Dee Bost reflects on leaving Galatasaray, links his Bulgarian NT future to Vezenkov / News - Basketnews.com

Dee Bost explains his decision to leave Galatasaray for ASVEL, names his pick as the No.1 EuroLeague favorite, and reveals that his Bulgarian NT future is heavily dependent on Sasha Vezenkov's availability.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

The last time Dee Bost talked to BasketNews was in mid-June 2022. The American-born guard with the Bulgarian passport was coming off an impressive campaign withGalatasaray NEF Istanbul, and fans were raving.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne / Schedule

Olympiacos Piraeus LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne81-55 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradeFri19:00 Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne04-0619:00

His Twitter profile, created in May of that same year, had drawn more than 8,000 followers over 40 days, and Bost looked like a highly popular figure among one of the broadest fanbases in Europe.

"They have over 25 million fans throughout the world. For them, us making a run in the playoffs and reaching the [Turkish league] semifinals was a huge accomplishment, especially when last year they were one game away from being relegated," the veteran player told BasketNews back then.

Bost landed in Istanbul in August 2021 on a one-year deal, but with some considerable help from the likes ofMelo Trimble and Devaughn Akoon-Purcell, he managed to turn a previously struggling team into a real contender.

Andreas Pistiolis, who had replaced Ekrem Memnun on the bench in late March, recorded an impressive run shortly after assuming head coaching duties for the first time in his career.

When Bost signed a 1+1 contract extension with the club in July, everything was seemingly pointing in the same direction: stability and continuity. A very promising year was apparently on its way.

Roughly eight months later, there's hardly anything that brings to mind the way last season ended. It would be an exaggeration to argue that the current campaign has been catastrophic, but Galatasaray have definitely failed to live up to all the expectations and the hype.

Pistiolis is still the coach, but the team hasn't found chemistry, and their results provide the best proof. The 2016 EuroCup winners are currently ranked 9th in the BSL with a modest 10-12 record and have been forced to a premature exit from the BCL TOP 16.

Free throws this season

77%12,4Points made:12,4Accuracy:76,7%Place in standings:15Record max:25Record min:5Most made FTs:Nando De ColoTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

As for Bost? Well, he doesn't work in Istanbul anymore. Nor does he dwell in the past, even though he's keen on wearing Galatasaray gear from time to time. His job is in Lyon, where he plays forLDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, who bought out his contract with his former team.

Shortly before moving to France, Bost realized the only way to get people off his back was by deleting his Twitter account.

"I got called names when I left Gala. So, I deleted it because I knew there was going to be negative backlash," he told BasketNews after ASVEL's game against Olympiacos in Piraeus on Wednesday night.

"They were sending me messages and took it the wrong way. I said, 'They can write whatever they want, but I'm going to just delete it.'"

For Bost, the whole process of leaving Galatasaray was pretty simple since his current team wanted to sign him.

"They wanted a guard, paid the buyout to Gala, and I couldn't refuse," he admitted.

Credit FIBA

Bost, now 33, thought it would be foolish not to take what looked like his last chance of returning to the EuroLeague, where he had last played with Khimki in 2018-19.

However, that doesn't mean he was on the lookout for an opportunity. That went with the territory as a natural outcome of his performances with Galatasaray.

"Unless someone comes with an offer and has a lot of interest for me to play in EuroLeague, I can't see myself there again," he said last June.

"I wanted to come back to the EuroLeague, but I wasn't searching for it," he recently reflected.

"I had just signed a two-year extension. ASVEL came and my agent, who's Greek (Nikos Spanos), made it happen. I still have Gala's jersey. That's one of my homes. I left, but it was part of basketball and business," Bost noted.

Even if he left during the season, the experienced guard had been a part of the squad that was expected to -at least- replicate last season's feats. Bost thinks Pistiolis remains a "great coach" but also that the way the roster was built made things difficult for the Greek tactician.

"He was put in tough situations, also because we played the first couple of months without a big man. [Jehyve] Floyd was injured, and that hurt us. I believe Andreas will be able to turn it around," he reflected on the situation.

Whether in Turkey or France, Bost's hands are full. Once again, ASVEL's EuroLeague playoff chances evaporated pretty early, and by the time he got there, almost everything had been decided.

Bost acknowledges that he came late to the team, which has added to the difficulty of the task, but it's still part of the process.

"EuroLeague is bad for us, but in the French league, we hope to get back to where we're supposed to be. When I came, we were already in a bad position in both leagues.

We had to choose to focus on the French league a little more because of our position in the standings and because of how tough the EuroLeague is. It's hard to evaluate what hasn't been clicking for us this year," he said.

Credit Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

As the back-to-back French champions, ASVEL will have to prove they're up to the task and deliver when playoff time comes. Bost looks at AS Monaco as the most solid title contender and one of the top 4 teams in Europe this season.

"They have a great roster and, hopefully, we can see them in the finals," he commented on his former team, where he played for three years (2016-17, 2019-21).

However, Bost can tell that the level of the LNB has improved, and Victor Wembanyama's Metropolitans 92 is one of the teams that showcase what the league has to offer to its viewers.

"Victor is incredible. What he's doing isn't normal," Bost said. "The French league is more competitive this year too. You got people saying, 'Oh, where did this team come from?' That shows how tough it is."

With 12 EuroLeague games played so far, Bost's comeback year to the top level has been marked by many ups and downs, also reflected in his shooting percentages.

He's gone 37.5% on 2-point and 28.2% on 3-point shooting, even though his ability as a prime creator (4.6 assists) remains one of his redeeming qualities.

But, overall, the league hasn't been kind to bottom-placed (8-23) ASVEL, whose last win came on January 26.

Having collected 10 straight losses and suffered several blowouts, including a 55-81 hammering by Olympiacos in Piraeus, the only realistic goal for the French team is to embellish their image on the court and boost their morale ahead of the local playoffs.

Only four years since he last played in the EuroLeague, Bost can tell the difference.

"It's really competitive if you look at the standings. All teams are close. Rosters are a lot better than in the past, from top to bottom. Olympiacos are one of the toughest teams I've played against so far. They're very well coached by [Giorgos] Bartzokas and have great players and a good system."

The Bulgarian international and Olympiacos' coach had worked together in Russia, albeit "under different circumstances" compared to those Bartzokas is having in his home country.

No matter how competitive the EuroLeague is, whenever either side lacks motivation, the outcome becomes rather predictable.

Bost calls Olympiacos "one of the top three favorites to win it."

"You can't cancel out Monaco because of their talent. Real Madrid and Barca are also great. But Olympiacos are playing the best basketball as a team at the time."

If the Reds loom as the team to beat this year, thenSasha Vezenkovhas deservedly been labeled as the No.1 candidate for the MVP award.

The 27-year-old forward is in his prime, looking unstoppable at times. That's hardly a surprise to Bost, who's been playing alongside the 2017 NBA Draft pick in the Bulgarian NT since the year Vezenkov was drafted.

"That's my Bulgarian brother. It was good to see him again," Bost reacted.

"To me, he's going to be the league MVP - at least, I hope so. He's a great player and a great guy. It was fun to play against him. His work ethic is amazing. Last year, he was among the Best Five, but I know he's a really hard worker. He spends a lot of time in the gym, and I think he deserves it."

Bost and Vezenkov tried to work miracles last September in Tbilisi, where Bulgaria competed in the FIBA EuroBasket group stage.

The Olympiacos' player averaged a stunning 26.8 points and 12.2 rebounds (31.2 in EFF) over five games, while the guard of ASVEL added 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per evening.

However, Bulgaria's fate was almost impossible to change. The big win against Georgia ultimately did more to damage the hosts' chances than it actually served Bulgaria's efforts to qualify from a tough group featuring Spain, Turkey, Montenegro, and Belgium.

Still, Bost will always cherish the experience.

"It was amazing. It was my first time, and for me as an American player, it was great to see how the competition is and play against the top European countries."

Before the tournament, Bost had clarified that it would be his last go-round with Bulgaria.

"I'm 32, and I need some rest. I feel like I have nothing else to prove. I want to win more trophies in my career, but playing for Bulgaria doesn't give me an advantage or disadvantage. Teams know me, and I just want to show my loyalty to them," he said.

During the following months, some contradicting reports regarding the player's future came to light. Bost himself wasn't sure.

"I actually retired from the national team," he told Turkish outlet beIN Sports last December before opening up on potentially playing for Bulgaria in future FIBA fixtures.

"But I have been considering playing again, actually. The last two weeks, I have actually been talking to them, maybe considering coming out of retirement to play," the North Carolina-born point guard confided.

"I've thought about it, but at the time, I was transitioning from Galatasaray to ASVEL," Bost told BasketNews while in Greece.

Knocked out of contention for a berth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Bulgaria visited Romania and hosted Portugal hoping to strengthen the bid for a spot in the 2025 EuroBasket during the February FIBA window.

For Bulgaria to go through, they had to beat Portugal by at least 11 points in the most crucial game. However, Bulgaria won only by 8 (90-82) and was left out of the 3rd Round of the Pre-Qualifiers.

Vezenkovdid his best to secure a spot for his country, accumulating 30 points in that outing. But Bost wasn't there.

"I didn't know Vezenkov went back," he explained.

"I talked to him for days, and he didn't mention one thing. And then, I was like, 'Huh?' He said, 'Yeah, we won by eight, while we were supposed to win by 11.'"

As opposed to Vezenkov, Bost's last game with Bulgaria was in the EuroBasket. He did have some talks with the federation in January, but his deal with ASVEL could draw the curtain on his run with the national team.

"Honestly, now that I'm here with ASVEL, I think I'm done. I won't be able to compete because of the battle between EuroLeague and FIBA," he said.

"But I think I'm done overall. I'm 33, and I've got one more year with ASVEL. I think I'm going to just focus on staying healthy."

Credit Nikola Krstic/MB Media/Getty Images However, there's one person that can potentially change Bost's decision.

"Sasha always calls me. I think if he does go back and play an important game and he wants me to come, I'm coming. But the last time we talked, he said he's done for a while."

What will the future look like for a team with hopes on one player? Bost thinks his (former) teammate can almost single-handedly keep Bulgaria competitive in international competition.

"He can do that, but he needs a little bit of help too. He did it in the EuroBasket. He's capable of it, but if he goes back, I might try to help him if I can still do it."

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