AS Monaco's spectacular run in the second round of the EuroLeague regular season garnered the competition's newcomers their first-ever playoff berth.
Paris Lee
| Team: |
Monaco Basket |
| Position: | PG |
| Age: | 27 |
| Height: | 183 cm |
| Weight: | 84 kg |
| Birth place: | United States of America |
The Roca Team has played in a different gear since December 2021 and finished as the No.7 seed with a 15-13 record. In their case, the best defense is a good offense, as the newcomers led the league in scoring with 84 points per game, headlined by star guard Mike James and a great supporting cast that combined athleticism and skill.
Apart from a coaching change with Sasa Obradovic replacing Zvezdan Mitrovic, Monaco saw several players stepping up once the playoffs started to appear on the horizon. Two of them were EuroLeague rookies, Alpha Diallo and Paris Lee.
Diallo, 24, graduated from Providence in 2020 and took the overseas path, signing a one-year deal with Lavrio in Greece.
Both the club and the American forward reaped the fruits of their partnership. Diallo averaged 12.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals in the Greek Basket League, and Lavrio made it to the championship series against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens.
From that point on, several incidents added up for the forward from New York to reach the playoffs with Monaco. One would argue that it was the outcome of some decisions made, not necessarily by Diallo alone.
The following timeline is particularly illustrative of what happened:
- On June 26, Panathinaikos announced their deal with coach Dimitris Priftis.
- Almost a month later, on July 24, the Greens signed Diallo to a 3-year contract.
- On July 28, Priftis talked about Diallo, essentially precluding the player's future with the club: "Diallo was a move that had been made before I came to the team. Obviously, he will be sent out on loan. He is a good, defensive-minded athlete with very good hands. He's very good without the ball, but he doesn't have the stability to be a key non-domestic player on the team."
- On August 4, Alpha Diallo was released from Panathinaikos after being informed by Priftis that he wasn't included in his plans for the near future.
- On August 30, EuroCup winners Monaco announced Diallo on a one-year contract.
The rest is history. The member of the U.S. national team that won bronze in the Pan American Games in Peru in 2019 averaged 9.7 points over 33 EuroLeague contests with Monaco, of which he started in 25. He also contributed in almost every aspect, displaying 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 25 minutes.
In a complete reversal of fortune, Dimitris Priftis was fired by Panathinaikos on April 12, while Lavrio's head coach Christos Serelis was added to the staff as an assistant to Giorgos Vovoras.
To make things more intriguing, PAO's first game after the coaching change was indeed against Lavrio, the team that Serelis had coached for 18 years and also the one that essentially got Vovoras fired in January 2021.
Diallo gives credit to Serelis and has no doubt that his former coach's philosophy and habits can translate to a higher level.
"Coach Christos has a knack for talent," he says to BasketNews.
"Some of the guys he's recruited were names that later became top players in different leagues. He's a coach who plays off of guys' strengths. He believes in his players, and he's a players' coach. Guys understand him, and he's relatable. I think he will do well. I'm extremely happy for him, and I wish him the best."
But Diallo wasn't the only player who transitioned to the next level coming off Lavrio BC. Tyson Carter followed the same path only a few months after Diallo when he signed with Zenit St Petersburg.
On paper, the Greek League is separated by at least two levels from the EuroLeague. However, Diallo's numbers with Monaco are almost identical to those he had in his first professional season.
"Tyson and I fed off each other last year. Being rookies, we tried to figure out things together. We leaned on each other, and whoever was struggling, we made sure we were fine and continued to learn the European way of basketball together," Monaco's forward recalls.
"Then, we had some veteran presence on the team last year and constantly stayed in contact with coach Serelis who helped us a lot on and off the court."
Apart from Lavrio, Diallo says a lot of credit goes to Providence as well. Despite going undrafted in 2019, the four years he spent over left a mark in many ways.
"Providence is where I became a man," he proudly exclaims. "I went there at 17 and left at 21 as a grown man. That's where a lot of my confidence came from."
Diallo points out that his defensive ability was developed under Ed Cooley, who used him in many different ways on the court.
"Being that versatile two-way guy, who could play defense and offense, was something that I tried to bring with me to the next level as I improved my game," he notes.
The American players who made it to the EuroLeague after their first pro season in Europe are few and far between. Top-level teams rarely trust players who come straight out of college.
"It's a difficult jump," Diallo acknowledges. "But with the right guys around you, it can be possible."
The versatile forward says that he has made all the right choices up until this point. Going overseas to play in Greece for one of the lesser-known teams has been one of them.
"I wouldn't knock my journey, which was to go through Lavrio and learn what I had to in order to get to this level. That journey has been the right one for me. Playing Lavrio for one year and being in Greece helped me learn the game of basketball in Europe."
If Diallo decided to leave Panathinaikos by mutual consent last summer, Paris Lee had an agreement in place with another team from Greece that didn't materialize.
After an astounding season with Belgian side Antwerp, AEK Athens came up to the Illinois State graduate with a contract for 2+1 years. The two parties reached a verbal agreement in February 2019, but the deal was called off roughly four months later when Ilias Papatheodorou replaced Luca Banchi on the bench.
"At one point in the season, I was asked if I thought he was a good player, and I said yes. Nothing else. I took no part in any talks," the Italian tactician argued on the day his term at AEK ended.
According to multiple reports, the Greek side turned down Lee's case because their backcourt was mostly populated by undersized guards.
Lee says that being looked down upon because of his demeaning height or because he was playing at lower-level teams didn't take a toll on him. On the contrary, having a solid EuroLeague season can change the narrative about how he will be regarded from now on.
"I went to Bamberg but didn't have the year I expected to have for personal reasons," he admits talking to BasketNews.
"All that matters is what I'm doing now. I'm having a pretty decent season. I feel like if I'm given a right chance, I'm sure of what I'm capable of doing. After this year, I feel like the narrative will be different for me."
Lee averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 assists per game with Bamberg and was released by the team in the summer of 2020. Orleans picked him up, and the 2019 All-Champions League Second Team member came back to prominence, averaging 14.9 points (41% on 3-point shots) and 7.8 assists.
His startling campaign gave him a roster spot at AS Monaco. Lee will be celebrating his 27th birthday in Piraeus, fighting for a EuroLeague Final Four ticket. If one's birthday is a chance to reflect on past choices, the EuroLeague rookie is sure that this is the point he wanted his career to be at when he first came to Europe for Antwerp in 2017.
However, there some things were holding him back, slowing down the process.
"It was my mindset," he concedes. "I was a good player, but mentally, I wasn't ready. I didn't have enough knowledge of the game."
Lee reached the BCL Final Four in 2019 with Antwerp, but the hosts came up short, ending up in third place. The Belgian team's leader had a very bad semifinal against Tenerife when he scored 4 points on 2/9 from the field.
"With the mindset that I have now, I would have won the Final Four if I was in my second year in Antwerp. I still go back and watch those games and see what I used to do. I'm like, 'Wow! Did I really do that? Why would I take this shot?' I feel like a lot has changed."
It has, indeed. Lee's effectiveness in the French LNB amounts to 11.2 points and 5.0 assists per game, while his 10.0 points per contest over Monaco's late 5-game winning streak (Anadolu Efes, Olympiacos, Baskonia, Armani Milan, ALBA Berlin) backed his team's playoff push.
With Olympiacos Piraeus standing in Monaco's way to the Final Four, Alpha Diallo and Paris Lee answered the same questions about the particularities of their rookie season at the highest level and how they managed to make the most of it.
BasketNews also asked them to name their EuroLeague MVP, Coach of the Year, and All-EuroLeague rookie team.
It's been a season with many ups and downs for Monaco. How would you describe it, and how did the team manage to clinch a playoff spot?
Alpha Diallo: Since the beginning, we were trying to learn (about) each other. As a rookie, I was trying to learn where I fit in with the group. This coach really came in with the mindset of getting us prepared to make the TOP 8. A lot of the little things added up for us to make the playoffs.
Paris Lee: We found the way to put everything together at the right time. We had a stretch when we lost five games in a row, but once we started coming and playing together with our new coach, everybody bought in, and we were able to string a lot of big wins. Everybody was All-Stars in their role.
What did Sasa Obradovic change for Monaco to qualify for the playoffs? You both seem to be playing better since he came. How is that to explain?
Alpha Diallo: He's a very basketball-minded coach, a guy who watches film with you all the time and talks to you about your game and where you can improve.
He goes out on the floor and shows you by putting you in the right place. We brought in a new coach basically because we weren't winning. This coach has produced results, and from there, we keep building on it.
Paris Lee: He brought toughness. He came in and knew exactly what he wanted from us. You could tell that he had watched a lot of film because he was able to break down everyone's strengths and weaknesses. He put everything together on the court and had us organized and ready for each game.
I had started to catch my rhythm before he got here, but as a team, we started playing really well together. Everything started clicking.
Dwayne and Alpha have been thriving in an almost shocking way. What Alpha did before compared to what he's been doing since Sasa came is like having two different players. He was able to bring the best out of those two.
According to Fenerbahce coach Sasa Djordjevic, his players were heavily affected by the decision to erase their wins against Russian clubs in EuroLeague. Knowing that Monaco were 4-1 against Russian squads, how did you react to the news?
Alpha Diallo: It was tough to see four wins go out the door like that. But we knew that we still had a chance. All we could do is play one game at a time. We were going to continue to fight to make the TOP 8 spot.
Paris Lee: Honestly, I don't think it was fair to certain clubs. We handled our business, even though we would probably have been in the same position with or without those wins. Congratulations to the teams that made the playoffs but taking their wins away is like saying that those wins don't mean anything. I don't really respect that at all.
If Mike James and Sasa Obradovic don't win EuroLeague MVP and Coach of the Year Awards, respectively, who do you think should win?
Alpha Diallo: I'd say Nikola Mirotic is a great frontrunner. He's been real dominant ever since I've started watching the EuroLeague and different guys play. He's one of my favorite guys to watch.
As far as the best coach, I'd pick the one whose team is No.1 right now. That's Barcelona, so Sarunas Jasikevicius would be the winner.
Paris Lee: Honestly, nobody! I think our guys deserve it. What our coach has done since he's gotten here and the way that Mike has been playing is unbelievable. We have a lot of rookies on our team, including me, and the way he's been leading is special. I pray that they both get it.
You play in different positions, but you are both EuroLeague newcomers just like the club itself. How does one make up for the lack of experience?
Alpha Diallo: Just relying on some of the older guys to guide you through and allowing them to be there for you. We got a great group of veteran guys who have played in high-level games.
Also, not being afraid of asking questions, listening, and learning. It's been a learning journey for me from the beginning until now. I feel like I've learned a lot, and this has helped my game grow also.
Paris Lee: We have a group of mature rookies - not your regular, ordinary rookies. We're all mature, and we all can play ball. We were all ready for this moment. With Donta and Dwayne coming from the NBA, they already had experience at a very high level.
Alpha played in one of the top leagues in Europe last year, in Greece, and made it all the way to the finals against a EuroLeague team (Panathinaikos). The experience I had from Bamberg and playing in the Champions League helped me mature.
What's the main thing a rookie player should notice or be aware of?
Alpha Diallo: Just try to be a star in your role. Whatever your role is, try to be a star at that. That's my best advice for any rookie coming in, whether it's playing the best defense on the team or coming in and giving that spark. Whatever your role is, try to maximize it and do the best you can.
Paris Lee: The ups and downs. You can never be too high or too low. You always have to stay consistent. When you think you had a bad game, don't dwell on it. Keep going because it's a long season. It's all about confidence, to be honest. You wouldn't be here if your club didn't think you're a EuroLeague player. Remember that and play with confidence.
Has there been anything in particular that gave you a hard time?
Alpha Diallo: I'm a Swiss Army knife guy who can do many things. Coach puts me in a lot of different positions, trying to find the mismatch here and there. Defensively, I'm usually guarding the best guy, trying to make it tough for them.
Paris Lee: This is my first year when I had a coaching change in the middle of the season. That affected me a little bit in the beginning. Once you're used to one coach's way, you got to start all the way over.
So, the coach has to have trust in you. It was a tough process. There was nothing that the coach did differently; it was just being him. But he was different from the other coach.
For a point guard who's playing in the EuroLeague for the first time, I don't think it's an easy adjustment. You got to adjust to the level and the physicality. One of our coaches, Sergey, told me spots I could be more aggressive in. Once I started to watch more film, be myself and relax, I was able to get better.
Who would you include in your All-EuroLeague rookie starting five lineups?
Alpha Diallo: Paris Lee, Alpha Diallo, Dwayne Bacon, Donta Hall as a five, and we'll see who plays at '4'.
Paris Lee: I would want to be in it, but I know I won't be. I'm going to be real to myself. I started to put things together towards the end. The main goal for me is to win the title and for us to go as far as we can in this competition.
I feel like at least three of my teammates deserve to be in it - Alpha, Dwayne, and Donta. If they're not in, then something's wrong (laughs).
What's Olympiacos' main weapon that you'll have to neutralize? What's Monaco's biggest asset?
Alpha Diallo: We got a beast in front of us, and we have to bring our A-game. Olympiacos are a really good team, who plays extremely well at home. Maybe it had to do with the fans they have. They're unbelievable.
Going in there, it's going to be a battle, it's going to be tough. We got to play a full game for 40 minutes. It's not going to be easy. It would be crazy to say that we'll be taking Olympiacos lightly.
Our mission in the EuroLeague is definitely not accomplished. Our goal at the start of the season was to make the TOP 8, and we've done that. But our job isn't done yet.
Paris Lee: They're a really good home team, and we're aware of that. We have to neutralize their big runs and the crowd. If they make a run and the crowd goes crazy, we can't feed into that. We got to stay level and calm. I know it's easier said than done, but that's going to be the difference between winning and losing on their home court.
Our biggest weapon is our versatility, top to bottom. I feel like we're not a 7th-seed team. We're a TOP 5 team. If you try to shut one thing down, then we got another thing. You never know what you're going to get with us. Our group of guys is very talented.
