Thomas Walkup gives his opinion on not getting EuroLeague DPOY trophy / News - Basketnews.com

Walkup said that his goal is winning the EuroLeague trophy. Becoming the Best Defender would be nice, he told, but it's not what's on his or his team's mind both now and during the regular season.

Credit: Olympiacos BC Credit Olympiacos BC

Edy Tavares was named EuroLeague's Best Defender, a nomination that has sparked debate among EuroLeague players and fans alike. Now, the player who was instead advocated to take the title has voiced his opinion about it.

Thomas Walkup

Team:Olympiacos PiraeusPosition:SGAge:30Height:193 cmWeight:88 kgBirth place:Texas, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Olympiacos Piraeus guard Thomas Walkup was the crowd favorite to get the award, an opinion that was supported by his teammates Kostas Sloukas and Alec Peters.

In an interview with Panagiotis Kefalas from Sport-FM.gr, Walkup said that it wasn't his goal this season.

"Not at all," he told when asked whether it bothered him not getting the award. "It is what it is, and I can't change it. It was never my goal when I came to Olympiacos. My goal was and still is to win the EuroLeague."

"It has no effect on me and my goals whether I get the reward or not," he continued. "Of course, I'd like to receive this particular award but everyone on the team is playing for a much bigger prize - the EuroLeague trophy - and not that of the best defender."

Olympiacos will play against AS Monaco in the EuroLeague semifinal on Friday. Previously, the Monegasque team defeated the Greeks both times in the regular season. However, that doesn't bother Walkup.

"We don't care enough about what happened in the regular season, and we don't look at it that way. In the Final Four where you play knockout matches, you forget everything that came before. Everything you think you know about basketball is erased," he explained. "You enter [into the game] completely focused on your plan from the beginning and you fight for every ball. So, for me it doesn't matter what happened before but what happens at that moment and day."

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