Home Interviews Aaron Miles at TB: “Winning the games is the most important stat”

Aaron Miles at TB: “Winning the games is the most important stat”

Aaron MilesTalkBasket.net had the chance to have a very interesting interview with one of the best point guards playing in Euroleague's competition. Panionios' On Telecoms guard, Aaron Miles, share some of his thoughts with us, about his career in Kansas Jayhawks and in Europe, about greek league and about his life.

– First of all, congratulations for your win against Partizan, and your personal performance with 18 points and 4 assists.

Thank you very much.

– I was reading your basketball-bio at Kansas' University website and I noticed what a loveable and prestigious player you were for the team. Could you please state a comment about it?

About my career at Kansas? Well, Kansas is a great school with a very good program. I loved being there, I learned a lot from my two great coaches – Roy Williams who is now the head-coach of North Carolina University – and they helped me by developing my skills and to be honest I had a lot of fun.

– Continuing my thoughts, I was astonished by the fact that from your first year at Kansas as a freshman, you managed to make the best impressions by being named to the Big-12 of All-Freshman Team. You had 6.8 assists per game and you recorded 12-assist game and 15-assist game, if I am not wrong. Generally speaking, your career notes at Kansas are incredible.

I would not say that they are incredible, I think I had a pretty good career there, but the main thing was that I had great players around me, I had teammates who were taking shots.

– Which person in your life triggered you to play basketball?

Definitely my father, he put me around basketball at a young age, but also I would say my older brother, Mark Junior, who helped me at the first years of my playing by insisting on working hard, and finally me best friends, my colleagues.

– And secondly, who was your basketball player-protype? Which player managed to amaze you in your early years of playing?
 
My favourite player was Magic Johnson when I was young, because of the way he could pass the ball.

– And this is what we can see in your style of game, right?

It is different because he was 2 meters tall. (laughing) Also, I loved watching Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas.

– During your career in Kansas, for which person would you be thaknful and grateful? Just before you noticed two names of coaches that you had at Kansas.

Yes, without doubt. For sure, the first coach recruited me to come to Kansas and I learned a lot from him, he trusted me as a freshman and the next coach continued to believe in me, so for these reasons I am thankful for them. But also I am thankful for my teammates, because they were really good friends in and out of the courts.

– As for the Greek league, do you think that Panionios On Telecoms has the advantage of finishing in the 3d place? Because last year he finished in the 3d place and won the ticket for the Euroleague's stages.

It is not going to be easy, but we are going to work hard. We lost some games in the start of the league, we lost in Rhodes, so we need to make the come back, but definitely it is not going to be easy. We can be one of the top 3 teams of the league.

– Furthermore, which is your opinion about Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, and which team from the Greek league has impressed you till now?

I have not had the chance to watch all the games, so I can not speak on them. We played against Panathinaikos and they are a really good team, with a great coach and great players who understand their role in the team. Also I watched Olympiacos playing and they are a good team also. I can say that both of them are very good teams in Europe for sure.

– The draw for the Greek league showed that Panionios On Telecoms will face Aris BSA. Which is your opinion about Aris BSA?

I have not watched Aris' games, so I do not know a lot about them.

– The head coach of the team, mr. Trifunovic is a prominent coach, who last year managed to create a great roster and a very good team with Lietuvos Rytas. Which is your opinion about him?

I like him as a coach and I like him as a person as well. He is a good coach, he knows what he wants on the court, he expects a lot from his players and he pushes us hard during the practise. He is willing to get on everybody, to make the team better and this is something that I really appreciate to him. He is also a person which you can talk to out of the court, so he is a great guy.

– If I am not wrong this is your 3d year in a row playing in Europe. First in France for Pau-Orthez, then in ACB league for Cajasol Sevilla and now in Greece for Panionios On Telecoms. Could you please spot few differences between the American and the European style of game?

It is very difficult to deal with the differences between the American and European style of basketball. In the NBA the 3-pt shot is a lot further back which also opens up and spreads the court out. Even though the courts have the same size, this fact gives you more space in the half-court penetration playing. There is also the 3-second defense in the key so you have to guard your opponent in the one-on-one game more carefully.

– During these three years your personal style of playing has changed. I mean that you have developed your scoring-ability and you are one the team's best scorers. But on the other hand your assist-average is high. Which of the two do you prefer, scoring or passing?

I prefer to win. Regardless the number of the assists/points I want to win the games because the win is the most important for the team, and also win is what you are playing for and what you love. So for me win is the most important stat.

– Also, you have played in the french league and in the Spanish league. Which are the differences between these two leagues and the Greek league?

I think that the Greek league is a lot more physical but we have played only 4 games, so at the end of the season I could answer these question more easily and give you a better comparison. In France the games are more up and down, faster, because there are many athletic players. In Spain, from the top to the bottom, the higher teams and the lower teams are all competative, so you have to try in every game in order to win.

– In your personal life, which are your principles? The thought that you follow every day?

You put God first, I am not the most religious man, but I put God first in my life and let him lead my life and control my destiny, and secondly is my family. My family is very important in my life.

– Finally, how would you describe Aaron Miles? What are some simple things that characterize you as a person? (these question was really tough for Aaron)

It is tough talking about yourself, but I would say, family-origin man, with fun, charismatic.. I do not know, you have to ask some of my former teammates.. (laughing)

At this point, I would like to thank you very much Aaron for your time. I know how important is to have free time between two games, so I would like to wish you good luck to you and Panionios On Telecoms, and I hope to meet you at the courts.

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