RealGM Analysis
Former Virginia Tech Hokies guard Jamon Lucas Gordon still remember those days when he decided to first try his luck overseas in 2007. After three seasons in Europe, the 26-year-old playmaker finally has a chance to become a part of Euroleague title contender Olympiacos Piraeus.
During the first part of the season Gordon didn’t get much playing time in the Euroleague regular season and averaged only 16 minutes per game. However, the Top 16 phase has been more successful for Gordon as he has averaged seven points in 23 minutes.
RealGM sat down with Gordon to talk about his European life, the Olympiacos and Panathinaikos Athens rivalry and his plans to spend the remainder of career in Europe.
RealGM: Do you remember when you came to Europe for the first time? Was it a far different experience than you expected?
Gordon: Firstly, I came to Turkey after I was released from the Washington Wizards. It’s a different type of basketball, just like college basketball. A lot of physical play and everything is for the team, not like in the NBA, where you have superstars. Each country is different. When you play in the Euroleague the level goes higher. Better players, better teams. Some players I have seen since I was younger and I couldn’t believe I was even playing against them. It wasn’t so hard for me. A lot of Americans take few years to adapt. For me it was a kind of easy.
RealGM: You’re playing in Greece, which has some of the most passionate fans in the world. Do you see a difference between playing for Marrousi and playing for Olympiacos?
Gordon: Playing for Marrousi last year is a totally different from playing for Olympiacos. Last year I would go to places where everybody spoke to me and everybody waved me ‘hey, great game’. And now nobody speak to me and they almost hate me. The rivalry between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos is like a war. It’s a great experience and Athens is a great city. I like some other places, where I’ve played - Croatia, Turkey, Germany. However, Athens and Croatia are my favorite two places.
RealGM: Is it right to say that the Lakers and Celtics rivalry looks like a joke to you in comparison?
Gordon: Nothing in the States is like this. People don’t understand that. I showed them clips on YouTube when we played against Partizan Belgrade with my Croatian team. But people don’t understand that in the States because you would go to jail for doing that. Some of my friends have come to see my games and they’re so scared.
RealGM: You are playing together with two former Euroleague MVPs Milos Teodosic and Theodoros Papaloukas, and also this year’s MVP candidate Vassilis Spanoulis. What does it mean for you to practice with those guys?
Gordon: I think I earned their respect last year when I beat both of them. When I'm not playing as good they always come to me and say ‘hey, we know you can play, come on, we need you’. We have two MVPs and Papaloukas, who is one of the greatest players. I learn a lot from them and I think they learned from me too.
RealGM: In the last few games you made a few very important shots at the end. How important for you is to help your team like you did, for example, against Zalgiris Kaunas?
Gordon: I have to do it every night. Before the game coach told me ‘don’t worry, Jamon, just take your shots’. You make, you don’t just play good on defense. I knew I was coming to play on defense, but I need to do something on offense. I can’t just sit on the corner. Everybody knows I can play and I need to believe in my self.
RealGM: Is your NBA dream still alive?
Gordon: OK, things happen. Sometimes I think about a lot and sometimes I don’t even care about that. You got to think about your family. Sometimes NBA can be a dream. I see a lot of people losing a lot of money because of chasing the NBA. Playing for Olympiacos is like playing for low team in the NBA. If I can play here for the rest of my life, I will do that.
RealGM: And you never thought about playing in the D-League?
Gordon: D-League will never be a part of my dream. Because you never know, one player is sitting down and you’re playing great and then you have to get on the bench. You have to know in D-League there’s lot of things outside of basketball that matters. In Europe, best players play most of the time. You come out and show what you can I don’t want to make it a “money thing” but they don’t pay a lot for players, who could make more money over here.
