2025-2026 Season
- Thread starter paultzman
- Start date
Seems practical decision by Rick if true, had to get Ruben practicing while Lefty expendable.
Two selections. The same university. Opposite decisions.
Rúben Prey was barred from the EuroBasket. Lefteris Liotopoulos played for Greece's U20 team and trained with the senior national team, with the blessing of coach Rick Pitino. It's the new reality of the NCAA.
borrachalaranja.com/p/destino-riga…
It was clear: Rúben Prey would not be at EuroBasket 2025. The national selector explained that the University of St. John's, in New York, and his coach, Rick Pitino, did not authorize the presence of the 19-year-old Portuguese winger/post and 2.08 meters in the final phase of the race. "They were perementory: at that time, no way," said the coach then, revealing that the National Technical Director, Nuno Manaia, had traveled to the United States to try to unblock the case and returned with a refusal.
The Portuguese Basketball Federation also tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain authorization for Prey to participate in the European Sub20, Division B, played this summer. The answer was negative again, making any presence of the player in the national teams in this preparation cycle unfeasible.
However, the same university and the same coach opened the door to another sophomore to live an experience that was denied to Prey. Lefteris Liotopoulos, a 19-year-old Greek base and one of the greatest promises of Hellenic basketball, played the European Sub20 - Division A, and was part of the preparation of the main team for EuroBasket, before being cut from the final call.
Even without a real prospect of entering Vassilis Spanoulis' 12, the young base had access to training, private games and daily conviviality with Giannis Antetokounmpo and other top figures of Greek basketball, with "total support" from Pitino, as he said in an interview with the Eurohoops portal:
"It's something I've dreamed of since I was very young. It's a real honor for me - for any kid, I would say. Being here with those I've followed since I was little, that I admire and that I have as models. Giannis Antetokounmpo, for example, is one of the best players in the world. It's a magical moment and I'm trying to live every minute and remove all the possible experience."
"Coach Pitino came to Heraklion to see me (during the U20 European Championship). We talked about it and he was very happy. Of course he let me go and told me to enjoy, enjoy and take everything he could from this experience. What advice did you give me? Not to hesitate in anything. It doesn't matter that others are older - in fact, everyone is older than me - every moment is an opportunity in my favor and I must get from it all the experience I can."
Liotopoulos will be sophomore in 2025-26, as will Rúben Prey, and also has university appointments at the beginning of the season. Still, he had the opportunity to play the U20 European Championship and live a summer of learning with Greece's main team. The explanation may be in Pitino's relations with Hellenic basketball.
Living legend of the game, the coach was the coach of Greece in 2021 and guided the Panathinaikos in two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20), creating bonds with influential figures of the federation and the Greek panorama. This proximity, fueled by years of collaboration, may have facilitated an understanding: give international experience to a local promise, without jeopardising St.'s plans. John's.
In the case of Portugal, the scenario was different. Rúben Prey would have practically guaranteed the presence on Mário Gomes' list for EuroBasket, even more so after Gonçalo Delgado's injury, who left the team without one of its main references in the frontcourt. The talent and status of the post formed at Paço de Arcos, Clube Atlético de Queluz and Joventut de Badalona did not put him as a simple apprentice, but as a real piece of rotation, capable of adding quality and versatility to the team, as happened, moreover, in one of the qualifying windows.
Two selections. The same university. Opposite decisions.Rúben Prey was barred from the EuroBasket. Lefteris Liotopoulos played for Greece's U20 team and trained with the senior national team, with the blessing of coach Rick Pitino. It's the new reality of the NCAA.
borrachalaranja.com/p/destino-riga…
It was clear: Rúben Prey would not be at EuroBasket 2025. The national selector explained that the University of St. John's, in New York, and his coach, Rick Pitino, did not authorize the presence of the 19-year-old Portuguese winger/post and 2.08 meters in the final phase of the race. "They were perementory: at that time, no way," said the coach then, revealing that the National Technical Director, Nuno Manaia, had traveled to the United States to try to unblock the case and returned with a refusal.
The Portuguese Basketball Federation also tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain authorization for Prey to participate in the European Sub20, Division B, played this summer. The answer was negative again, making any presence of the player in the national teams in this preparation cycle unfeasible.
However, the same university and the same coach opened the door to another sophomore to live an experience that was denied to Prey. Lefteris Liotopoulos, a 19-year-old Greek base and one of the greatest promises of Hellenic basketball, played the European Sub20 - Division A, and was part of the preparation of the main team for EuroBasket, before being cut from the final call.
Even without a real prospect of entering Vassilis Spanoulis' 12, the young base had access to training, private games and daily conviviality with Giannis Antetokounmpo and other top figures of Greek basketball, with "total support" from Pitino, as he said in an interview with the Eurohoops portal:
"It's something I've dreamed of since I was very young. It's a real honor for me - for any kid, I would say. Being here with those I've followed since I was little, that I admire and that I have as models. Giannis Antetokounmpo, for example, is one of the best players in the world. It's a magical moment and I'm trying to live every minute and remove all the possible experience."
"Coach Pitino came to Heraklion to see me (during the U20 European Championship). We talked about it and he was very happy. Of course he let me go and told me to enjoy, enjoy and take everything he could from this experience. What advice did you give me? Not to hesitate in anything. It doesn't matter that others are older - in fact, everyone is older than me - every moment is an opportunity in my favor and I must get from it all the experience I can."
Liotopoulos will be sophomore in 2025-26, as will Rúben Prey, and also has university appointments at the beginning of the season. Still, he had the opportunity to play the U20 European Championship and live a summer of learning with Greece's main team. The explanation may be in Pitino's relations with Hellenic basketball.
Living legend of the game, the coach was the coach of Greece in 2021 and guided the Panathinaikos in two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20), creating bonds with influential figures of the federation and the Greek panorama. This proximity, fueled by years of collaboration, may have facilitated an understanding: give international experience to a local promise, without jeopardising St.'s plans. John's.
In the case of Portugal, the scenario was different. Rúben Prey would have practically guaranteed the presence on Mário Gomes' list for EuroBasket, even more so after Gonçalo Delgado's injury, who left the team without one of its main references in the frontcourt. The talent and status of the post formed at Paço de Arcos, Clube Atlético de Queluz and Joventut de Badalona did not put him as a simple apprentice, but as a real piece of rotation, capable of adding quality and versatility to the team, as happened, moreover, in one of the qualifying windows.
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More likely wanted Prey practicing with the team more so than Lefty. Injuries can happen anytime anywhere.
Exactly
Marillac has tons of epiphaniesWhen did you start holding back on predictions without seeing players ! You think one of us has ever studied tape on any kid we make predictions on ?If you stop talking in the third person I’m unfriending you on FB
... Because Prey is expected to be a rotation player and Liotopoulos is not. Same thing.
I think more due to relationships in Greece
Lefty may not be a key rotation piece, but he’ll have a bigger role than he had last year.
I'm not too sure of that at this moment.
Lawman says Marillac has gone soft in Marillac's old age. Marillac used to venture Marillac hot takes using his Marillac sixth sense and then back those up to Marillac's death (or the opposing viewpoint). This kinder, gentler, rational, information-based Marillac should probably be renamed Marillac3 as the continuing evolution from Marillac to Marillac2 to Marillac3. Marillac4 will probably be akin to Silly Donovan but Lawman doesn't know at this point, Lawman is going to have to wait and see how much further Marillac deteriorates before the next stage arrives.
In practice
Seems a transition from Whitey Bulger to
A Don Corleone to Don Knotts transition. Much prefer the former.
I absolutely agree with you except having met Marillac he can go Stone Cold Crazy on a moments notice ( usually after alcohol ) which makes him a complete wild card always
Probably a factor, but Prey is absolutely crucial this season and he couldn’t afford to miss another summer.
Pitino passed on established centers for Prey, and opted to go with an emergency option in Tamba instead.