ARIS Betsson BC Press Conference and Vassilis Spanoulis Presentation

Today (15/06), the ARIS Betsson BC press conference and the presentation of our team’s new head coach, Vassilis Spanoulis, took place in the “Ilias Zygouris” Hall of Alexandreio Melathron.

The first part of the event included a review of the season and the “next day” for ARIS Betsson BC. The speakers were ARIS Betsson BC President Charis Papageorgiou, CEO Agapitos Diakogiannis, and COO Byron Antoniadis.

Here is what was said in detail:

CHARIS PAPAGEORGIOU

“On behalf of the ARIS Betsson BC administration, I would like to welcome you to today’s press conference. I would also like to thank all media representatives for their excellent cooperation with the Press Office. This is very important.

Allow me to make a brief historical reference. One year has now passed since the transfer of the majority stake to Richard Hsiao. Around twelve months ago, a new era began for ARIS. As an administration, we set goals and agreed that the first year would be transitional.

Our first priority was the financial side and the settlement of debts, something we achieved in a short period of time. The second goal was to build a competitive team, both in a highly competitive championship and in Europe. The third was to build an administrative structure, an organization that will follow us in the coming years, with the aim of ARIS playing a leading role in Greek and European basketball.

I admit that it was a demanding effort. To a large extent, the goals have been achieved. We are on the right track. There is always a strong group of executives dedicating time so that ARIS can be high, where we all want it to be.

I would like to thank Mr. Agapitos Diakogiannis and Mr. Byron Antoniadis for our productive cooperation. Of course, I would also like to thank Nikos Zisis, who is a valuable asset for ARIS Betsson BC.

I would also like to thank the ARIS fans, who embraced this new effort from the very first moment. I can see that this year, after yesterday, the enthusiasm is multiplying. They should be certain that ARIS is in good hands, both administratively and technically, with the arrival of Vassilis Spanoulis.

I have the feeling that our basketball department will be ready to take off. However, we need to keep our enthusiasm under control. We should be excited, but through hard work we will achieve our goals.

I thank everyone working in the ARIS organization for our excellent cooperation, and we look to the future with optimism. The road to success lies ahead of us.”

AGAPITOS DIAKOGIANNIS

“Thank you to everyone here today. Last year, when we began the discussion, the first thing on our mind was the debt. That is now a thing of the past.

However, this is not a one-off situation, where ARIS simply came in and cleared a debt. It is a commitment regarding how we want to build in the future. Today, the team — and you can see this in every quarterly report made available to everyone — operates on the basis of zero borrowing. This is very important, so that we can build something that protects the team and ensures it will not be exposed to future risks.

The club is moving forward on the basis of zero borrowing and with no debt to the state. This is a commitment from the ownership that continues, and it is a very important foundation.

Last year, when we began discussing some of the things we wanted to do, I remember very clearly that we had a discussion about procedures, infrastructure, and systems. Someone asked whether we really believed we could bring these things into a basketball team. During the course of the season, we began to understand a little more why this could be difficult.

When we started doing this work in July, we saw that information about contracts was appearing in many media outlets, information that had already become available. These were things that perhaps we had not even had time to read ourselves in the contracts.

When games began, we did a lot of work to organize how all the people who came to support us would enter safely, where they would park, and how they would enter the arena. At the same time, these people were used to a certain way of operating. We tried to introduce procedures that seemed strange to many people.

With the understanding that we would have games where we wanted absolute safety, we ran into walls. People had every good intention to come and support us, but it was a difficult process to agree on how our games should run.

Similarly, when we started working on our financial procedures, we saw, after taking over the bank accounts, that there were several details that were quite difficult. You might not have an understanding of what is happening in the accounts of ARIS Betsson BC itself. Money could be leaving, and even when we went to the bank itself, we could not understand where it was going from. That is when we understood that the system we wanted to build would be quite difficult.

At some point, we did indeed shut things down. We became distant. We tried to shield the way we would build these procedures in order to protect the team itself.

We all wanted to reach the same point. I want to thank everyone: sponsors, A.S. ARIS, the media, our supporters, prominent ARIS people. They had the patience to give us the time to have this discussion and to understand one another. We all wanted to reach the same point.

We greatly appreciate that we have managed to come closer together. This is something we continue to build, and it is a process we will continue to build during the new season as well.

Having overcome this initial obstacle, a second very important part was the discussion about the arena. We have already begun discussions regarding the concession of the arena. At the point we are currently at, the discussions are progressing quite well.

For the arena itself to be granted to a team, it needs to pass through many bodies. These may include central government bodies, such as the Prime Minister’s Office, various ministries — Sports, Finance, Energy, Defense — various local authorities, the university, the municipality, the region, or other relevant bodies such as TIF, TAIPED, and ETAD.

For all of these bodies to reach an agreement that is safe, logical, and legal is a process that takes time. What I can say is that most of these people and institutions understand that a possible concession of Alexandreio can be a win-win scenario.

What we are working on, however, is not just taking Alexandreio today. That is something we could sign and continue. However, we must follow a process based on logical foundations: whether Alexandreio can be sustainable in five, ten, twenty, or thirty years; whether we will be able to develop all the sporting activities we want; whether we will be able to have the right parking so that people can use this arena.

At this point, I would like to refer to how the ownership views the arena issue. I am very happy and proud because, during the process of discussing the arena, issues are also arising that have to do with the future of the city.

The city is making a very important effort to bring much more green space to the area of TIF, or more generally inside the city. These may be things that do not necessarily conflict, but must be taken into account in the discussion about the concession of the arena.

In each of these discussions, the ownership wants to see the social footprint that such an agreement will have. It is not only about what we, as ARIS Betsson BC or ARIS, will receive. We could already have taken things, and this could already have brought money to the ownership and to ARIS Betsson BC.

This is something we are looking at through its social footprint. It is important to do this. It is the right way to do it, the transparent way, and I am very happy that the ownership is approaching it in this way.

The discussions will continue, and we truly want to bring this positive discussion and atmosphere in order to have a win-win outcome. Obviously, though, we will go only up to reasonable points.

If these requests are not satisfied, ARIS will also have to examine its alternatives within the next year.

This discussion about a possible long-term concession of the arena has not stopped us from bringing some changes. The ownership will bring changes inside the arena, which we will see from this year.

One issue that has concerned us for many years is whether we could increase the capacity. I am happy to share with you that this year the capacity of Alexandreio will increase by approximately 20%.

As Byron will present shortly regarding season tickets, we will have some people in a stand opposite the existing fan section, and this will happen gradually. The increase in capacity will take place gradually.

Everything we do will not only follow fire safety, security, structural, and other regulations, but will also take into account how the spectators who come and spend their time here can have a good experience. It is part of the administration’s plans for the coming years to continue investing in this.

So, beyond the capacity increase, there will be various parts relating to aesthetic interventions, the fan experience when they come to watch games, and, of course, many things related to sporting infrastructure and so on.

I will close my remarks by saying that this was a year in which we laid some foundations. There were indeed procedures, systems, and infrastructure that were put in place. We are very happy and excited about what is coming on the sporting side.

We believe that we are getting closer to the ownership’s vision, which has existed since day one. At the same time, both our feet are firmly on the ground. We are grounded, we have a lot of work to do, and we are certain that we will get where we want to go.”

BYRON ANTONIADIS

“I would like, in turn, to thank — speaking about the previous season — our athletes, the coaching team, the staff, and of course the ARIS fans, who supported us throughout the year. It was a season with ups and downs, but the fans were always there, and that is very important. We laid the foundations for what is coming.

I would also like to welcome Vassilis Spanoulis, since we will not be part of the next presentation. It is a great honor for Agapitos and me to work with basketball people such as Vassilis, Nikos Zisis, and Charis Papageorgiou, who are essentially iconic figures not only for Greek basketball but also for European basketball. It is truly an honor for us.

Our role is a little different. Our role has to do with creating the conditions so that the basketball department can progress, removing obstacles, building infrastructure, and bringing tools, so that we create the environment in which the basketball department can perform at its best.

When we took over, we said that we wanted to build a better team, an organization that would become better day by day, more modern, more effective, and more professional.

We believe that great athletes, great coaches, and great executives do not come to an organization only because of its name or its legacy. They come because, when they speak with people who have worked there, those people tell them that there is an environment that is cultivated and of very high quality. This is what we are trying to build.

With this philosophy, we have worked over the last 11 months since we took over, and we have achieved specific measurable progress that I would like to mention.

We moved forward with the launch of our new website and the complete renewal of the ARIS Betsson BC application, which now has 10,000 users. This was a major upgrade in terms of the club’s presence, something you have certainly also noticed on social media.

We recorded historic performances across our digital channels. Within the Euroleague family — meaning EuroCup and EuroLeague — we are the second team in engagement per follower among all 40 teams. This is very important, and we achieved it in just one year, multiplying total interaction by 25 compared with last year, which is an excellent number.

The increased reach of the club was also reflected in our commercial portfolio, attracting global brands such as Uber and Coca-Cola, with even more agreements coming in the future in this area, while also strengthening existing agreements such as those with Betsson and Midea.

At the same time, as Agapitos mentioned and as we had announced last year, we moved forward with important interventions in our facilities. We renovated the restrooms, which we believe brought a major upgrade for the public, while also upgrading the team locker rooms and creating new functional spaces for our basketball department, such as the coaches’ offices.

For the new season, we have launched a series of initiatives that will bring ARIS even closer to its fans. The central pillar and axis of this will be our newly renewed app. Our aim is for it to become a unified digital gateway for the fan, with new features, benefits, and a complete loyalty and reward system, something we had announced last year, but first had to lay the foundations in order to implement it this coming season.

At the same time, we are working with cutting-edge marketing technology companies, using modern tools that will further upgrade the experience of our fans and, as we said, bring them closer to the team.

In closing, I would like to refer to the new season tickets, which will be available from today at 19:14. We wanted the first people who believed in the effort to be the first to be rewarded.

So, the 3,000 people who already held season tickets last year will have access both in terms of priority and to the lowest prices of the campaign. As we said, they will open today, and from today until June 25 there will be the possibility to renew the same seat.

From June 26 until June 30, this year’s season ticket holders will be able to change seats and choose another seat in the arena. From July 1 onwards, season tickets will be available to everyone, regardless of seat, with the aim of reaching approximately 4,000 season tickets. This is a significant increase compared with last year.

Last year, we spoke about a flame that was burning, slowly burning in the hearts of ARIS fans, which we essentially rekindled. We wanted that flame to once again become the driving force of our club.

One year later, I think we can speak of a flame that is burning much stronger. ARIS has always been the strength of its people, and this was proven throughout all the difficult and hard years the team went through over the last 25 or 30 years.

As a new year begins, we want to call on the ARIS fans to be with us again, and we are sure they will be. To feel this strength, to feel this flame, and to feel this fire that will now surround us all. This is already evident from the atmosphere we experienced yesterday at the airport, and we believe we will have our fans with us throughout the season.

It will be an equally difficult year. It will be an equally transitional year, in the sense that it will be a transition to a new level. But we believe that we will have the fans by our side and that, with humility and prudence, we will move forward.”

The ARIS Betsson BC executives then answered questions from the media.

On whether some people are creating problems regarding the arena issue and whether there is a plan for a new arena:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “When we refer to problems, I want to clarify that all the bodies we are speaking with have a positive attitude, because they understand the win-win scenario. Not only as support and cooperation with a historic club — ARIS is not only a historic club for Thessaloniki, ARIS is basketball in Greece.

There is no body that does not understand the importance of basketball. When all these legends are gathered here, it makes us remember even more what was happening in that arena in the 1980s, when everyone was ARIS.

So the issue is not that someone has decided to stand against ARIS and create a problem that makes no sense. It has to do with state bureaucracy, with understanding how we can relate to the various projects currently running in Thessaloniki, and how a person signing something can avoid being exposed to risk on matters that may involve archaeology, the licensing of Palais, and so on.

So I do not have any specific people to name who are creating problems. When they appear, I promise I will do so. It is something we should do, because we should all discuss things on a logical basis.

But I want to return to what we said earlier. We are not coming to claim things only as ARIS, only because someone owes us something, or because a tremendous basketball legacy was built here.

The ownership brings a culture of building win-wins. If the city is being upgraded here and trying to create green space, which Thessaloniki needs so much, we must become part of that. We must bring something and upgrade it even more.

I am very proud of this position, because sports clubs have a tremendous social footprint, and we should not think only about how we will get the arena. We were given opportunities to sign and be able to receive money earlier.

Yes, we are doing significant research and analysis to understand how to predict things that are impossible to predict — what will happen in ten or twenty years. But we want to set the infrastructure and conditions for the current arena: how it could grow and meet all the requirements needed for modern arenas in ten, twenty, or thirty years.

ARIS will continue to view Palais as its priority, but it is not the only solution for the arena issue. Certainly, in the discussion with the state, we will see how we can shape the agreement in a way that makes sense for everyone in the long term.”

On what percentage of the debts had been settled:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “I certainly cannot give a percentage. First of all, to be honest, I do not remember it off the top of my head. But these were things that formed a tremendous tsunami, and I want to congratulate the previous administration.

Those people made a huge effort to tidy up things that were extremely difficult, under conditions in which the financial surface that exists now did not exist. They had done very structured work, led by Achilleas Rousiamanis, so that they themselves could understand the debts while searching for them.

I believe the agreement and discussion we had last year were honest and fair. In other words, they made a very clear effort to tidy up the debts. After the agreement, more debts certainly appeared, and we had to enter a process where a stop had to be placed somewhere, because otherwise this stop might never come.

It was a tsunami, with people coming from 2007, 2011, 2017, from all years, who had some reasonable or unreasonable claims because money had been found in ARIS Betsson BC.

So, unfortunately, I do not have a percentage to give in response. I want to once again congratulate the previous administration, which made a very honest effort to tidy up something that was very difficult. And I want to continue the statement that we are indeed moving into a process in which we do not want to have major borrowing openings, and we certainly do not want to have debts to the state.”

Byron Antoniadis: “I should note here that any debts that appeared later were debts that the previous administration could not have known about. For example, a supplier knew that if he knocked on the door at that moment, he might not be able to get the money. So various suppliers appeared who were not in BAT or on any recorded list, and gradually we had to deal with this situation. Therefore, it was not something the previous administration knew about.”

On whether there is a timeline for the new stand, when work will begin, and when it will be completed:

Byron Antoniadis: “The increase in capacity will be completely ready to welcome the fans. Essentially, we will be ready to welcome the increased capacity at the start of the championship.

We have taken all necessary actions so that the preparatory work that needs to be done before the new stand arrives, and before seats are increased in other areas of the arena, will be completed during the summer, so that we can then install the new stand.

Within this entire framework, there is a bureaucratic maze regarding licensing, fire protection, structural matters, technical issues that do not concern most people and that we cannot explain in such great detail. These are also running in parallel and could potentially have caused delays, but we have anticipated them, and we believe we will be ready.”

On how close the EuroLeague vision is for ARIS Betsson:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “The internal discussion and the ownership’s vision are about ARIS Betsson playing again at the top European level. That is the goal.

There are certainly discussions taking place with the Euroleague family, to which we have belonged for many years, which we respect and want to support. We also congratulate them on the fact that this year the EuroCup product will be upgraded.

We do not have anything specific to tell you regarding exactly when that moment will be. What we can say is that the team is being built, both sportingly and institutionally, in a way that will allow it, in a short period of time, to participate again at the top European level.

This is the common vision, the common understanding that the administration, the ownership, and all of us have in order to reach that point.”

On whether the planned interventions will be offset against the rent paid for Alexandreio, or whether they are an effort to take ARIS one step forward in terms of infrastructure:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “The possible offsetting of part of the investments does not stand in the way of the fact that we truly need to increase and improve our infrastructure.

What I mentioned earlier is that the current status is zero borrowing and zero debt. Borrowing within reasonable limits may possibly become part of the team’s finances at some point when we feel that we are standing on our own feet.

In any case, the key message there is that we are doing everything we can to protect and shield the team’s finances — not only today, when there is financial health, but also in the future, so that no holes are left behind which could later return, as has happened many times both at the club and at many other sports clubs.

The issue is that, when there is an ownership that invests, it invests in order to reach a vision. In that vision, we believe that the team’s finances can grow and improve.

At this moment, I cannot tell you when we will be able to reach break-even. But at the same time, the brand and the overall valuation of the team are growing. So it is an investment that brings some kind of return on investment to people who want to see things evolve and reach the highest European level of basketball.

Therefore, there is some return within this, and it is one of the incentives for which the ownership continues to invest, beyond the fact that it had a vision for this specific club.”

Byron Antoniadis: “A small note here regarding borrowing, because you correctly mentioned that it will not be required later: the entire form through which the ownership injects capital into ARIS Betsson BC is through share capital increases and not borrowing. So that alone ensures that there is no loan balance.

The second part regarding offsetting is that, obviously, the first part of the investments will always be offset, but this does not mean that we will not expand further, as Agapitos said.”

On how they handled this year’s feedback and the possibility of examining a change of arena:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “I will start with the second part. Alexandreio is our preferred and priority solution as an arena. It is our history, it is the history of basketball, and we would like this to continue happening in the center of the city.

This is where we belong. But that does not mean there are no alternatives. So if we do not manage to reach an agreement that is fair and sustainable, then alternatives will be examined, which do exist on the table, but at a much less mature level than the current discussion.”

Byron Antoniadis: “It is an interesting question. Certainly, we are sitting here eleven months later, having gained a great deal of experience through this season.

We are two people who have worked together in previous years as well, and both of us like the feedback process very much. I want to believe that throughout the year we constantly had our ears open to what could change.

We heard many things, some fair and some unfair, but I believe that is very normal in this space — not only at ARIS, but everywhere, in all teams.

I want to believe, and I think Agapitos mentioned this in part of his opening statement, that some people told us we were distant, and we understood that and changed based on that.

But I think that in the beginning there were so many things that had to be done internally before we could become outward-facing.

This concerns our relationship with the media, our relationship with a group, if you like, of prominent ARIS people who had been in this space for so many years and whom we should have listened to and consulted more. And, of course, it concerns the fans themselves, from whom feedback is easiest to receive.

In the age of social media, it is easy to focus only on bad comments. But as in politics, it is very difficult to focus only on what is written, because there is a large group of people who write nothing and approach things in a different, more positive way.

I believe we listened, we took in a large part of that, and we changed and adapted. At the same time, I believe that we brought, and are still trying to bring, the organization closer to our own standards.

For example, on the day we lost to Maroussi and were 0-3 in the championship, the report with the quarterly metrics was released, and some people said: ‘We are heading for relegation and you are publishing metrics? We are not a company, we are a team.’

No. We are both a competitive team and a company. And this is how we will move forward. This is how we will proceed from the beginning and throughout the rest of our plan.

We need to understand that the whole commercial side, the marketing side, the idea that the fan is also essentially a customer, is a way in which we want to view the team. At the same time, there is a huge competitive side that has nothing to do with being a company. Within this, we will find the balance we want, for our own good and for the club’s good.”

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Indeed, the part of the opening statement about how we shut things down and were distant is true. We were distant from many people: people who worked at ARIS Betsson BC, people with whom we cooperated, the media, A.S. ARIS.

We were trying to find ways to speak a common language. Without these people, without you, without the fans, without all of them, there is no ARIS, there is no ARIS Betsson BC.

It is our obligation to work more closely and find a way for there to be a reasonable and good cooperation.

Many of these people have ended up becoming mentors for us. For us and for all the people who work at ARIS Betsson BC, it is more than an obligation to listen to them, to understand our mistakes — which were many and will continue to be many — and to find a way for all of us together to turn the page and move to the next level.

We did it last year, we must do it again now, and perhaps we will need to do it again next year as well. Because the vision we have, and where we want to go, is not connected to the history of the club over the last ten, fifteen, or twenty years. It is different.

So these are new conditions that we must all learn together. In any case, we are very happy that we managed to find, with most of these people if not all of them, a way in which there is now cooperation and dialogue. We want to continue learning from them and to stay close. That is ARIS.”

On how many more tickets will be released and what price increases there will be:

Byron Antoniadis: “I will start from the end. There will be some reasonable increases, which will be gradual, in the sense that first of all we are trying to keep the tickets that were already low at a low level.

As we move toward the more expensive categories, the increases may be a little bigger. But we believe this is completely in line with the sporting direction the team has chosen for next season.

At the same time, it shows that we are trying, step by step or gradually — however you want to put it — to climb this ladder and not do it abruptly.

Now, we intend to move the press seats higher and create some seats in that zone. The zoning of the arena will be different compared with last year.

Last year, there was a single ticket category, whether someone was in the last row high up or in the first row. The prices were similar. This will change, because we believe it is unfair to those sitting higher up.

Although we believe Alexandreio is one of those arenas where, uniquely, wherever you sit, you have a fantastic view of the game.

There will also be some changes courtside, both regarding the chairs themselves, so that more people can fit, and regarding their number. In other words, some more will be added.

We also intend to change what we call the velvet seats at Alexandreio, as they are quite old, and we will fully renew them for next season.”

On whether the meeting with Euroleague CEO Paulius Motiejunas / Chus Bueno changed ARIS Betsson BC’s plan:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “The two discussions were separate and had nothing to do with one another. It was not that I came out of the meeting with Chus and we decided that we should hire Vassilis Spanoulis. So the one does not relate to the other.

They are both parts of a common vision held by the ownership, which we are implementing. It has to do with the fact that we want ARIS to play at the top level.

What we heard in the Euroleague discussion was very positive and was close to the mood we may also be conveying. The league wants to improve, to improve its commercial appeal, and to embrace and attract more projects or teams that make economic sense.

There is financial fair play. Potentially, there could be a better investment when the money someone invests in a wildcard or in franchise participation may one day return equity to them. That means someone invests in order to become part of a future Euroleague structure, which we believe is in the right direction.

This product must truly be invested in by the teams, and later protected so that it can grow even more.

Obviously, all the people at Euroleague, beyond the fact that we participate in EuroCup, have at some point seen Galis play, and he was once their childhood hero or the hero they watched when they themselves played.

So we are certainly a club that resonates very well with them, and we want to continue, through what we produce, to be relevant — not only for Euroleague, but generally for all developments in European basketball.

We want to be on the front line, and the arrival of Vassilis Spanoulis is a very specific statement in that direction. This is the way we are moving.”

On what idea they want to bring to Greek basketball:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “There is certainly a level of toxicity that I do not think makes anyone happy, not even the people who support those teams.

At the same time, of course, there is also a tremendous sporting level. Perhaps we did not see it on the court because the players had played 80, 85, or 90 games, but we must recognize that too. We are certainly not at that level yet, and we certainly were not this year.

Beyond that, the only thing we want is for basketball to rise throughout Greece, for there to be even more competitive teams, teams that will come and put pressure on all of us to become better.

If there are teams becoming even better and more competitive, we certainly want to set aside the part of competitiveness which, objectively, when there is a two-team structure, is easier to live and survive.

Beyond that, we want the championship to become more commercial, more enjoyable, tougher, stronger. There must be games where someone can watch their development and not wait for a Colossus to beat Panathinaikos once in a thousand times.

We want to see a competitive championship. This is the product we play in Greece, and it must have value. It is our championship, and it must be supported.

So this is what we also expect: to see even stronger teams. There are many investments which are very welcome, and we would like to continue seeing this, but with less toxicity.”

On the fact that in April there were very specific data points regarding the team’s investment for next season, and what changed:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “The vision was always clear, and it indeed included, as you mentioned, an increase in the budget so that the team could become much more competitive.

There were many factors within a year, starting with Hamburg. Hamburg was a big moment for us, for the ownership of the club, because something was returning. It was a game with great emotion, even for the ownership, which felt the flame.

We refer to this flame in our marketing material, but it is a reality that when you come to Palais and feel this happening, and you see more people, and what it means for all these people, what it means for European basketball, it certainly gives acceleration.

Beyond that, there are various conditions. To be objective and honest, the presence of Nikos here — a person who organizes the entire sporting side — meant that the conditions could not have existed if Nikos had not done this incredible preparatory work for Vassilis to be here with us today.

And the fact that there was indeed this warmth, there was indeed a story in which European basketball is in the best possible conditions, evolving and growing, and an opportunity is given to turn a page for the club, is something that the ownership certainly took into account, as did the broader sporting side.

There was, however, an intention to increase the budget. There was an intention to reach a level that included the points we are discussing today, possibly with some acceleration.”

Byron Antoniadis: “Also, in this whole matter, one cannot remove the issue of timing from the equation. The fact that Vassilis was available and that this whole approach could take place was something where many things really had to happen together at the same time in order for it to happen. Through this process, the ownership chose that its investment was worth making at this point in time.”

On whether work on the stand will take place even if there is no agreement for the arena:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “The agreement has followed the contracts we have seen in other arenas in Greece, and the work will begin some weeks beforehand.”

On what the team’s approach will be regarding television rights in Greece and Europe:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “First of all, we prefer to follow the league’s agreements, whether they are central or not, as you mentioned in relation to Euroleague and Greece.

Obviously, we will follow these agreements. And whenever we are given the opportunity — because ARIS currently has very high commercial value — there is data we saw regarding Greek championship games.

We are one and a half to two times higher in television viewership compared with other big teams, and only 30 or 40 percent below the two major basketball clubs in the country, something that does not apply to any other sports team.

We would indeed like to make use of this if we are given the opportunity, in the event that there is no central agreement.”

On where the team’s budget will stand next season and what the sporting goals will be:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Last year, because we entered a process in which debts were at the center, we entered much more intensively into the discussion about the budget.

But the reality is that now, having turned this page and having given the understanding that the team will move forward without debts to the state, I believe this discussion around specific budgets does not help anything.

It is not something that will help the club, nor do I think it is mainly of interest to the fans.

It is obvious that the budget has increased significantly, and we will see this through the quality of the players who come to ARIS. But this year we would like to avoid a detailed discussion around a number which, in the end, whether we say 8.3 or 12.4, will not provide information that the fans can use or that gives them value.

On the sporting side, our foundation this year is that we want to build all the conditions, both competitively and institutionally, so that we return to the highest European level as quickly as possible.

We will certainly see a team that is much more competitive. But I prefer to keep certain things so that the people responsible for the basketball side can say them to you.”

On whether there is preparation regarding the arena issue, the existing alternatives, and whether there is a possible agreement with sponsors:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Yes, there are active discussions with sponsors who are interested in the arena asset. We have nothing new to share on that, but it is something we are actively working on.”

On whether there is any thought of utilizing Nikos Galis:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Every time Nikos returns to his home, it is a tremendous honor for us. These are days of joy. They are days when, even if no basketball game is being played, there is emotion and happiness.

There is certainly always a seat next to the president, with whom he maintains a good friendship, where Nick is always welcome. It is a tremendous honor for us every time he decides to come to the arena.

Beyond that, there are various thoughts about how we could have collaborations not only with Nick, who is one person, but also with many others. As the team’s level grows, we will need to utilize or cooperate with people who have value to give, because this will not be done by a few people.

I also take this opportunity to say that, although the three of us are appearing here now, there is a huge team behind us of 20 or 25 people, who have done a lot of work throughout the year and continue to do a lot of work. We are indebted to them and thank them very much from the bottom of our hearts.

We must enter a process of finding what assets exist everywhere, some of them in this very room, so that we can make ARIS grow again.

It will not be done by three people, or by five, or by ten, even if they are incredible basketball totems. So it is within our plans to find any way we can to utilize the people who are part of the club’s history and still have a lot of value to give to the club.”

On whether ARIS’ philosophy in the coming years will be to staff the National Team:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Allow me, because I cannot even dribble and have never played basketball in my life, to transfer this question to the next panel, to the people who are probably in a better position to answer it.

What we can tell you is that we are investing heavily in ARIS’ academies, which have been at a very high level even when the first team was not at a high level. We certainly want to continue developing them and for them to be the strongest academies in the country.

For the rest of the question, it is better that you discuss it with the next panel.”

On whether the agreement with the government for Alexandreio will have a five-year horizon or something longer:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “Our main priority is to find the right conditions so that we remain at Palais, which is our home and the home of all Greek basketball. I believe Palais should be utilized, based on the agreements that have been made for other arenas.

So we are not going toward a five-year horizon. We are going toward a fifty-year horizon, forty-nine years.

Because we are talking about an old arena, this agreement may give the possibility at certain stages for someone to exit the agreement. This is what we call an opt-out, which may come every five or ten years.

So it is not that there are no alternatives. It is that our main priority and all our focus are on finding something that we believe will be a win-win for everyone: for the state, for society, for ARIS.

It makes a lot of sense, and we hope to be able to find all the right conditions in order to move this forward within the next year.”

On the friendly game organized 13 years ago for Nikos Galis and whether there is a plan to do something similar:

Byron Antoniadis: “It is certainly within our intentions to organize both events and tournaments of this kind.

However, perhaps this should happen in a year when it can function alongside the upgrades that need to be made to the arena. So it is very likely that this will not be possible in September.

Given that the team will participate again in EuroCup, which has quite a demanding schedule — maybe not as demanding as EuroLeague, but still quite demanding — it will again be a long season for the team.

We do not know when something like this can happen, but when it can happen, it certainly will.

We should also note that there is already a tournament within the academies every year that honors the great Charis Papageorgiou. So at least everything that was already running continues to run, and we are sure we will expand it. But as we said, step by step, gradually.”

On the difficult moments Charis Papageorgiou experienced as ARIS president and the risk the team once faced of not participating in the championship:

Charis Papageorgiou: “It is truly difficult for me to refer once again to unpleasant events from the past. I try to erase them from my memory, and I wish that not even my enemy would experience what I and some other people experienced.

We are here today because we have turned the page. We are in a new era. We must enjoy it and look to the future with optimism.

ARIS went through very difficult situations. I am also glad because, even in the difficult times, I was present. As I promised from my youth, I will always be devoted to the idea called ARIS, and I have made that promise a reality.

I was there in the difficult times. I supported the team with all my strength. I thank Richard and his representatives, Agapitos and Byron, for trusting me with the extremely honorable position of president in the new administrative structure.

It is an extraordinary honor for a man who, from his teenage years, honored the ARIS jersey as an athlete, won championships and later cups, and had a long career as an athlete and then in various executive and administrative positions, to reach the highest moment, where I now have the great honor of leading this great effort for ARIS to once again become the great and historic club that not only ARIS fans want, but all Greek sports fans want.

ARIS has been in the hearts of all Greeks since those glorious decades, and I believe this is an achievable goal for all of us.

We are doing everything, working day and night, to bring ARIS where it truly deserves to be.”

On how much the capacity increase can cover the passion of the ARIS fans:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “I will complete the first part of your question. We are examining it very closely.

It is difficult to take a sixty-year-old arena, which was built under different requirements and does not meet many criteria. But, at the end of the day, concrete is concrete.

We have the ability to change some things, which will certainly require redevelopment. These are things we examine daily so that we can deliver something that is good for the fan who comes here to watch games, certainly safe, and meeting all the necessary requirements.”

On the possible agreement with a sportswear company for the team’s kit and whether it has been finalized:

Agapitos Diakogiannis: “We are indeed close to an agreement with a company. It is one of our main priorities to strengthen the club commercially even more, because this protects the club.

There are also now the conditions where all quality people in the sporting department also have the expectation of working with quality brands. It is part of our work, across the whole club, to continue growing the club in every direction. The commercial side is certainly one of them.”

THE PRESENTATION OF VASSILIS SPANOULIS

The second part of the event included the official presentation of Vassilis Spanoulis. ARIS Betsson BC General Manager Nikos Zisis spoke first.

NIKOS ZISIS

“Today is a very big day for ARIS and for Greek basketball. I will not hide from you that the idea of bringing Vassilis here was born as soon as his cooperation with Monaco ended.

Deep down, however, I considered it impossible. In the end, nothing was impossible when you believe, when you try, and when you love what you do.

At this point, I want to thank Richard Hsiao for trusting this vision and doing everything in his power so that Vassilis could come here, as well as for the trust and support he has shown me throughout the period in which I represent our club.

The presence of the fans yesterday was unprecedented and showed in practice that there is thirst, love, faith, and anticipation for what we are building.

I want to thank Vassilis for choosing to share this journey with us, bringing with him his own mentality, passion, and philosophy.

I am sure that with the love and support of the fans, and with the way he approaches every challenge, we will build together. Our first goal is to compete at the highest level in Europe as soon as possible and to establish ourselves there.”

RICHARD HSIAO

“Today is quite a nice day. Last season, all of us worked very hard. We faced, truthfully, quite a few difficulties, but at the end of the day we made it.

At this moment, as we speak, we have brought Vassilis Spanoulis to ARIS, and step by step we want to build the culture of this club.

The truth is that last season we faced some obstacles and difficulties, both the coaching staff and the players. But we were all together and managed to overcome them.

I would like to thank the sponsors who stood by us during the past season for their support.

When we spoke with Nikos about bringing coach Spanoulis to ARIS, the truth is that we did not have many chances. We started from five percent, ten percent, fifteen percent, and gradually that percentage kept rising.

We spoke endless hours with Nikos. Nikos is a person who worked very hard and has a great passion for basketball.

We have brought coach Spanoulis to this team, a person who knows ARIS very well. We shared our vision with him, and he did the same.

A new era is beginning for this team. From now on, we want to give our best. We want to be as competitive as we can in the Greek championship and in EuroCup, and why not also in EuroLeague.

We want to be optimistic and happy that everything will go well. I welcome coach Spanoulis to the ARIS team.”

VASSILIS SPANOULIS

“First of all, it is very nice to see so many people here, at such a basketball club, with so many basketball people.

For me, I want to start with the welcome from the fans. I truly thank them very much. It was impressive, but as I also said somewhere yesterday, I do not receive this welcome as something directed only toward me, but as something directed toward the beginning of this great effort being made by the ARIS organization.

I believe that ARIS is a very big basketball club, not only in Greece but also in Europe. I do not need to say this. We all know it. It is a team that brought basketball into Greek homes and inspired many generations.

Here, I want to thank the ownership very much for the trust and faith they showed me. I also want to say a huge thank you to Nikos, who played a very decisive role in my decision.

I am also very happy to become part of this team, of this new page. To build something on strong foundations, something that will have duration, you need people next to you who have the same goal, the same values, the same way of thinking, and who will walk with you with the same desire toward a common goal.

This is very important to me. I have that here, mainly with Nikos and mainly through the trust of the ownership.

I do not like making big statements or promises. As you all know, I like to speak with actions, not words.

I know basketball very well, because it is my life. It is my bug, it is what makes me happy after my family.

I know very well that nothing is given to you. I know that you need to work very hard, to have discipline, a goal, focus, and consistency in your plan. This is what I want us to have in this team.

I want us to build a team that will have very strong foundations. It will not be a flash in the pan. It will have strong foundations, it will have duration, and it will make the ARIS fans proud.”

On how much pressure he feels and whether his goal is to increase ARIS’ trophy collection:

“I feel no pressure, no burden. I feel only awe.

When you enter an arena that, as I said before, brought basketball into Greek homes and inspired so many generations, with so many great players who were our idols — Nikos Galis, Panagiotis Giannakis, and that great team of the 1980s and early 1990s — you certainly feel awe.

We grew up with these players, who later were also in the National Team together with other great players. There is motivation, a plan, and a vision for what we want to do.”

On whether the trophies will increase:

“As I said before, I do not like words, or trophies, or these kinds of statements. Those who know me know whether I play for victory and trophies or whether I play just for the sake of playing.

My teams, both when I was an athlete and now as a coach, have always had that. I believe that speaking now about trophies will not help anyone.

We all know why I came here. We all know why this thing is being built. Obviously, if something were not being built, there would not have been this extra step from the ownership for everything that is happening.

So I believe the most important thing right now is to stay focused on the fact that something must be built with consistency, on strong foundations, so that it is not a flash in the pan, and so that it will make the ARIS fans proud of what they see.”

On how we went from 5% chances to what is happening now:

Nikos Zisis: “The idea was born as soon as Vassilis’ cooperation with Monaco ended. And at that time it was not five percent. It was 0.0001%. My colleagues and the people of the team know this. I really did not believe this could be possible a few months from then.

It was built day by day. You know, since you have known us since we were young, that we speak endlessly on the phone because of the brotherly friendship we have. We are also colleagues in the National Team, but we talk about many basketball issues anyway.

When this topic was raised, in the beginning, as I said, it had very small chances. But with every day that passed, I believed in it more. I would say that it entered the final stretch during the last twenty days. That is when the percentage went up.

I also believe that Vassilis himself understood in practice and in every way that ARIS was a team that would do everything to convince him that this was the right destination for him.

We know that he is a person who faces such challenges with particular zeal and passion. He has done it throughout his life. In the end, 0.0001 became 100%.”

Vassilis Spanoulis: “Nikos and I have been speaking every day for more than twenty years, twenty-five years, about basketball. I knew a lot about ARIS, and he knew a lot about the team I was at.

We always talk about basketball. One tries to help the other and share thoughts.

When I left Monaco, there was a discussion that was almost like a joke. At that moment, I was not thinking about where I would be. I wanted to return to my family and see them, after a very difficult situation I had experienced.

Then Nikos, in a very proper way, without pressuring me, began discussing it with me more intensely and putting the idea of ARIS in my mind.

But he never pressured me and never made me feel uncomfortable. Because, knowing the relationship between us, it is very difficult when you are speaking professionally — a general manager with a coach — and at the same time speaking to your brotherly friend.

So there is a common line where misunderstandings can happen. What we emphasized from the start was that I did not want any misunderstandings. There should be none, and we had to be very straight and very direct with each other.

When I later spoke with the ownership, I understood that something very serious is happening here. There is vision. There is a plan.

In general, I am a person who is intrigued by difficult things. I like difficult things when they motivate me. Nothing scares me.

I had a question earlier about whether I am afraid or whether I feel pressure. It is the exact opposite. It gives me motivation. I am not afraid even of failing. That does not exist in my character, as you all know very well.

The only thing that exists is motivation and finding the way to achieve our goals.

So all of this continued with Nikos and the ownership. They kept analyzing the plan for me, until at some point, without us having agreed, we started talking about players. But neither of us knew. No one believed this would happen.

We were speaking generally: which players do you like? I like this one, you like that one. Until five in the morning. I also apologize to his wife. I have kept him awake longer than normal. Nikos is very organized with his sleep. He has to sleep at certain hours, so now he has entered a different process. But it is a pleasant one.

The most important thing is that I have tremendous trust in Nikos and in everything he tells me. I know that if it were not something he believed in, he would never tell me. Because I know how much he respects me and my family.

I also have great trust in the ownership, which is very fresh, very new, with great motivation, vision, desire, passion — and they will make their mistakes. Which team started doing something without making mistakes? Is there any person here among us who does not make mistakes?

The issue is recognizing your mistakes and improving them. There is no perfect person here. There is no team in history that won something without losing, without hurting, without its people staying up all night and going through difficulties.

There is no easy life, not only in sports but in our lives. People are lost, there are difficulties, there is war, there are difficulties everywhere, and you must emerge a winner from those difficulties.

So I believed in everything that happened. I liked all of this. It gave me motivation, and that is why it happened.”

On what his basketball philosophy is as a coach:

“In general, as a coach, I adapt. I do not have fixed ideas. Depending on the players I have, I adapt. Depending on what I have in front of me, I adapt.

Many times, of course, you want to get certain players. Some come, some do not, so you must be flexible and adjust your plan.

Certainly, something that characterizes me and also characterizes the trends of the times is athleticism: players who play on both sides of the court, teamwork, and a winning mentality.

It will be a team that plays with very high energy.

We see that basketball is evolving and changing. Teams no longer simply play systems. They play a pick and roll, and depending on which players you have, you read the situation, or you play in the post.

We see that the game is moving a lot toward athleticism and less toward IQ. In other words, nowadays, if you are not an athlete, you cannot follow the trends of modern basketball.

We see that basketball constantly receives influences from America, from the NBA. It is basketball with great physicality and athleticism. If you can combine that with IQ and with players who know basketball and have experience, it can be something very nice.”

On whether the moment he said yes to ARIS came after mature thought or because of circumstance:

“I understand where this question is going. If I wanted to do something else, I would have done it.

This is a decision that came through discussion, maturity, and awareness. When you have to make a big decision, you cannot make it in one day.

That is why, through the discussions, I believe I made the right decision. Any decision I have made in my life, I consider to have been the right one, because I thought about it and made it consciously. So I will support it.”

On whether there was an emotional background to his decision to come to ARIS:

“If you go back to my statement, I said that ARIS is a very big, historic basketball club, not only in Greece but throughout Europe. So that is certainly in my mind.

Of course, it is a very big team. As we all know, ARIS has gone many years without achieving something, and that is in my mind.

There are also many people who grew up, whose fathers lived through the golden eras of ARIS, and who want to experience something similar, or have heard about it.

There is anticipation, hope, joy — and that is very beautiful. It is nice to see people with anticipation, with vision, with hope being born.

But all these things certainly need time to be built on strong foundations, while at the same time they also require results. Because the fans are thirsty.

The team has a very big vision, but we must also understand that all of this is being built. It cannot be created from one day to the next.

There are great opponents to compete against in Greece and in Europe, and we must build all of this in order to do what we all want, what the fans dream of, and what we want as well.”

On how much motivation drives him and what all the team choices he has made have in common with the successes he has experienced:

“You did not mention that we played in a European final with Monaco. Motivation is the reason we do what we love. Without motivation, for me, there is nothing in life.

Everything is driven by motivation. To become better. Some people can endure, others cannot. Some people are bent by problems, others are not. And that is not bad. It depends on how each person was born, what situations they have experienced, and how strong their stomach is.

Beyond that, I do not believe something great can be created if you do not have a strong stomach, or if you do not go through difficulties, as I said before.

It is not mandatory to go through difficulties, and you should not start with a negative attitude. I am a person who believes very much in positive energy, positive people, and optimism.

I do not like negativity and misery at all. I do not like negativity at all. There are problems, there are mistakes, and there are things you can correct. You will make mistakes again.

Our life, as I said before, is full of mistakes. We constantly make mistakes in life. The issue is to correct your mistakes and make new mistakes, not to make the same mistakes again and again.

At some point, all of us — we have all learned to find excuses. We need to look at ourselves in the mirror, take responsibility, and say: this happened, now let me correct it.

That requires strength of soul and character. So motivation is certainly something that follows us, and without it we would do nothing in life.”

On whether next season’s ARIS will have players with leadership personalities like the Spanoulis-Zisis duo when they played together:

“The basketball we want to play, as I said before, has changed. I do not know whether such players exist or whether players now come out differently, with different minds and different influences.

Our life has changed, it is evolving. In the past, for example, we watched games from morning until night. Now you see players maybe being on Instagram and social media from morning until night.

In general, there are different influences, and we too must adapt to the trends of the times. I wish there were such players. Personally, I liked the old way we lived more. But I also welcome the new way of thinking, because it also forces us to adapt.

We want players who have great passion, a winning mentality, and who understand where they are coming to play.

As we all know, ARIS has a very dynamic presence from its fans, who are thirsty. We want players who can withstand that pressure, and we want players who like all of this, who become passionate about it, and who bring out their best selves — not players who feel pressured and fail to bring out their best.

So we want players with character, players with personality, but we also want youth. We also want young, hungry players who are motivated to prove that they deserve to be at the highest level.”

On whether the Antetokounmpo brothers played any role in the outcome of the agreement:

“No. I spoke with Nikos, with Richard, and with them we had discussions and spoke many times about the team’s plan.

My strongest relationship is with Nikos. With him, we are building the sporting side of the team — I am building it with Nikos and with my staff.

Beyond that, we are lucky and happy to have an ownership that gives us the guarantees to do what we want to do.

Because I hear — and this gives me the opportunity to say it — I hear things like bringing Mike James, or Hunter, to ARIS in EuroCup. These players earn huge amounts at EuroLeague teams and want to go and win the EuroLeague.

We must know what we are discussing and what we are saying, which players we are talking about, because otherwise we are also diminishing those who will come to the team, who are good players for what we want to build now.

If ARIS plays in that competition, which is our goal, then we will move at another level.

We cannot bring players just because I had them at Monaco. It is not easy. These players are in huge demand and want to play in EuroLeague, at the highest level. They will not come to ARIS simply because it is ARIS.

Certainly, ARIS is a historic team, which must regain its respect and identity on the European stage, as it did in the old days.

But this does not exist right now to the extent it did in the past, when ARIS was a great power in European basketball and all Greeks watched ARIS.

We must also live in reality. The history of a club, its titles, and everything it has achieved must be the foundation and the motivation for what you want to achieve.

But you certainly cannot think that because ARIS had those great players in that decade and won those titles, Mike James and Punter will come here. You have to build that.

You have to earn respect, and all players and all people must understand that ARIS’ vision and ARIS’ plan are to reach, year by year, where we envision it.”

On what he does not tolerate as a coach and what he sees in the eyes of the administration:

“What I do not compromise with is lack of motivation, lack of work ethic, lack of competitive discipline, and players who will give up at the first difficulty.

I want a team with a strong mentality, strong character, and a strong mind. That is on the sporting side.

As a person and as a character, I do not compromise with misery and negativity. I do not want misery around me. I do not want misery in my daily life, in my family, or in my work. Negativity.

We are here to face everything, to correct ourselves, and to fight for the best.

I am a person who, as I said before, has very positive energy and very positive thinking. I believe that everything can be solved and improved if you have the right people next to you.

Beyond that, in Richard, Agapitos, and Byron, I see people with a great thirst to take ARIS where everyone dreams of seeing it. They have vision.

They are people who work countless hours every day for the good of the team. They are people who think about the good of the team. They are young people who like basketball very much and want to give a lot to ARIS so that it succeeds. And they do it from the heart, without any personal benefit.”

On whether he believes the strengthening of teams like ARIS can act as a counterweight to the polarization observed in recent years between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos:

“I believe — and Nikos also said it in his statement — that this is a very important event and is very good for Greek basketball. I believe this too.

We see championships such as the Spanish league, where Real Madrid are out of the semifinals. And I am not saying that big teams should be outside the semifinals, but if someone deserves it, that is good for basketball.

There are teams that may attract more Greeks, because they may not have so much time in the semifinals and may want to prove themselves.

So another opportunity is created for more young players to play basketball, and that is good in order to bring more players to the forefront.

I believe competition only does good, and I believe healthy competition does good.

What interests me is only what my team will do right now. What interests me is how we will build the best possible team to achieve our goals.

These goals will go together with our philosophy and character. The goals of this team, as I said, are for the team to acquire an identity, to acquire strong foundations, and to become a team that fans will see and then look forward to the next week to see again.

For me, this is very important, because I hear talk about titles and trophies. That is the last thing. For that to come, you have to do another hundred things first.

You have to build a team. You have to build an identity. You have to build trust and a very good relationship with the fans. There must be a plan.

When the fans see a plan and vision in the people, they will support. When the fans see people fighting for every possession, even if the team does not succeed at times, they will support.

Because what do the fans want? They want people who fight, people who sacrifice, people who show selflessness. That is what they want.

If I were a fan, I would want the same thing. Of course, I want the result. Of course, I want trophies. But when I see a team that fills me and I go home full of emotions, that is what I want.

So this is what we must build here. In the end, everything else will come.”

On Giannis Antetokounmpo’s positive comments about him and whether Thanasis Antetokounmpo is expected to be an addition to this year’s roster:

“I had also commented at the time on Giannis’ statements, and they certainly honor and flatter me.

When one of the best players, if not the best player in the world, speaks about you with those words, it is certainly a very nice compliment.

But I know that Giannis never says something just to say it. He is a person who means what he says. Just as I mean what I say to him — and to anyone.

I thank him very much once again for the very nice words he said about me.

Beyond that, regarding the team, Kostas, Thanasis, and other players, the team is working. With my staff, with Nikos, with the whole team we have, with the entire ownership, we are working for the best of ARIS.

You will soon learn from announcements what you need to know about the players.”

Nikos Zisis: “I should add that there are some finalized agreements, but nothing is announceable yet. You will be informed by ARIS Betsson BC very soon.”

On how his family received his decision to come to ARIS:

“My family is happy when I am happy. Now they have one more reason, because I am in Greece and they will see me very often, even more often.

So they are happy with their dad, and I look forward to telling them the news — what happened, how it went.

So when I am happy, they are happy, and vice versa. You know the bonds I have with my family. I am a family man and a person who believes very much in family, in his children, in his wife.

I truly thank them, and above all my wife, for the support she has given me all these years by being by my side. She is truly a very big reason for everything I have achieved, and she gives me tremendous balance in my life.”

On the burden of doubt Nikos Zisis felt last year and whether what is happening now is a personal challenge for him:

Nikos Zisis: “The beginning was certainly difficult for me personally, I do not hide that. But I never stopped believing in myself.

I simply remembered very strongly the moment when I was a player and was being doubted. People thought I was not capable of playing in EuroLeague or of playing more in the National Team, and so on.

I never doubted myself. I struggled.

The most important thing for me was that I had the trust and support of the owners, of Agapitos, Byron, and the people I was with every day here, and of all the people — Christos Tapoutos, Apostolos, Dimitris, all the people in the offices, our president. These are the people I am with every day.

So I never doubted myself. I worked, I believed even more, and now we are where we are.”

On whether one of the administration’s goals is the development of the club’s academies:

“Whoever deserves to play will play. Many times, we say that young players should play, but the young players are not ready to play, so it is also in their hands.

I do not know any coach who sees that a young player is ready and does not want to put him in. But young players must also understand that they need to work more, because their parents or other people may want them to be talents, but they must show it on the court at the highest level.

The transition from the ages of 17 or 18 to the men’s team is the most difficult part for an athlete. That is where 90% of young players are lost.

It is an extremely difficult transition that requires patience, a strong stomach, discipline, the right parents, and the right people to support the children.

Here we see that a child does not play and immediately leaves a team. Shouldn’t you try? Shouldn’t you fight? Shouldn’t you work? Shouldn’t you prove that I was wrong?

That means we want everything easy.

I believe very much in young players and in academies. I believe that every serious organization must have good academies. At least every two, three, or four years, one child must definitely be promoted to the men’s team. The academies must be that good.

I believe very much in this. But the children must also understand — and I have children too — that they must work and not expect everything ready-made. They must work a lot in their lives.

Parents must also understand this. We must support children and trust the academy to which each parent sends his child, and trust the people who will work with the child in order to make their dreams come true.”

On how difficult or easy it will be to shield the club’s environment from the toxicity that exists even around the National Team:

“Even when I was at Peristeri, I was also with the National Team. These are two completely different things.

I believe there is no greater honor than serving your homeland. These are two completely different things, which we have the maturity and the plan to handle differently, each at the proper time.

I believe that when we speak about the National Team, whatever else exists must be put aside, and all of us must unite for the good of our homeland and for the good of our country.”

Nikos Zisis: “As Vassilis said, we started at almost the same age. I have served the National Team since I was 15 years old. It is my honor and pride that I still do it now at 43.

I think we have the maturity and character to separate these two things. The National Team is sacred. It is the team of all Greeks.

We have repeatedly seen players who, a few days earlier, were ‘killing each other,’ in quotation marks, compete for the common good of the homeland.

We will do the same whenever we are called to represent the National Team.”

On whether the winning mentality is innate or can be built in a player:

“I believe some people have it and others develop it. A person who is born that way may have it to a greater degree, but a person who is not born that way can develop it and have it to a satisfactory level.

I believe a player’s winning mentality comes from the trust you show him, how much you support him, and what freedom he can have.

We see players who do not play well on one team and we say: what is this? Then we see the same players on another team playing excellently.

So you have to find the button of each player and get 100% from each player. You have to know his good and bad characteristics and bring them out on the court.

You also have to spend time with a player. You have to train him, teach him, and choose a good character who has the will to listen and does not think he is Jordan.

All of this is a process in selecting a player, which is certainly not easy, but it is part of our job to do it.”

On how much he is counting on the Greek element next season:

“Very much. We see that having Greek players on your team is now difficult, and that saddens me.

We are such a basketball country, a country that has won a medal. So many children are involved in basketball. Academies all over Greece have developed and are taking children in, but we must also produce players.

Obviously, I do not know why this is happening, but yes, I like the Greek element very much. I like having Greeks. As many Greeks as we can have, we will have.”

On whether there is a definition of the sporting plan the team wants to reach:

“We never enter the court not to compete against someone. Of course I want us to build the best possible team.

The strength of the team will evolve year by year, and it depends on where you play.

Competing with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos — yes, you should do it. But as you play in bigger competitions, you may have a greater chance to become even better yourself, with different players and different material.

But I certainly want us to build a team that competes against everyone and plays basketball with a winning mentality. Of course.

Now, should I define the goals? What should I say? The usual things? I do not like that.

I want to work with my staff and present the best possible image of the team during the year. At the beginning, things will certainly not be easy, because that is when we will need the support of the fans.

But we will work so that the team plays the best basketball we can. There will be ten new players, eight, seven, nine — I do not know how many new signings. Until all of this fits together, it will take some time.

But that is why we are here: to carry it through and present the best possible image.”

On the special relationship that currently exists between the General Manager and the coach at ARIS:

Nikos Zisis: “Yes, it is a reality that the structure we have at this club is not something usual in Greek or European basketball. It was one of the reasons I accepted this challenge, knowing its difficulties.

But I never avoided responsibility. I never feared my responsibilities.

For me, it is very important that we have a structure and an ownership that gives me this freedom to make basketball decisions.

Now having this person, with whom we truly have a common path and a common way of thinking for many years, this is the first time we are given the opportunity to walk together at a club. Let us not forget that.

So, for me, it is truly very important, and I want to believe it is also important for Vassilis himself, that he will know he has a person he can trust.

Obviously, difficult days and difficult nights will come. We will analyze the problems. We will always try to find solutions, and he will have someone with whom a solution can be found without emails, replies, boards of directors, and so on.

The truth is that this is our structure, and I believe it is very important because it is practical support for the coach’s plan in this way.”

On what the most difficult dilemma was before he decided to say yes to ARIS:

“Being with my family and my children is everything in life for me.

Knowing that all this time, I certainly had a goal where I was, at Monaco. There are certainly moments when you miss your family, because it was not easy for me to leave my home after so many years as a basketball player, but it is something I consciously chose.

Certainly, at the beginning it was not easy for me to leave my home again, even if it is Greece, even if it is close.

Perhaps my family helped me with this. Once again, they told me: do what you love. My children said the same. They supported me in this and were with me.

I also wanted to make sure that what I was hearing and what was being said was truly real, and to receive assurances that something would really be done properly, as it should be, and as I also envision it.

So the presence of the ownership people and Nikos certainly played a decisive role in the end in my making this decision.”

On the expression of love from the ARIS fans:

“First of all, it is something that fills me with pride. Truly, when I receive so much love from the fans, when I see so many people at the airport, and throughout these days and months, the expressions of love from the fans, their faith in me, and the hope on their faces, it is certainly something that is a huge legacy for me.

I earned it very quickly as a coach. Because when I entered this field, I was sure of what I would achieve. I did not know whether I would climb the steps so quickly, but I was sure I would succeed, and that is why I got involved.

When there is a team with so many fans, such a historic team that truly trusts you and essentially gives you the keys to a team to create what you want, it certainly fills me with responsibility.

But these are responsibilities I like, and that is why I made this decision.

Having the right people next to me, people with whom we are on the same page, as I said before, and having a common goal and the same zeal to work, I am sure that we will achieve what we want.”