Pini Gershon takes a jab at Ataman: 'He talks more than he coaches' / News - Basketnews.com

Former Maccabi head coach Pini Gershon said Ergin Ataman talks more than he coaches, while he described Kostas Sloukas as a €3.5 million player without confidence.

Credit: David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images, AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic - Scanpix Credit David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images, AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic - Scanpix

The legendary and former Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach Pini Gershon shared his thoughts about the Maccabi-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens series.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens / Schedule

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv95-79 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens85-83 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv Panathinaikos AKTOR AthensThu18:45

The 2-time EuroLeague champion took a slight jab at Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman, claiming he should focus more on what's going on the court.

"Ataman talks more than he coaches," gazzetta.gr quotes Gershon. "I understand the pressure he has, but I see him closer to Turkey next year than Greece. I don't want to get involved with politics because it's nonsense."

"He and Dimitris Giannakopoulos made up a story to try to put pressure on the referees, but Panathinaikos' behavior in recent years doesn't make the Euroleague go on their side.

Some Panathinaikos players don't want him as a coach. He sat on the bench in Game 3, and that sends a bad message to the players. A coach should always be active so the players feel he is around," Gershon continued.

Ergin Ataman Dimitris GiannakopoulosCredit Vangelis Stolis

The 72-year-old also believes that a potential Wade Baldwin's return can give an even bigger boost to Maccabi.

"Maccabi is a better team with Baldwin, but they proved against Panathinaikos that they are superior even without him. If Baldwin returns for Game 4, it will be a huge boost for Maccabi. [It could be] a psychological boost for the team even if they don't score much. They will feel they can win under any circumstances," Gershon said.

Finally, the former Maccabi head coach also claimed that he thinks that Kostas Sloukas plays without confidence.

"However, the conclusion is that Panathinaikos lost their confidence. I saw a player who costs€3.5 million without any confidence. Sloukas has a lot of experience, but he lost his confidence," Gershon concluded.

Game 4 between Maccabi and Panathinaikos is scheduled for May 2 in Pionir Arena, Belgrade, at 20:45 CEST.

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