all finesse, all methodical. They know the game and rely more on skill that physicality in the paint. It is not a physical game, and the referees do not allow any contact.

It was proven in the Olympics a couple years ago. The NBA's style of play does not cut it because we allow more banging and more physical play. We played by their rules and it got us in trouble.

Sofo's game is much more suited for the NBA.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

yamaneko said:


> whoa rd is back from the dead after a 7 month layoff.


It happes a bit lol. I think I was gone for a year or so, then came back, and disappeared again.

Gotta keep a low profile


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## nbanoitall (May 21, 2004)

interesting... this seems like a special situation where a player would do better in the nba or on an nbdl roster. lets get him over here so he can develop his nba game. leave the pansies in europe


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

universal! said:


> That's what I was afraid of. But he's still very young. How's his work ethic? Is he making progress working on his game, or even showing signs he _is_ working on his game?


He's improved a little bit but he's still a burdon on the court. Dosen't even start. he'd be better in the d-league than in the nba. That way he could learn the nba ropes and if he is terrible their then we know he isn't nba ready. Personally, from what i've seen he needs to lose about 30 lbs of fat, work his *** off and he could be an okay 2nd or 3r string player but he dosen't have any hops what so ever. brand is 20 light years ahead of this guy.


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

nbanoitall said:


> interesting... this seems like a special situation where a player would do better in the nba or on an nbdl roster. lets get him over here so he can develop his nba game. leave the pansies in europe


well he's been a pansy for most of the year in euroleague while the real men were beating him up under the basket. he did have a good game against a fellow pansy tanoka beard(african american) though. he destroyed tanoka because american basketball is more and more pansy like. sofo learned to play in greece. he can always go to pansy nbdl and beat up on american pansies their.


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## sipclip (Jan 21, 2005)

Dude just shut up because you don't know what the hell your talking about.


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

>QUOTE=RD]That goes against eveyrthing the media guys say when making comparisons, and goes against all common sense.

if you have articles to prove otherwise, post them. his reg. season stats are garbage. that's fact.

>Everyone that comes over from overseas is soft/finesse/perimeter oriented.

bblablabla, that's a stupid anti-euro argument. no one believes that nescience anymore.

>They have no power,

they overpowered and owned the u.s. team. it seems the weaklings are in the u.s. i could name a few guys bigger than shaq too. alexander kuehl, robert gulyas, etc. the nba is so full of pansies, complainers and multimillionaired babies that it is almost not worth watching anymore. imo the only reason to watch is because of the new/exciting international players. which is what this thread is about really only that sofo isn't ready, is overweight-fat, can't jump and is a garbage man in europe. 

>and are not use to contact.

i watched italy, lithuania and argentine beat up the u.s. team with phsysical play. i watched denis marconato throw duncan and odom to the ground and they acted like they were going to cry. europe is a lot rougher. i watch this stuff all the time. do you?

>Even Pau Gasol still cringes in the paint anytime someone touches him. 

are you kidding? pau's been an absolute beast this year. he's finally growing up. i watched him own garnet, duncan, etc in various games this year and last year in the playoffs. i watched him posterize stodemire in the paint. even so bad that that african american announcer said, 'wow, he's just killing them on the inside' as pau dunked it in amare's face. what's up? i thought your boys were tough?
skinny sticks like garnet got owned tonight too. lofl!!!

>The Euro game is all finesse, all methodical. They know the game and rely more on skill that physicality in the paint. It is not a physical game, and the referees do not allow any contact.

lofl yeah you keep living on planet x if you want. call us when the shuttle lands, kook. 

>It was proven in the Olympics a couple years ago. 

yep two years ago the u.s. got owned. even in 2000 they got owned.

>The NBA's style of play does not cut it because we allow more banging and more physical play. We played by their rules and it got us in trouble.

which game were you talking about? i got every game on tape. recorded all the u.s. games. 
we got owned except for a few teams like australia. i constantly got pissed when i watched javtokas go up and own amare, odom, duncan and marion. rejecting their dunks, abusing them in the lane, etc.
maybe i'll put those up as files so you can eat your words.

i don't think you know how big some of the players really are over there and how much elbowing, abusiive play they get to do. ginobili played over their and learned to play dirty as well. same with kobe for a little bit. kobe lived in italy. maybe you didn't know that?

>Sofo's game is much more suited for the NBA.

bwahahahahaha keep dreaming, kook. he'll need to knock off 40 lbs of fat. learn how to jump and get a wish granted from god.

nbdl here he comes


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## oggdog (Mar 11, 2006)

sipclip said:


> Dude just shut up because you don't know what the hell your talking about.


of course i do you silly peasant. i watched him play many times. he isn't ready for anything other than nbdl and that's if he is lucky. there's no point in adding a fat blob who is only 6'8', no basketball iq and cannot jump. if that is what is wanted, simply sign tractor tralyer.


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## universal! (Mar 5, 2006)

woah calm down guys, no need to get with the personal attacks...
everyone is entitled to their own opinions...

Back to the topic at hand. The general consensus is that Sofolis is a big body, strong, but lacking real skills. But he's young and only time will tell how he pans out. Better that he stay in Europe or come to the NBA/NBDL?

Pau Gasol has never been afraid to operate in the paint. He didn't quite have the strength when he first came in, but as his conditioning is ever improving so his is game.


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## sipclip (Jan 21, 2005)

Universal if this guy is going to come on here and lie about Sofo then you better believe he's going to be attacked. Don't believe a damn word he says because it's not true.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

oggdog said:


> of course i do you silly *peasant*. i watched him play many times. he isn't ready for anything other than nbdl and that's if he is lucky. there's no point in adding a fat blob who is only 6'8', no basketball iq and cannot jump. if that is what is wanted, simply sign tractor tralyer.


Uh-oh.


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## DaFranchise (Jun 29, 2005)

Sofo is playing on NBA TV right now. Tyus Edney is also playing and looks pretty good.


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