Johnathan Motley on Fenerbahce fans' reactions, Itoudis' style, foreign passport plans / News - Basketnews.com

Johnathan Motley discusses his relationship with Dimitris Itoudis, the 3-point line, and Fenerbahce fans. He also reveals his intentions to play in the upcoming World Cup and stay in Europe for as much as possible.

Credit: Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

It's not easy for a team that wants to star in the EuroLeague to entrust the starting center position to a player without prior experience in the competition.

Free throws this season

71%12,3Points made:12,3Accuracy:71,2%Place in standings:18Record max:20Record min:5Most made FTs:Johnathan MotleyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

That's whatFenerbahce Beko Istanbul did last summer, but probably not what several EuroLeague coaches thought, opting not to take a chance onJohnathan Motley, who had just come off a three-month stint in Korea.

After going undrafted in 2017 and spending the next three seasons between the NBA and the G League, the Houston-born athlete prepared his luggage for an overseas career.

"I got cut from the NBA and went there because I didn't want to wait until next season to play," Motley recently told BasketNews.

"That was fun, but I was trying to find my way to Europe. There were a couple of European teams I was talking to before I went to Korea, but things didn't work out," he recalled.

That surprised the American big man whose resume would seem hard for teams to pass up. First, he studied and played basketball at Baylor University, which is highly regarded as one of the best in the States.

His scholarship to Baylor and outstanding third season (17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals & 1.1 blocks per game) earned him All-American honors for the season's leading power-forward (now called 'Karl Malone award'), shows that Motley was once a top prospect.

From then on, he also walked through the NBA door, making some very good performances, mostly with the Dallas Mavericks. He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers in 35 games.

Motley says big-time clubs weren't convinced.

"In Europe, guys were like, 'We don't know if you can play here.' So, that's why I played with a chip on my shoulder. At one point in time, guys didn't think I could play in the EuroLeague. So, I kind of took that personally."

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul / Schedule

Olympiacos Piraeus Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulWed18:45 Olympiacos Piraeus Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulFri18:30

That resonates with Michael Jordan's famous line, which has been altered (his exact words from the documentary 'The Last Dance' were 'It became personal with me'). But now, what transpired back then doesn't matter so much.

Motley isn't eager to reveal which teams had turned him down. However, according to SPORTDAY'S Tolis Kotzias, one of them was Panathinaikos Athens, who had some discussions with the player.

Technical director, Nikos Pappas, had singled out his case, but the two sides couldn't reach an agreement because of PAO's shaky financial situation.

Motley ended up playing for Lokomotiv Kuban in Russia, and the rest is history.

"I just know people were wondering if I could play in the EuroLeague, and that rubbed me the wrong way. I've been a good player for a long time. But now, I feel like I got to prove myself here," he says with determination.

"You know how Europe is. You have to prove it. They don't care who you are or if you came from the NBA. I dominated in college and the G League. I didn't play much in the NBA because I was on good teams, and I sat on the bench. But I've dominated everywhere else," he continues.

Now, the 28-year-old center is one of the top of his kind in the EuroLeague. He averages 14.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, serving along with Marko Guduric and Nigel Hayes-Davis as the most pivotal players on Fenerbahce.

"I'm dominating here too," Motley points out, boosting with confidence.

"I just work really hard on my game and play a lot of basketball in the summer. I don't take breaks. That's who I am."

Coach Dimitris Itoudis wasn't afraid to pick Motley following the player's outstanding season in the EuroCup and the VTB, which was cut short due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Loko and Motley were projected as one of the favorites to win the European trophy and get promoted to the EuroLeague.

For two Loko members, Johnathan and Darius Thomspon, that promotion came on an individual basis. This season they're both working miracles in Istanbul and Vitoria, respectively.

The two have a lot of things in common. They're both EuroLeague rookies, both had a great first season and were also born on the exact same date (4 May 1995). There seems to be a common pattern in how they adjusted to the EuroLeague and their respective teams immediately.

Thompson became one of the most prominent and talked-about players almost overnight with Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, averaging 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.7 steals.

"That's my guy!" Motley smiles.

"I love playing with Darius, he's a great point guard, tall guy, long arms, great passer, great defender.

We were dominating the EuroCup for a while before the situation in Russia happened. We had a good chance to win it. That was our goal with me, Darius, and Errick McCollum."

Motley believes he and Thompson were able to get a lot of experience from being on the court for long stretches of time. Moreover, the competition in the VTB League helped them get a taste of how the EuroLeague would work for them.

"We had three EuroLeague teams (CSKA Moscow, Zenit Saint Petersburg, UNICS Kazan) in the VTB. We were used to playing against EuroLeague talent quite often. A good domestic league prepares you for the EuroLeague.

We both dominated there. When you have the minutes, the talent comes out, and we did a good job our first year."

If there was voting for Best Rookie of the Year, how would Motley defend his case against Thompson?

"We're both playing well but have different play styles. It depends on what you like. I don't think you can go wrong either way," the big man admits.

"Maybe you can break it down according to player's efficiency (PIR). That would probably make it easier. But I don't know. We're both good players."

Motley scores 26.7% of Fenerbahce's 2-pointers in the EuroLeague, while no other player has reached over 23% in that category.

His injury towards the end of 2022 and the surgery that Tonye Jekiri was forced to undergo brought Kostas Antetokounmpo to Istanbul. A few months later, Itoudis recruited Tyler Dorsey to strengthen his backcourt since Carsen Edwards' transition to European basketball hadn't been smooth.

Credit Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Ahead of the clash with Olympiacos Piraeus for the EuroLeague playoffs and the first two games in Greece on April 26 and 28, Johnathan Motley sat with BasketNews for an all-encompassing discussion.

He refers to his relationship with Dimitris Itoudis, the 3-point line, and Fenerbahce fans, and touches on his battles with other centers -- especially his once favorite big man Walter Tavares.

Motley also reveals his intentions to play the upcoming World Cup under a non-US passport and stay in Europe (preferably for Fenerbahce) for as long as possible.

If you were to put a title or an epigraph to the season for Fenerbahce, what would it be?Rollercoaster. A lot of highs, lows, and unfortunate events. I'm referring to injuries happening at the same time. That would have taken a toll on anything.

Apart from dealing with several injury issues, what do you think got Fener from being the EuroLeague leaders to fighting for a playoff spot?Most of it is injuries, guys coming back, and team chemistry is a little bit different. We've added pieces, and also we've taken away some pieces. It's hard to get a rhythm.

The EuroLeague is tough. All the teams are great. Also, how you lose games is important. Something that happens in Game 5 can affect you in Game 25. That's why the season is so competitive.

If the season were to end right now, what would you label as its best moment? That's a tough one. I don't necessarily have a best moment. This is my first year in the EuroLeague, and it's something I'll remember forever. I came in and did pretty well.

There are some things I want to get better at, but I've put my mark on the league. That makes me feel good, and I want to keep improving.

Fenerbahce and Olympiacos played two regular season games, with you being present only in the second one.

However, both had the same outcome. What do you see as the decisive factor in this upcoming playoff series, and what's the biggest issue Fener had to deal with while facing them?I don't think we had a full team in those games. In the second game, we had guys coming back from injury. I didn't play in the first game and only played like 12 minutes in the second one. Just me being confident in myself, I think if I played a full game, I'd have a big impact on the game. That's my thoughts as a player.

They're a great team, well-coached. Their team chemistry is just great. They've been together for a long time, adding some pieces here and there. It's hard to play against a team with that type of chemistry. We're a new team trying to figure it out.

Why did they give you such a hard time, and what has led them to the top of the regular season?The way they move the ball on offense and their team defense. They have each other's back, and that's huge. Everyone knows their role, and they all know what each other likes to do.

They have guys that make cuts, rebound, defensive pressure full-court. That's everything you need on a team.

Which player do you think will win EuroLeague MVP, and who deserves it the most?For me, EuroLeague MVP is the best player on the best team. So, since Olympiacos finished at No.1 and [Sasha] Vezenkov is the main guy on their team, he should definitely win it. He deserves it because he's been playing great, and he's been really efficient.

It's a different thing when you go out and take 20 shots. Everyone can score like this. But what are you going to do with 10 or 8 shots? That's what matters to me.

These games will be somewhat special for some of Fenerbahce's Greek crew (staff and players, especially Tyler Dorsey).

Do Nick Calathes, Kostas Antetokounmpo, or Tyler discuss how it's going to be facing a Greek team in the playoffs for the first time?This is my first season, and I'm looking forward to the playoffs. It will be my first time playing in Piraeus, so I'm looking forward to it. I watched some games last year when fans stormed into the court after they won. I watched this on TV, I'm always tuned in.

I know they have a great atmosphere, and fans are really into the game. They always help them play better at home, giving them the push they need.

I know coach Itoudis is from Greece, too, so he'll want to coach hard. But we need to stay calm and together as a team. We have the talent to get the job done.

Do Fenerbahce fans ask you guys to follow in the women's team footsteps and win the EuroLeague?Of course. When you have this greatness in Fenerbahce, fans see it and want us to do it too. It kind of comes with the territory.

What's the best and worst thing about living and playing basketball in Turkey? Actually, it's the same thing for me. The best is all the fans' support, and the worst is all the fans' support. It puts a lot of pressure on you. Fenerbahce is a huge club, so everywhere you go, someone knows you.

They're going to have their thoughts on the game. I would go to a restaurant, and guys want to give me advice and get under my skin. They're like coaches.

I put my life to this, and you watch [it] on TV, and you think you can tell me what to do better. I know what to do better, and so does our coach. Or I don't know when I make a mistake. Of course, I do. I've been playing this game my whole life. That's the best and the worst thing.

It's also good because you do somewhere and people say, 'Hi, Mot. We love you!' The support here is amazing for me. I can't go anywhere without people recognizing me. I can't walk down the street without someone stopping their car and trying to make a picture. It's crazy!

In an interview last January, you said Dimitris Itoudis is tough, but he also allows you to be yourself. What did you mean by that, and how has that made you a better player?He's a tough coach. He's been around and has had a lot of success. He knows how success looks like.

So, when you're not doing the things on the court that you're supposed to be doing, he'll let you know about it. It might not be in a nice way every time, you know? But it's one of those things that come with the territory.

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He has a lot of pressure on him, coming here and being a coach in this historic club. We have pressure on us, too, because people expect us to have success.

Sometimes, tempers go up and flare up from both sides. He allows you to be able to get some of that out, but he still coaches you at the same time. I can appreciate that. That's how coaches do things here in Europe. You have to get used to it, or you won't play.

During a home loss to Real Madrid last December, the team was trying to take advantage of your and Devin Booker's ability to shoot the three-ball to get Tavares out of the paint. Booker went 3/5 from deep, you had a modest 1/4.

Itoudis said you would shoot better in the following games, as Fenerbahce would keep taking advantage of the shooting threats from both their bigs in such games.

How does it feel going up against a big man like Edy, who packs the paint by himself? What's the way to defend and attack a guy like that?For me, it's normal. I played in the NBA, so there are many 7-footers. I had a pretty good game individually against him.

Yes, but NBA big men don't sit in the paint.That's not a problem for me. He has to come out, or I'll shoot the mid-range. I think I made one three, and he had to come out a little bit. If you don't make shots, it will be a bit tougher. But I'm pretty good at going to the basket against pretty much everybody.

Tavares is a great team defender. It's not only about me, he affects the game from everybody's standpoint. Guards can put more pressure on the ball knowing that you have a Tavares back there.

Has any EuroLeague center given you a hard time?I try to do what I can. When I came to Europe, Tavares was my favorite big man. I think he's perfect for here. Even when I was playing in the EuroCup, he was a guy I watched and thought he'd fit the league perfectly. I like the way he plays.

Actually, I like [Vincent] Poirier on that team too. He's a very good player too. Real Madrid have a stacked roster.

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After that game, while Booker kept shooting from distance as he used to, you only took six 3-point attempts in the next 14 games, making two of them. What might have changed Itoudis' view on the subject?That's a role thing. Coach is very organized in those things. I shot more threes last year in Loko, but I had my hands on the offense over there. We had a play for me to roll, but the big man did a deep drop, and the coach was OK with me popping.

Here, it's not like that. It's a bit more structured. Even if the big man is in a deep drop, the coach still wants me to roll because he wants a spot shot from the wing or the top. So, I don't have much of a choice because the coach has an idea of who he wants to shoot threes.

He doesn't think I'm a pick-and-pop 5, so he wants me to roll. So, I do what he says.

Still, for a moment, you seemed to be on Itoudis' list of potential 3-point shooters.Of course, but that was against Real Madrid. He hadn't seen me play against Tavares before. In the second game, he didn't care if I went to the paint because he knew I could finish against him. He'd seen it.

What's the story behind your relationship with the 3-point line? Do you feel confident behind it?Yeah. I'm a face-up big. I don't really like to play back to the basket, to be honest. If you look at my stats and clips from last year, I was facing up, playing with the ball, and shooting the mid-range jumpers.

But here's a different role. I have to control the paint, so I can stay in the game. If I do that, I'll be able to help my team win.

Credit Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Recently, the case of Thomas Walkup made headlines in Greece because he acquired Greek citizenship.

Darius Thompsonis also thinking about potentially joining Italy.Would you be tempted to apply for a non-US passport?

Yeah, I'd definitely be interested in it. I'm very locked in on my European career now. I wanted to come over here, do things and make my mark.

So, hopefully I can play in Fener for a long time. That's my goal. I don't really see myself anywhere else right now.

Hopefully, I can get a passport and help a country out in the summer before the World Cup. I'd love to do that. Maybe I'll talk to my agent about it, and we'll see what happens.

Have you made any moves? Do you have an idea of which country would it be?No, I have no idea, to be honest. I haven't thought about it, and no country has shown interest so far. I usually go back home for the summer and work out.

What's your view on the other pairings: Barcelona-Zalgiris, Real Madrid-Partizan, and Monaco-Maccabi? Who do you think will make the Final Four and why?I believe in trends. I think Maccabi are trending up right now. They're hot.

Then, Real Madrid, of course. They have a stacked roster and are such a good team. I know Partizan are trending too, but I'll still go for Madrid.

Barcelona-Zalgiris will be tough because I saw Zalgiris are trending up, but Barcelona are also a good team. I want to say Barcelona, but things can get shaky if Zalgiris get one on the road. Then, you have to get back to Kaunas and play.

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