Bartzokas discusses a thin line between being loved and disliked by Olympiacos fans / News - Basketnews.com

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In 2014 Olympiacos fans required Georgios Bartzokas' resignation next to Peace and Friendship Stadium after a domestic cup loss to Panathinaikos.

3-pointers this season

36%9,2Points made:9,2Accuracy:35,6%Place in standings:5Record max:18Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Tyler DorseyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Olympiacos were on a bad stretch, and fans blamed their head coach.

Bartzokas, a die-hard Olympiacos fan since childhood, didn't want to hurt his team and left.

Eight years later, he's in the Final Four with Olympiacos and the best coach of the year award in his hands, waiting for the army of Reds fans to boost them for the title race.

His peers selected Georgios Bartzokas as the best coach of the 2021-22 EuroLeague season on the eve of the Final Four.

Asked by BasketNews about his journey through hate and love in Piraeus, Bartzokas emphasized the team effort first.

"Honestly, I don't want to talk about myself. It's a team effort. We're here all together. Our fans, our presidents. We represent our city and our club. We're all together fighting for this goal," Bartzokas said in the official Final Four press conference.

"Everybody knows in Greece that I'm an Olympiacos fan, and I know exactly what Olympiacos means. It means passion, but sometimes extreme feelings in a good or a bad way," Bartzokas smiled. "Right now, we're in a good way, but you never know what life brings to us. I'm just happy for the moment."

A 56-year-old Greek coach took the Aleksander Gomelskiy award from Nina Ivkovic, wife of legendary coach Dusan Ivkovic.

"This is an emotional moment for me. It's a big honor. There are great coaches here in EuroLeague. They're also the best coaches of the year. I want to thank the Olympiacos organization, my coaching staff, and the players who helped me to win this award. I feel really honored," Bartzokas said.

He became the fourth coach to win this award at least twice.

Bartzokas had previously been voted for the award in 2012-13, the same year Olympiacos defended their EuroLeague title.

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