By George Adamopoulos / gadamopoulos@eurohoops.net
Thomas Walkup has been called many things over the years. During Olympiacos’ recent Greek League Finals triumph over Panathinaikos, he even added another label to the list: shooter.
After averaging nearly nine shot attempts per game in the Finals, Walkup explained that his increased offensive role was simply a product of what the defense allowed.
“I was just taking what the defense gave me,” Walkup told Eurohoops on the sidelines of the 22oz Stoiximan Elite Basketball Tournament in Glyfada. “They wanted to take away some creation, and we have so many talented guys on the team that it was more of a tactical thing than anything else. I felt really prepared and ready to shoot the ball and make those shots.”
The American guard also looked back on how Olympiacos managed to regroup after winning the EuroLeague and eventually complete the double by retaining the Greek League title.
“It took a little time to bounce back and get on track again,” he admitted. “Emotionally, it was a bit tough to get back on track, but that’s the character of our team. We know how to bounce back from losses, but also keep our heads on straight after wins. We knew how much the Greek Finals meant.”
One of the key moments of the season came during a players-only meeting that helped reshape the team’s mentality before its triumphant Final Four run at OAKA.
“Many things were said in that room. If we were going to achieve what we wanted to achieve this year and win the EuroLeague, we couldn’t keep going on the same track. It was about shifting our trajectory so we could end up where we wanted to end up. We did that, and in the end we were very happy with where we ended up.”
Walkup has spent his entire Olympiacos tenure playing under Georgios Bartzokas, a partnership that has delivered tremendous success.
“I think he saw something in me before I came here, and that’s why he wanted me. When I arrived, it was very easy to understand what he wanted from me. It’s a match of personalities. It’s a match of my game. A lot of things make it easy to match up with him, and I think that’s why we make such a great team together.”
The veteran guard also praised Olympiacos’ team-first philosophy, which has become a trademark of the Bartzokas era.
“From the beginning, coach talked about team, team, team and everybody working together,” Walkup explained. “The ball finds the mismatch, the ball finds where it needs to go. His very, very simple rules of passing the ball have unlocked so many different players over the years.”
Despite occasional criticism throughout the years, Walkup revealed that he never truly doubted Olympiacos’ approach or its ability to reach the top of Europe.
“For me, no,” he said when asked whether he had ever questioned the team’s mindset. “I’m not even that type of guy to question authority, or say we should have done this game plan or that game plan. It was never in my mindset. I hadn’t doubted myself, this team, this club, the coaching staff or the ownership. From day one, even through the darkest times, I was all in.”
As for the heated atmosphere surrounding Greek basketball’s biggest rivalry, Walkup does not expect things to change overnight.
“It was happening long before I got here, and it will probably continue long after I’m gone. If everybody focused a little more on basketball, we probably wouldn’t have these issues. It seems to be made about everything else rather than what’s actually going on on the court.”
And while he and his family are happy in Greece, Walkup remains pragmatic when discussing his long-term future.
“We love it here for sure. But in professional sports, you always have to go where you’re respected. That’s the biggest thing. Where you’re respected and where you’re valued,” Walkup concluded.
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