Luigi Datome advocates a shift towards authenticity in pre-game statements, challenging the prevailing clichéd expressions of respect and apprehension: "I'm not saying that everyone should act like Ataman, but there has to be some kind of middle ground between these two approaches."
In the world of basketball, pre-game statements often follow a predictable script. Players and coaches typically express their utmost respect for their opponents while acknowledging the challenge that lies ahead.
However, recently retired Italian forward Luigi Datome is challenging this status quo, advocating for more authenticity in the comments made before matches.
Datome, a respected figure in the basketball world, believes that the clichéd pre-game statements have become all too common.
"I don't like a certain type of mentality that is widespread in our environment. All the statements made before the games are kind of banal: everyone has respect for their opponent, and everyone is scared of the upcoming match," he underlined in an interview with Corriere dello Sport.
"I understand that if somebody says what he's really thinking, maybe that statement might backfire on him. I'm not saying that everyone should act like coach Ergin Ataman, who every time says that his team is going to win, but there has to be some kind of middle ground between these two approaches," Datome added.
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