Kevin Punter on Wade Baldwin: 'He's the European Russell Westbrook' / News - Basketnews.com

Kevin Punter talked about the 2023-24 season opener game between Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Maccabi Tel Aviv, calling Wade Baldwin the European Russell Westbrook.

Credit: Pedja Milosavljevic/SIPA/EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages Credit Pedja Milosavljevic/SIPA/EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages

While the Greek derby is expected to be the blockbuster of the first round of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, the Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade game will also provide an adrenaline rush for EuroLeague fans.

Kevin Punter

Team:Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePosition:SGAge:30Height:190 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:New York, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Partizan will face off against Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in the season opener. The Israeli team fans, known as some of the fiercest in Europe, will be strongly reinforced, as the club announced before that all season tickets were sold out.

Kevin Punter is more than ready to meet the challenge, however.

"I see that they have prepared something special," Punter said, referring to the blue and yellow flags on each and every seat in the 12,000-strong Menora Mivtachim Arena. "I like [hostile] environments like this. You have to lock in more, focus more."

The American scorer also praised his former Olympiacos Piraeus teammate Wade Baldwin IV, who is out with an injury and will not be suiting up for the game.

"I always told him and several other people that he is like a European Russell Westbrook. They play the same. They like the pull-ups and don't take too many three-pointers. [They like the] open court, playing above the rim."

When asked whether Baldwin's lack of absence would make the game easier for Partizan, Punter had a clear answer.

"No. They are a really good team, a Final Four-caliber team. This environment is tough to play in, and we have a couple of rookies on our team."

Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Partizan tonight in the first round of the 2023-2024 season of the EuroLeague.

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