Shaq McKissic names all-EuroLeague second unit team / News - Basketnews.com

Shaq McKissic selected Giannoulis Larentzakis from his teammates to create the best EuroLeague second-unit lineup.

Credit: Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Dora Pantelli nailed it with her question to Giannoulis Larentzakis following Olympiacos' impressive win against Barcelona.

Shaquielle McKissic

Team:Olympiacos PiraeusPosition:SGAge:32Height:196 cmWeight:96 kgBirth place:Seattle, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Pantelli praised Larentzakis, who had just turned the game around with 14 points, saying, "Sometimes it looks like when nothing works, you appear, and you provide energy, and you provide your team with big shots."

This is precisely the kind of heroics that Olympiacos' second unit ambassadors, including Larentzakis and Shaquielle McKissic, have been delivering consistently throughout the EuroLeague season.

McKissic once again rose to the occasion in Kaunas, delivering a sensational 18-point performance off the bench that helped propel Olympiacos to a narrow win.

Recently, BasketNews had the chance to ask McKissic to name his picks for the all-EuroLeague second-unit team.

"I'm loving my second unit," he chuckled, referring to his teammates in Olympiacos.

"I'm taking Larry with me, Larry's my guy," McKissic said, referring to Larentzakis by his nickname.

McKissic initially considered Kostas Sloukas too, but we decided against picking EuroLeague MVP contenders. That meant leaving out players like Will Clyburn, Elie Okobo, Markus Howard, Marko Guduric, and others.

We also agreed to allow him to choose only one player from Olympiacos.

"That's a great question," McKissic said, pausing to consider.

"I want [Alpha] Diallo. He's my guy," he declared after a moment.

Diallo has come off the bench in 19 out of 29 games, averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 12.3 minutes per game.

"As far as bigs... Give me [Guerschon] Yabusele. I take Yabusele at the four," McKissic declared, choosing the power forward from Real Madrid.

Yabusele has come off the bench in 11 out of 23 games this season, and he's been averaging 8.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

"And at the five, give me Tonye Jekiri. We played together in Gaziantep, so we have a strong bond and finished really well that year. That's my guy," McKissic concluded his top second unit lineup to BasketNews.

Jekiri and McKissic played for Gaziantep in the 2018-19 season, and the following year, they both made it to the EuroLeague.

Olympiacos arguably has one of the best second units in the league.

When asked about how their first and second lineups fare against each other in practice, McKissic replied: "We don't really structure our practices that way. It's not like we have the starters going up against the second unit. We just learn each other's tendencies because the roster and rotation can get tricky at any time. But there have definitely been some interesting moments..."

McKissic couldn't help but laugh as he continued: "There have been some really fun practices this year. Things can get a little heated at times..."

When prompted to share some stories from those practices, McKissic hesitated before responding.

"No comment. I don't want to go there. But let's just say it's been a lot of fun. Maybe after I retire, I'll give you that exclusive. There's been plenty of stuff, especially involving Spanoulis," he said with a sly smile, leaving it up to the imagination.

Best second units: EuroLeague teams that get the most points off the bench

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