Aleksej Pokusevski addresses Olympiacos teammates after being drafted
For many basketball players — especially those playing overseas — playing in the NBA is an aspiration that will ultimately remain a fantasy. But for a select few, like Olympiacos’ Aleksej Pokusevski, the dream becomes a reality.
Pokusevski was selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and the Oklahoma City Thunder officially acquired his rights after trading Ricky Rubio to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange.
Through the pre-draft process, there were various reports linking the Thunder to Pokusevski, and on draft night, general manager Sam Presti eventually got his man.
For the 18-year-old Serbian-born Pokusevski, being drafted to play in the NBA was the culmination of many years of hard work. At 17 years old, he became the youngest player to suit up for Olympiacos, the Greece-based EuroLeague team that is considered one of the European circuits better club teams.
After being drafted by the Thunder, perhaps for the final time, the newly minted first-round draft pick was caught on camera addressing his now-former teammates.
Although much of the address is in Greek, Pokusevski relays the gist of his remarks to his English-speaking teammates, while his now-former coach Georgios Bartzokas did the same.
“Our friend Poku wanted to stop by to talk to you,” the coach said to his team before Pokusevski took over.
“I just want to thank the staff,” he said before calling out many of them by name. “I want to thank everyone, the players, the staff, doctors, therapists and everyone who worked here with me over the years… I wish you good luck on the season.”
Coach Bartzokas made similarly short remarks.
“Poku, we wish you, all together here, good luck. We are bringing you our positive thinking, health, we are sure you are going to make positive things. Good luck my friend.”
As the young man begins his transition to the NBA, he said a final farewell to his teammates.
Pokusevski will now become a part of a Thunder franchise that will likely be headed for an extended rebuild. The team is armed with young players with promise, one of the league’s best development programs and arguably the top general manager in the game.
He will now join a culture that should allow him to maximize his talents.
For him, the hard part will now begin.
(H/T: Eurohoops.net)
