Sofoklis Schortsanitis Reflects on Coaching Relationships and Derby Incident

Former Maccabi Tel Aviv center Sofoklis Schortsanitis, known as "Baby Shaq," has spoken out about his past experiences with coaches Pinni Gershon and Ataman, as well as a controversial incident following a derby match. In a recent interview on a Greek journalist's podcast, Schortsanitis admitted that while he could have handled situations better with Gershon, the breakdown in their relationship was primarily due to Gershon's actions. He recalled an instance where Gershon asked players to identify if they thought he was a bad coach, and Schortsanitis was the only one to raise his hand. Schortsanitis also described Gershon's coaching style during practices as detached, suggesting David Blatt often ran the sessions instead. He felt Gershon was in Greece more for financial gain and vacation than for serious coaching.

Schortsanitis also expressed strong reservations about coaching under Ataman, stating he declined an offer to play for him before joining Maccabi Tel Aviv. He cited Ataman's personality and treatment of players as reasons, predicting that he and Ataman would likely get into physical altercations if they worked together. "If I work with him, we'll get into a fight by the second game," Schortsanitis stated.

Reflecting on an incident where he chased a Hapoel Tel Aviv fan after a derby, Schortsanitis maintained he would react the same way again. He explained that the fan repeatedly cursed at him, even after Schortsanitis had moved away. "There are things you shouldn't touch," he said, referring to the nature of the insults. He acknowledged his behavior was inappropriate and that he faced a disciplinary hearing afterward, where he explained the severity of the fan's provocations.