Printezis vs. Jankunas: what the iconic EuroLeague opponents loved and hated about each other / News - Basketnews.com
Credit Yorgos Matthaios - Getty Images, D.Repečka | BasketNews iliustracija/E.Alšauskas For the 18th and last time, Paulius Jankunas and Georgios Printezis met on the EuroLeague floor on March 15, 2022.
Free throws this season
78%13,8Points made:13,8Accuracy:77,7%Place in standings:3Record max:27Record min:5Most made FTs:Tyler DorseyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsScheduleJankunas wouldn't be Jankunas if he wouldn't push Printezis with his left hand denying his opponent from receiving the ball even before the ball was inbounded.
Seconds later, they both went for a rebound.
Jankunas tried to box out Printezis. The Greek grabbed Jankunas' arm to put himself in a better position. Zalgiris captain pulled Printezis jersey and quickly got the rebound.
The ultimate fight for every square meter has never changed between these two.
Jankunas was benched, and that was the last time we saw the iconic EuroLeague matchup. It lasted for 37 seconds in Olympiacos' victory over Zalgiris 84-73.
Printezis didn't announce if that was his last season in professional basketball. But Jankunas already publicly confirmed that it's his farewell year.
Their never-ending hustle in the low post started on March 2, 2006, when Zalgiris visited Olympiacos in Piraeus.
21-year-old Jankunas, surrounded by Darjus Lavrinovic (13 PTS), Tanoka Beard (7 PTS), Kenny Anderson, and Jonas Maciulis (both 6 PTS), was the top scorer of Zalgiris (15 PTS).
Another 21-year-old power forward, Printezis, went scoreless in 11 minutes. He followed Sofoklis Schortsanitis (25 PTS), and Tyus Edney (16 PTS, 6 AST), who led Olympiacos, coached by Jonas Kazlauskas, to a Top-16 victory 78-69.
Since then, Jankunas and Printezis have faced each other 18 times. That's the third-longest active matchup in the EuroLeague, per BasketNews collaborator Darius Garuolis.
Credit Yorgos Matthaios - Getty Images But they had more in common than others.
They are both 2.05 m tall.
Olympiakos Piraeus / Schedule
ALBA Berlin Olympiakos Piraeus90-75 Zalgiris Kaunas Olympiakos Piraeus73-84 Olympiakos Piraeus Panathinaikos AthensThu19:00 Olympiakos Piraeus CSKA MoscowSun19:30 Monaco Basket Olympiakos Piraeus03-2320:00They both play the same position.
They both are very skilled, physical, and loyal high IQ power forwards.
Printezis and Jankunas, both 37 (although Jankunas, born in 1984, is one year older), appeared at least once in 19 EuroLeague seasons.
Jankunas became the face of Zalgiris wearing green and white for 18 years. In 2009, he signed with Khimki but soon returned to his hometown.
Printezis, who spent two years in Malaga (2009-11), wore red and white for 17 EuroLeague seasons.
They're both longtime captains of their teams.
They even lead the EuroLeague in all-time games played. Jankunas is first with 387 appearances, Printezis follows second with 363.
"Uuuuu," Zalgiris center Marek Blazevic was surprised when I told him who I was waiting for a quick chat in the Zalgirio arena corridor.
The Lithuanian prospect was four years old when Jankunas and Printezis faced each other for the first time in the EuroLeague.
Their first-ever matchup was in 2004, FIBA U20 European Championship in Brno. Lithuanians beat Greeks twice in that tournament, including the bronze medal game.
"They're titans!" Edgaras Ulanovas, passing by, described this historical matchup with a smile.
"You sure it was the last one? Just be careful with Jankunas. He might surprise everybody again!" Zalgiris players joked.
That's what happened the last season. A Lithuanian producer followed Jankunas to almost every game and practice to shoot a documentary about his career. That was supposed to be the final season of Jankunas pro journey.
However, Jankunas significantly improved in the second part of the season and surprisingly decided to continue for one more year.
"These young guys can call us titans, dinosaurs, veterans, and whatever they want," Jankunas smiled, asked to describe his matchup with Printezis. He's used to all this trash-talk about his age for years.
"But when we were young... I would call it wrestling," Jankunas smiled.
"Fight, always giving 100%. That's the way how we always accepted Greeks' challenge. We never shared a great relationship with them. It was always more than basketball. Men against men. Especially when we played in the same position," Jankunas concluded.
Zalgiris and Olympiacos definitely will retire their jerseys one day.
"These two players sooner or later will be in Hall of Fame, no doubt," Zalgiris head coach Jure Zdovc admitted.
BasketNews stopped both players after their last game against each other for a short, entertaining conversation.
Georgios Printezis vs. Paulius Jankunas 11-7 W/L record 7-11 145 Total points 152The very, very first memory about your first matchup?
Printezis: I think it was in the Greek youth team. We played when we were very young.
I played with 1984, and I was one year younger. I wasn't a big prospect back then (smiles). But I don't remember that game very well.
But I always had him in my mind when we played each other in Zalgiris. He's a Zalgiris guy.
Jankunas: We didn't play against each other in the youth national teams. Maybe I'm wrong, but... Oh, am I wrong?
I remember Panagiotis Vasilopoulos was their main power forward in the youth team. For example, I don't remember playing against Ian Vougioukas as well (former Zalgiris C) because they both didn't play much.
But when I joined Zalgiris, I remember Printezis from Olympiacos. It was always a really tough matchup.
Printezis was always skilled in the post. Also, he had a good mid-range shot and later added 3-pointers to his game.
I always had to be very focused on him. In my eyes, he was one of the best power forwards in the EuroLeague. That challenge always motivated me.
What was the most memorable highlight playing each other?
Printezis: I think the season when Zalgiris made the Final Four (2017-18).
It was a bad moment for me and my team in these playoffs because we had three injured players. That's not an excuse because Zalgiris played very well. They had good chemistry, and I really liked them as a team. They deserved to go to the Final Four.
But I remember that I really hoped to be successful in this matchup the whole season because Paulius was at his peak. But I almost didn't play in the playoffs.
Jankunas: I would say his unorthodox shots. He and Lior Eliyahu had these strange shots.
It felt like I was fighting and fighting him in the low post, but he turned and released that weird signature shot... He bounced the ball on one side but quickly turned around to the other to shoot the ball. You always had to be prepared for it.
Regarding the 2018 playoffs, he was injured, and I felt that he wasn't 100%. I felt bad for him for how much he tried but still couldn't deliver 100%.
What did you like and hate the most about each other?
Printezis: He was always a tough and dirty player (smiles). He's very experienced and always knows how to put his body. He was smart.
I believe he made the best choice staying in one team with a one-year exception in Khimki and gave everything to one club to become the face of the organization.
I really like it. That's why I did it too. I'm a bit old-fashioned (smiles). I want to see players staying in one team to give everything to one club.
Jankunas: Like all these old-school guys, he fights in every square meter. He always wanted to win. He always was fully motivated.
Power forwards played only on the low post when we started to play. So there was a lot of fighting, wrestling, flopping. The physical contact was flowing over the edge.
Now, these four men stretch the floor. But together, we managed to see that real, serious men's basketball, and I really enjoyed it. He always accepted the challenge and stood his ground. I really liked that type of basketball (smiles).
We know each other so well that it was impossible to surprise each other with unexpected moves. Every time details made the difference.
The worst quality? (smiles) For me, his worst quality was his fighting spirit and his signature shots. For him, it was his best quality (smiles).
Sincerely, he was a very, very tough matchup. I had a hard time with him.
Credit BasketNews.lt/V.Mikaitis If you had dinner together, what would you like to discuss?
Printezis: The way he always drew fouls was terrible (smiles). You couldn't touch him (laughs).
We never trash-talked during games. But we always played tough. We always respected each other. We shared the same position and almost the same style of the game.
Jankunas: About everything. From times in youth teams to these days.
We would bring so many topics that dinner would last until the morning (smiles). It would be really great dinner.
Where and when will be the next matchup of Printezis and Jankunas?
Jankunas: I really think basketball will bring us against each other again (smiles). Not on the court, but in some other basketball-related situations.
For basketball, we both gave a lot. I don't know his plans, but he'll undoubtedly take an essential role in Olympiacos front office if he wants.
So who was better?
Printezis: I hate to talk for myself. Let the other guys do that.
Jankunas: I really think that Printezis. Titles speak about themselves. And I believe he was more versatile than me.
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