“This season is really like a roller coaster. Despite the things that have happened this season, the change of coaches, one thing has remained stable – the support of our fans.
They have always been together and we appreciate that. The season is really crazy. I hope that the rest of the season will be even crazier – maybe we will achieve something special, which will be very difficult to do. We will try to achieve it”, said K. Evans.
“Žalgiris” started the new year with Andrea Trinchieri taking over the helm of the head coach from Kazis Maksvytis. K. Evans quickly found a language with the specialist, who surprised the American by using examples of American football during one of the first conversations.
“I was very surprised that our coach is a big fan of American football. He supports the Patriots. I remember him coming up to me and saying, “We have to be like Bill Belichick and Tom Brady (football coach and player – post.).
We must understand each other well. The team will march as far as we understand each other well, as well as the whole team understands us.”
The coach pressures us, he pressures me to be a leader and lead others to good positions. However, he is a smart coach. He trains us with passion,” said the Žalgiris native.
During the conversation with K. Evans, the training sessions of “Žalgiris” were also discussed, where the team leader often has to face the defense of Dovydas Giedraitis. Having recommended himself in the Euroleague this season as one of the best perimeter defenders from Kaunas, D. Giedraitis repeatedly led K. Evans out of patience.
“Davydas’ defense is probably the most stuck in training. He probably annoys everyone he supervises. He just takes those balls. His unchanging facial expression scares me.
He just does his job and goes home with the same face. He also finishes well with his shots from under the basket. It’s nice to see how he works in defense,” claimed the American.
In the part of the interview for “Žalgiris Insider” subscribers, K. Evans, answering the fans’ questions, also talked about the biggest lessons learned during two seasons with the Kaunas “Žalgiris” club. According to the American, being in green and white, you have to give your all on the field.
“The biggest lesson from the period at Žalgiris?” It’s “nobody cares about you, be better than everyone else”. I say that because people look at us as a small club with less money.
You look at our line-up “on paper” and think that we won’t win anything. They talk about many things. Really, at the end of the day, who cares? We have to win, we have to play harder than any other team. We have to show people that we can fight. So, at the end of the day, “nobody cares about you, be better than others”, the basketball player assured.
