Achille Polonara compares himself with Petrusev, addresses future with Zalgiris / News - Basketnews.com

Achille Polonara discusses with BasketNews his rise to the EuroLeague, his relationship with his coaches and the press, and how he handles criticism. He also compares Zalgiris Kaunas with the Italian NT and his case with Filip Petrusev's.

Credit: Erikas Ovčarenko/BNS Credit Erikas Ovčarenko/BNS

When Achille Polonara made his EuroLeague debut with Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2019, he was almost 28.

Achille Polonara

Team:Zalgiris KaunasPosition:PF, CAge:31Height:203 cmWeight:93 kgBirth place:ItalyProfileNewsStatistics

The Spanish club needed a power forward that could complement their starting man, Tornike Shengelia, and the Italian international looked like a good choice. But for Polonara himself, the ticket to the EuroLeague served as a vindication for his effort to get to Europe's top level.

"Especially in my early years in Italy, I'd put in all the work and still wouldn't see any improvements for months. Despite your commitment and all your efforts to grow, your level would never rise," he recalled in a recent interview with BasketNews that took place in Athens.

"So, I was like, 'Man! But how is that possible? What else should I do?' Then, one small detail or a single game can trigger something and get you going," Polonara continued.

Credit imago images / HMB-Media

One of the many decisive factors that helped Polonara earn a spot among the European elite after six years in Italy was Gianmarco Pozzecco's arrival in Sassari, where the Ancona-born player was holding a significant role.

It was one of the things that kept Polonara going, considering that since the current Italy NT coach came in, the teamracked up 23 victories in a row, managed to make it to Game 7 against Venezia in the Serie A finals, and also lifted the FIBA Europe Cup.

"That pushed me forward," Polonara remembered.

After signing a new two-year deal with Sassari in 2019, Polonara went to training camp. Almost 10 days into the preseason, a call comes from his agent telling him that Baskonia want to sign him. Polonara quickly rules out any possibility of moving to another place, even if that's a EuroLeague club.

Achille Polonara

MIN:11.98PTS:3.05 (54.55%)REB:2.5As:0.35ST:0.15BL:0.55TO:0.3GM:20ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

"I told my agent, 'It's so pointless to engage in talks with them. I have just started the season with Sassari. They'll never let me go.'

Sassari gave me the choice of whether to leave or not. Pozzecco was good at making [Stefano] Sardara [the president] understand that I was no longer 19 and that the EuroLeague is a passing train. You don't know if it will ever come back," Polonara continued.

As a result, Sassari understood his situation. "They said, 'It's clear that we want you to stay here. But if you have to leave after 7 years, you're free to do it.'"

Polonara's first EuroLeague season with Baskonia was hard. He was destined to beShengelia's backup, but the Georgian forward was a very important player and the Italian didn't have much space. Plus, there were some other issues he had to deal with.

"I had never been outside Italy, nor had I ever played in the ACB or the EuroLeague. I didn't even speak Spanish. As a result, you enter the court, you play poorly, and your coach says, 'Is this guy ready to play at this level? If he's not ready, he should be on the bench.'

It's difficult to prove yourself on the court when you don't play much."

A change of coach is all that Baskonia and Polonara needed. On 20 December 2019, following a loss to Real Madrid, Velimir Perasovic was fired and Dusko Ivanovic entered the picture.

"Ivanovic made something click for me since his arrival. He decided to let me play more. He saw something in me that the team needed. From that moment on, everything looked easier," Polonara described.

Now, playing with Zalgiris Kaunas after a short stint with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Polonara has come to accept his limitations and only wants to relish whatever EuroLeague time he has left.

"I'm not 20 years old, but I'm a player who's not self-complacent, who wants to grow year by year, and who likes challenges. I want to stay in the EuroLeague and focus only on the present," he argues.

The next challenge for him is to be able to reach an advanced stage of the top competition - theplayoffs, or even the Final Four. That's something he has never done with his previous teams, including Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in 2021-22.

"I want to try to enjoy this big stage I've been lucky enough to be a part of," he notes.

"It takes great ambition and great hunger. It has always been a big motivation to play at the professional level. I've always thought that the NBA would be almost out of reach for me, but my dream was to get to the EuroLeague one day."

Polonara, now 31, did it at 27. If there's one lesson to be learned from the process is that "it's never too late to get there," as he points out.

"I arrived later compared to other players, but if you keep working, maybe you have a better chance of getting there."

His deal with Zalgiris is until the end of the season (June). Polonara joined the Lithuanian powerhouse on January 7, but his impressions from the club are as good as they can possibly get.

"We'll see where I'll be playing next season, but I'm fine here," he stresses.

"They're a very ambitious team. There is a great passion for basketball. I like the way they work. They make everyone grow, both their young players and the foreign guys they sign. So, I like their system. It's a great place to play."

In his discussion with BasketNews, Achille Polonara also talked about how Zalgiris intend to use his skills, elaborated on some of the best coaches he's had, compared Zalgiris with the Italian NT and his case with Filip Petrusev's, and explained the way he handles criticism - whether it comes from his coaches or the media.

When you came to Zalgiris, Keenan Evans was out with a season-ending injury. Now, his replacement, Isaiah Taylor, is also out, while Tyler Cavanaugh will miss the next three months. Do you feel it's time to step up?

Yes, certainly Zalgiris had some important losses of fundamental players. For Keenan, the season's over; Cavanaugh had surgery, and he'll be out for several months. So, they had a difficult time, but Taylor and I came in to replace them and not make their absence felt.

What has coach Maksvytis told you about your role with the team now that some things have changed?

He told me to play my type of basketball, which includes energy, helping my teammates, and not expecting that everything will be easy for me right away. He told me I've got some time to adjust, to get accustomed to the mechanics and the team's system.

I try to grow day by day and to help my teammates and staff more and more. It was the first time I had to change teams during the season. So, I had a hard time in the beginning, but I knew that it wouldn't be easy.

However, I'm motivated and stimulated enough to do well.

Do you think Zalgiris are a bit like the Italian national team? They look like a team that never relies on a leading player, but on several role-playing players who perform their tasks perfectly. Do you think teams without superstars can go all the way and win titles?

Yes, that's something the two teams have in common. In the Italian national team, we don't have players who are superstars but every player is hungry to do well and play with energy and bring their own contribution.

There are no selfish players, and the team comes first. Our goal is to win and not to make individual stats. That's the most important thing for our national team. It is clear that we are not a team that has great talent, but every player can have his say in any game.

Do you see any similarities in the way you and Filip Petrusev flourished under Dusko Ivanovic this season?

Yes, I have seen some things we share, since we have a similar role. We also have similar features.

Since [Dusko] Ivanovic arrived at Crvena Zvezda, he gave Petrusev great confidence. The player reacted well, welcoming that confidence, and now you see the results. He is playing very well and, certainly, Ivanovic's arrival gave him a big push.

Dusko is a coach who has helped several big men from Europe take the next step in their careers, starting with Luis Scola back in 2000. Why do you think so many players credit him for the way he influenced their careers?

He believes in his players, giving them maximum confidence. Consequently, players feel obligated to repay him.

It often creates this relationship of trust that allows you to make mistakes. Sometimes, players need to feel like that. If your coach lets you make mistakes, it's clear that you go on the court and play with more calmness, without the kind of mental pressure that tells you,'If I mess it up, I'm going to the bench.'

If you play like that, you'll be nervous and afraid.

After the game in Kaunas, where Petrusev scored 16 points, Dusko Ivanovic said: 'He played well, but he also allowed Ulanovas to make those two 3-pointers at the end.'

On several occasions, Ergin Ataman has done the same, not hesitating to call out Vasilije Micic or even Petrusev, for making a mistake or having a bad game. In your case, he said you were unhappy at Efes. You've played for both coaches. How do you react to that kind of comment?

I don't give them that much weight anymore. It's clear that questions are asked, and the coach can answer whatever he wants. I have always accepted all the criticism or any kind of guidance from coaches and journalists.

The way I see it, it's just their opinion. I take it into consideration but I'm not a person who looks at newspapers or websites anymore. Many times, people close to me, ask me, 'Do you know what that coach or that player said about you?' Most of the time, I don't pay attention to what's being said on websites and during press conferences.

Would you say that if it hadn't been for their bans, now you'd be playing with Zvezda?

It's clear that there was a strong interest from Red Star. Everyone knows that I have a great relationship with [Dusko] Ivanovic and a great respect for the team because they have great ambitions. It's a historical club in European basketball.

So, I would have been happy to go there. It was just that the right conditions weren't there. I am happy with the choice I made to go to Zalgiris.

Overall, would you say coaches who have played basketball at the highest level, like Ivanovic, Sasa Djordjevic, Meo Sacchetti, or Gianmarco Pozzecco, have been closer to your mentality and that's one of the reasons they won you over?

Yes. I have had coaches who have played basketball and are at a very high level. It's true that every coach, both now and when they were playing, has his own personality.

I've also had excellent relationships and communication with coaches who hadn't played basketball, like Kazys Maksvytis or [Massimiliano] Menetti at Reggio Emilia. Those coaches are like older brothers to their players.

Regarding your time in Vitoria, you said that 'there aren't many distractions off the court and that can be helpful.' Is Kaunas as helpful, albeit much colder?

In some aspects, it's a similar situation. In Kaunas, it's colder, there are also more fans, and the arena is always sold out. But in Vitoria, there's a great passion for basketball as well.

There are not so many distractions in either city and this allows you to perform and be 100% focused. This has helped me, especially in my first year in the EuroLeague with Baskonia. I had to try to stay in the league as long as possible.

What are the expectations from the team now that it is going great and the Final Four will be hosted in Kaunas?

We don't look at the standings, at who's above or who's below. We know that if we play the way we're supposed to, we can compete against anyone. If we don't play at 100%, we will struggle.

Since we are in Greece right now, what's Polonara's Achilles heel?

I have so many flaws that they outnumber my virtues. When it comes to basketball, sometimes I suffer from players bigger than me in terms of physical size, especially in the low post. There are a lot of players more physical than me, but I try to be more cunning, quicker, and smarter to limit my flaws.

Then, it's clear that when you reach a high level, details make all the difference. There are several aspects, where I can improve: one-on-one, my right hand, and my 3-point shot consistency. I don't feel like they're flaws, but things one can improve on.

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