Kevin Pangos, let’s start from the beginning, you come from Canada, a hockey country but you were raised in a basketball family. How much did your dad be a coach, and your mom being a former player affected your decision to try to become a basketball player?
“I’ve always been around a basketball locker room because my mom and my dad both played and my dad was a basketball coach for so many years, so it is something I was always around. I grew up in the gym, I played many sports, I played volleyball, hockey, soccer, but basketball is something I can play non-stop. I never get tired of it, so it just became the sport I love.”
You enjoyed early success as a player. In particular, you led your Ontario team to a big win in the Rho tournament close to Milan, do you have memories from that experience? And how much did it impact your future?
“That experience in Rho was great, I had my family with me, the trip went really well, we got some good Italian food, and, in the tournament, we played against the Lithuanian team, Serbia, France, there were a lot of good players. It was my first international experience, so it is just great memories.”
Another big Italian moment for you was when you became the youngest ever player to suit up for the National team and that was in Trento. Gigi Datome was on the other side that night and now he is one of your teammates. What do you recall of it?
“I remember the game; I don’t remember that Gigi was playing. But I remember that I got some minutes at the end of the game. At that time Andrea Bargnani was a Raptors’ player. I grew up watching the Raptors. My first shot was a three, in transition, right in his face. I don’t even remember if I made or missed it. It didn’t matter, just being on the court was a cool experience at that age, I think I was 15 at the time. So, it was just a great experience at that young age.”
You set up a different journey for yourself. Most of the Canadian guys are leaving home early to get exposure in some prep school in the U.S. but you decided to take a different route.
“I stayed home, in Canada, because a lot of guys go to the States and then the school situation sometimes is bad and there’re some many unknown. In Canada, I knew what I was going to get, I got in touch some great strength trainer, Matt Nichol, in Toronto. I had all the resources that I needed, and I felt it was the best way to get myself prepared for college and focus on myself, my strength conditioning, my skills.”
Olimpia has another Ontario guy here in Naz Mitrou-Long. Did you know him from your beginnings in the same area?
“Yeah, me and Naz grew up together, our role are similar. We played against each other, we played with each other a little bit. When we had the opportunity to come here together, we were both really excited. We talked to each other all the time, still to this day, of how we are fortunate to play together now. It’s crazy how the career paths matched the lines. I’m excited to play with him and I know Naz feels the same way.”
You had four stellar seasons at Gonzaga, at the end of the day there’s still some disappointment because you guys couldn’t make it to the Final Four?
“I really think about all the games we have lost in the March Madness all the time, especially the one against Duke in my senior year. But at the end of the day, in March Madness, only one team finishes the year on a high note, so there are 67 more teams that are disappointed. Just been fortunate enough to play in that tournament, and experience so many memories, is a great accomplishment. But obviously I’ve always dreamt of winning that National championship, so I couldn’t quite do that. But now this year we will try to win the championship we are looking forward.”
At some point you were the number 1 team in the country. Does it mean something being part of the first Gonzaga team to be ranked number 1?
“It was really special been ranked number 1. It was the first time in Gonzaga history. Everyone in all community, everyone in the Zags Nation was excited about it. We had a great team; we had a lot of different guys who could do different things. Our chemistry was great, we beat a lot of teams that played really well throughout the season, so the memory was great for sure.”
Being undrafted, having to go to Gran Canaria to start as a pro player, your confidence level never went down. Is this true?
“Honestly, even not being drafted my confidence was high. More than ever, I was motivated. My thinking entering in that first season in Gran Canaria was wanting to prove I was a professional. Also, I was just excited and blessed to have the opportunity to play basketball for a living. Being a professional was something I had always dreamed about. And I really wanted to take my game to the next level. For me, every year, since becoming a pro, my thought is to be the best I can be and try to make the NBA. That first season in Gran Canaria showed me I had the chance to do that.”
So, the first season in Europe, competing at a high level in the Eurocup and the Liga proved you were better than that?
“That year was great for me. I was fortunate to play for a coach like Aito who taught a lot of things to me. He gave me the chance to play at a high level. I didn’t know this at the time, but the competition in the Eurocup and Spain was very high for been the first time out of college. To be able to do that I’m just glad that I had that experience. It was great for me. I had a good time, spending time on the island, learning some Spanish, eating good food, great weather. I couldn’t have more for my first season.”
You had two spectacular seasons in Kaunas, especially when you guys made the trip to the Final Four. How special that team was?
“Kaunas was special, we had a good group of guys, very talented, guys that played their role really well. During all season, we approached every game thinking we could win. People outside the locker room might have been surprised. When we made the Final Four, they were really stunned but we felt we belonged. Unfortunately, we lost in the semifinal, couldn’t make it to the championship game, but it was a good season, we had some great wins it was an accomplishment. It was exciting for me, in my second year in the EuroLeague to be able to showcase a lot.”
In Kaunas, you played along Brandon Davies, so you formed a one-two punch that we saw also in Barcelona. What can we expect from Davies and the Pangos-Davies combination?
“We have to see, how special the Brandon Davies and Kevin Pangos are, but I’m excited to play with him. Me and Brandon have a great connection. I know him really well. Being able to play with him again just brings great things, whether at the defensive end. Offensively, he is so talented. For me, he makes my job easy playing with a guy like that. So, I’m excited to play with him again.”
In Barcelona, you made the big jump to a big club surrounded by extreme expectations. It was a difficult adjustment. And during your second season you basically couldn’t play because of an injury. How difficult it was to stay out?
“My experience in Barcelona was tough. Mentally and physically because I wasn’t really healthy for the majority of it. Even when I played, I had some injuries that were affecting me, and it just killed my confidence a lot. It is tough to play with these kinds of issues. I wasn’t able to do things I normally can, so it was tough. It was an experience from which I learned a lot. I played with a great group of guys there and it just allowed me to learn more about myself and grow as a person and player, going forward. As much as it disappointed me at the time, I tried to take as much as I could and learn from the experience.”
Your Zenit team was somewhat the surprising team in the Euroleague. And you had another stellar season almost beating Barcelona in the playoffs. Can you talk about that season?
“I don’t’ know if that was best version of myself, in St. Petersburg. I enjoyed my time there and played pretty well the entire stretch of the season. The guys there really bought the philosophy of coach, and they really came together for a special season. I don’t know if that was the best one yet, I think in each one I had different opportunities and to showcase different things, but St. Petersburg is one I enjoyed for sure.”
And what about the combination with Billy Baron?
“I didn’t know Billy before. I got to know him well in St. Petersburg. Obviously, he is fun to play with because he can really shoot the ball. I got to know him well off the court too because my family and his family got along well. Our kids are of very similar age. I guess I got along with him right. He is a good dude and I enjoy playing with him.”
You spent a few months in the NBA. Going there and try yourself was something you believed in, or you wanted to have opportunity to say something like I made it, I have seen the NBA up close, and this is enough?
“The decision to go to the NBA was one of the best decisions of my life. From the outside, it might not appear this way, but it was something I had dreams over since I was a kid. And for me, being a player at the highest level was something I have always dreamed of doing. Unfortunately, I didn’t showcase myself or play the way I’d like to, but that doesn’t take anything away from the experience I had. The Cavs organization and the people were great. So going there was one best decision I ever made, I learned a lot from there, and I don’t’ regret it one bit.”
Finally, Milano: what was more attractive to you in coming here?
“I heard great things about Milano. It is a great organization, a great city, and I think the people they brought him, the players they signed, just shows what they are trying to do as an organization. The success they had the last couple of years definitely shows they are in the right direction, and we got some things to do this year so I’m excited to come here and play with a great group of guys, the coach I had some great conversations with him about the expectations of the team. So, we’ll se what we are able to do this year. We are going to bring the best effort on the court and the rest will take care of itself.”
Finally, you are basically replacing Sergio Rodriguez. Are those big shoes to fill?
“I don’t’ really think about filling those shoes. Chacho is Chacho. He is a legendary player, one of a kind, so for me I’m just trying to bring Kevin Pangos, what I can bring to the table. In some things I’m different than Chacho, there are some similarities as well, but I can’t try to be somebody else, I’m just trying to be myself and bring my best to the team and hopefully that’s enough to take it to new levels, new heights.”
