George P. Filkinis is a FIBA certified Basketball Coach from Athens, Greece and well known as a master of the “Running Basketball” , as his teams are always distinguished particularly by the extreme speed of development and execution of their offense. His way of offensive basketball was influenced by the presence at Loyola Marymount University of his mentor coach Paul Westhead.
He is also considered as a defensive “genius” , as he eminently uses complex and pressing defenses with “traps”,  multiple and consecutive rotations that confuse and overwhelm the opponent.
Besides , it is no coincidence the fact that his personal record in 686 official games , is 483 (70,4 %) wins and 203 (29,6%) defeats , while having conquered 11 (eleven) championships at all levels as a head coach and 6 (six) as assistant coach and defensive coordinator. With coach Filkinis we had a really interesting conversation for the friends of  eurobasket.com.

I want first of all your opinion on the recent controversy between FIBA and Euroleague and the World Federation’s decision to punish the National Teams of the countries which will participate in competitions of the Euroleague.

Thanks a lot for the hospitality Miles and for the opportunity to contact with many friends and basketball fans both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. In response to your question I think that it is legally unfounded the threat of FIBA against the federations of the countries whose teams chose to play in the Eurocup than in the Champions League. Teams should have the freedom to choose in which organization they will participate and I do not think that this kind of extortion eventually will benefit the sport. I believe that this rivalry comes from personal ambitions and will create bigger problems in European basketball, as well as degrading it rather than to enhance it. As a fan of the basketball initially and then as a professional I wish to prevail logic, to lower the controversies and to find a solution to ensure the sport’s progress and not its dwindling.

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Coach George Filkinis is known as a master of the “Running Basketball” , as his teams always distinguished particularly by the extremely speed of development and execution of their offense. His way of offensive basketball influenced by the presence at Loyola Marymount University next to his “mentor” coach Paul Westhead. He is also considered as a defensive “genius” as he eminently use complex and pressing defenses with “traps”,  multiple and consecutive rotations that confuse and overwhelm the opponent. Besides , it is no coincidence the fact that his personal record in 686 official games , is 483 (70,4 %) wins and 203 (29,6%) defeats , while have conquered 11 (eleven)championships at all levels as a head coach and 6 (six) as assistant coach and defensive coordinator. German Hoops had the pleasure speaking with coach George Filkinis about basketball.

Welcome back coach to the site of German Hoops and l would like to ask you to comment about the upcoming Eurobasket 2015 which will take place first time in history in four different countries.

Thanks a lot for the hospitality dear Miles and for the opportunity to contact with many friends and basketball fans both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.Watching the draw from a purely technical side , clearly the Group B is very difficult and irresolute , as five National teams like Spain , Serbia , Italy ,Turkey and Germany will possibly “fight” for four places that lead to the next round and the “well-trained” team of Iceland to try to succeed the “miracle”. It’s difficult  for everyone to make predictions, but I believe that according to the level of the basketball in these countries we will enjoy excellent games. The other Groups I think apparently are more “passable” without naturally someone to be able to exclude some loud surprises. Besides , most of the time in such top events , teams that no one expected or estimated , make an excellent course. I remind you that in the last Eurobasket of 2013 in Slovenia , traditional basketball European “powers” , like Greece , Italy , Russia , Germany , Turkey sunk , while teams like Ukraine , Finland , Belgium , Latvia , made a great , for the until then their capabilities , course. In conclusion I believe that everything is probable and a lot of current “facts” will be overthrown .

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Coach George Filkinis is known as a master of the “Running Basketball” as his teams always are distinguished particularly by the extremely speed of development and execution of their offense. His way of offensive basketball is influenced by the presence at Loyola Marymount University next to his “mentor” coach Paul Westhead. He is also considered as a defensive “genius” as he eminently uses complex and pressing defenses with “traps”,  multiple and consecutive rotations that confuse and overwhelm the opponent. Besides , it is no coincidence the fact that his personal record in 680 official games , is 477 (70,15%) wins and 203 (20,85%) defeats , while having conquered 11 championships at all levels as a head coach and 6 (six) as assistant coach and defensive coordinator. With coach Filkinis we had a really interesting conversation for the friends of  German Hoops.

Welcome coach to the site of German Hoops. I would like to ask you to comment on the last draw of the upcoming Eurobasket 2015 which will take place first time in history in four different countries
Thanks a lot for the hospitality dear Miles and for the opportunity to contact with many friends and basketball fans both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Watching the draw from a purely technical side , clearly the Group B is very difficult and irresolute , as five National teams like Spain , Serbia , Italy ,Turkey and Germany will possibly “fight” for four places that lead to the next round and the “well-trained” team of Iceland to try to succeed the “miracle”. It’s too early of course for everyone to make predictions, but I believe that according to the level of the basketball in these countries we will enjoy excellent games. The other Groups I think apparently are more “passable” , without naturally someone to be able to exclude some loud surprises. Besides , most of the time in such top events , teams that no one expected or estimated , make an excellent course. I remind you that in the last Eurobasket of 2013 in Slovenia , traditional basketball European”powers” , like Greece , Italy , Russia , Germany , Turkey sunk , while teams like Ukraine , Finland , Belgium , Latvia , made a great , for the until then their capabilities , course . In conclusion I believe that everything is probable and a lot of current “facts” will be overthrown in about 10 months , that the championship will be held .

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George Filkinis is a Greek basketball coach with over 30 years of experience. He has won 11 titles as a head coach and 6 as an assistant coach. He has coached teams like Marousi, Asteras BC, AO Arion,  Irakleion, AO Sporting, Achilles  Cyprus, Panathinaikos Cyprus, and AO Lamias.  He has coached 680 official games  and his record is 477 ( 70,15%) wins and 203 (20,85%). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

George where are you at moment and thanks for talking to German Hoops. Have you been watching the Euro qualifying? There have been many upsets and surprises. England lost to Iceland and Bosnia And Russia is also 0-2. What has been your impression of the games. Why have their been so many upsets?

Nice to talk to you Miles and I’m glad to communicate again with my basketball friends via the German Hoops .At moment I’m on vacation , relaxing and enjoying the sun and the sea , as the proposals for cooperation  that I had , not covered my coaching ambitions and “concerns” !I hope to find something reliable and “tempting” later and after the beginning of the National Champioships in Europe .Sure I’m watching with great interest and attention the Euro qualifying and I’m not surprised at all with the results.I have in time publicly placed and I hope you remember it, that the European basketball map begun to change , as creating new correlations and the distances between the good national teams and the less good teams , continually dwindle !And this happens not only because Austria, Iceland or Poland suddenly improved so much, but because also teams like Russia, Greece or Germany ceased to be as strong as they were in the past.It is clear the “downhill” of the long-standing strong national teams and I will try to explain why .First of all the “fall” of each group I believe is due to different reasons For example in Greece some people believed that came the time to create a new national team and “cut” finally 9 players for different reasons and always with the consent of the national coach ! Personally, I’m firmly against this measure which I characterized and I continue to characterize it as a “stupid” move , even though if Greece will be the next World Champion !The renewals in all team sports become gradually and not with such improvisation ! In Greece also seems that the members of the Federation of Basketball are not particularly “worried” for the failures of the young national teams in all corresponding competitions and despite their amazing physical skills ! You see the financial crisis is the best alibi for some to hide their responsibilities and their shortage !

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George Filkinis is a Greek basketball coach with over 30 years of experience. He has won 11 titles as a head coach and 6 as an assistant coach. He has coached teams like Marousi, Asteras BC, AO Arion,  Irakleion, AO Sporting, Achilles  Cyprus, Panathinaikos Cyprus, and AO Lamias.  He has coached 680 official games  and his record is 477 ( 70,15%) wins and 203 (20,85%). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thank you coach for talking to German Hoops again . I’ld like to ask you were you’ll work this season .

 It’s my pleasure dear Miles to talk again to my German basketball friends via your site . Up to now I haven’t agreed with some team . I had some contacts but finally no agreement was reached .

Can you give a possible explanation to this fact ?

 Gladly.  First of all I wanted to work in specific countries , which the teams and the leagues I know very well , as I watch them closely more than 10 years. Certainly I knew from the beginning , that some of my principles and rules as a man and as a coach and the way I play the game , will be extremely difficult to become accepted. But I got the decision to make a try as I think that I have too much to give to the team that will trust me. As I said many times , my results and my rates are my only weapon and my only credentials.Certainly at the five countries I addressed specifically there is a logic of “persons recycling” , as every year the same coaches are transferred” from one group to another , even if their results the last season were not good at all in accordance with the players they had in their hands and with the ambitions of their teams.Of course this phenomenon is inexplicable to me , but totally respected by my side , as you can not force anyone to work with you , if he doesn’t like you or if he doesn’t like to see his team better. Then , because I play the game a little differently , I claimed to choose the players that they are able to play like my way and not to accept those that the team managers of some teams wanted.Another reason was that I want to represent myself and to talk personally with the groups , contrary to the most coaches who supported by “strong” agents.

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George Filkinis is a Greek basketball coach with over 30 years of experience. He has won 11 titles as a head coach and 6 as an assistant coach. He has coached teams like Marousi, Asteras BC, AO Arion,  Irakleion, AO Sporting, Achilles  Cyprus, Panathinaikos Cyprus, and AO Lamias.  He has coached 680 official games is  and his record is 477 ( 70,15%) wins and 203 (20,85%). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thank you coach Filkinis for talking to the German Hoops. You have been a basketball coach as is known, for more than 30 years with great experience and watching closely the most European championships and especially the German. What is your opinion about the German basketball?

 The few friends of mine dear Miles know very well that I always say the things with their name and I will continue to do it even though this costs for me and remains costing on my personal and professional life. I watch indeed closely the German championships of BBL, Pro A and Pro B , in the last 10 years and I have found that despite the huge sums of money that teams have spent each year and despite the best efforts of some romantics unfortunately the level of National basketball, if you compare it with other European countries, remains stagnated or to be more realist goes for the worse.

Would you like to be more specific coach?

The image of the National basketball team in combination with its results in the last international events, justify me absolutely. The level and the quality of basketball in a country expressed primarily by the capacity and the achievements of it’s National team. After 2005, where they lost the final against Greece and won the second place shows of the German National Basketball Team was moderate to disappointing. So at 2007 won the 5th place , at 2009 the 11^th, 2011 the 9th while at 2013 ranked 17^th where defeated even by Belgium without wishing and for any reason to belittle the efforts and the well deserved victory of Belgium.

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George Filkinis is a Greek basketball coach with over 30 years of experience. He has won 11 titles as a head coach and 6 as an assistant coach. He has coached teams like Marousi, Asteras BC, AO Arion,  Irakleion, AO Sporting, Achilles  Cyprus, Panathinaikos Cyprus, and AO Lamias.  He has coached 680 official games is  and his record is 477 ( 70,15%) wins and 203 (20,85%). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.

Thanks George Filkinis for talking to German Hoops. You have been coach for more than 30 years and have experienced very much. What are the most important priorities for you as a coach?

I am totally convinced that the mission of a coach is to follow two goals. The success of a team has to do with the picture and path that the club is taking. I believe that all coaches in all sports are able to get positive results depending on the resources that a coach has. A second priority is more difficult and harder to accomplish which few coaches can achieve and that is to form individual characters of the players.  It is important during the daily work with different player characters to be able to handle difficult moments and that is what helps influence and form player characters. The priorities that I have stressed in my 32 years as coach is to work hard, have faith in my players and be a role model and teacher for my players.

What is your game philosophy that you believe in?

I want to give you a shorter answer since discussing game philosophies could take hours. I use appropriate game philosophies  that can change a team and that are ball orientated. I like to work on game situations. My basis in a game is a pressure type of man and zone defense with lightening quick attacking.

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