AS Monaco has made it back to the Euroleague Final Four, with Vassilis Spanoulis at the helm this time in Abu Dhabi. While a relative newcomer in the upper echelons of the sport, they are primed to take its ultimate prize.
There are two things everyone knows about Monaco, the place. It’s tiny and there’s lots of money there. There are two things everyone knows about AS Monaco, the basketball team. Vassilis Spanoulis and Mike James. The principality however brings more than just its headline makers to the table at the Euroleague Final Four in Abu Dhabi.
Consistency breeds confidence
It’s a second trip to the Euroleague Final Four in three seasons for AS Monaco. Only a Game 5 loss to Fenerbahce last season prevented this from being a threepeat. The men from the principality expected to make it to Abu Dhabi this season and got the job done, eventually, against FC Barcelona.
That series had all the makings of a disaster. Having gone 2-0 up, the Roca team gave up both road games against an understrength FC Barcelona. A level of character beyond what they had previously shown was needed to bounce back.
They did so with style and authority. Now, they arrive in Abu Dhabi as outsiders. While firmly established in the upper echelon of Euroleague, AS Monaco wants more than a seat at the top table this season. With Vassilis Spanoulis, an out-and-out winner, on the sideline, they believe this is their year.
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A winning mentality
The decision to hire Kill Bill was a big one for AS Monaco. While Vassilis Spanoulis overachieved with Peristeri, the step up to Euroleague head coach was still uncharted territory for him.
The winning mentality he showed as a player, including three Euroleague titles and other heroics at Euroleague Final Fours, meant he seemed a reliable call. His arrival has clearly brought in a culture shift. Mike James and he have openly said how it feels like they are speaking with a kindred spirit when they talk. That has brought the mindset of champions to this team.
Of course, the team everyone expects Spanoulis to eventually coach is the one waiting for them in Abu Dhabi. His love affair with Olympiacos is famous but, for one night at least, he will be looking to bring tears to Piraeus. How he manages going up against Georgios Bartzokas, his former mentor, will prove fascinating.
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More than Mike James
Make no mistake, Mike James is the star of this AS Monaco side. He, like Vassilis Spanoulis, knows that one man can’t do it all alone. Nick Calathes has been a great addition to the Roca Team, with James arguably his biggest cheerleader.
You go through the roster and there’s just so much to like. Elie Okobo, Matthew Strazel, and Alpha Diallo all bring a mix of skill and grit to the side. Donatas Motiejunas has both veteran savvy and a broad skillset to keep things dynamic. Then, of course, there was the in-season addition of Daniel Theis. With the big German on the roster, the Roca team can go as deep on the bench as those they are matching up with Abu Dhabi.
At this Euroleague Final Four, we have to see how they handle the tough moments. Their previous trip ended in defeat to Olympiacos, involving a huge surge from the Reds to come back. With Spanoulis on the sidelines, you have to think this version of the side is more capable of absorbing such blows.
Nothing to lose
AS Monaco are, comfortably, the most overlooked side of any by casual observers going into the Euroleague Final Four. After all, they have no prior titles to their name and won’t be bringing a huge support to Abu Dhabi.
That suits Vassilis Spanoulis and his men down to the ground. Nobody outside the club expects anything from them so they might as well show up and see who they can shock. The freedom from external expectation allows them to focus on themselves.
This is a side with confident ballers, real belief, and a coach who can fire them up. In what looks like the most open Final Four in living memory, AS Monaco can just go out and play their game. It’s their turn to turn up the heat in the desert.
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