EX-NBA: “Huge Contracts Are Making NBA Players Lose Their Ambition?”

Mindaugas Kuzminskas podcast with Euro Insiders A lot of you are following our podcast but still not subscribed, so I kindly ask you to make sure you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel! A huge thank you to our friends of The Grand Hyatt Athens for granting us access to their beautiful spaces! If you’re in Athens and looking for an elegant place to enjoy a great moment, Grand Hyatt Athens is the perfect address! Grand Hyatt | https://www.hyatt.com Thanks a lot to Betsson for supporting our project! In this episode we spoke about: 00:00 Trailer 01:00 - What has basketball taught you playing around the world? 02:12 - Is your greatest accomplishment bigger than basketball? 03:13 - “I just want my kid to remember me playing…” 04:06 - What does it mean to play for Žalgiris as a Lithuanian? 06:20 - Thanks to Betsson! 10:55 - How would you describe your game? 11:53 - The bond between you and the fans 15:05 - Why did you leave your comfort zone to join Málaga? 19:25 - Playing in New York, “Carmelo Anthony knew me!” 21:23 - From undrafted to the NBA 23:12 - What was your biggest adjustment moving to the U.S.? 23:55 - What does it feel like to play in front of NBA stars? 24:43 - The reality of NBA workouts 25:57 - “The NBA has changed: mentality, money and business” 28:17 - How does the NBA business side affect players? 29:40 - Where does your positive energy come from? 31:30 - Has your kindness ever been taken advantage of? 33:35 - “My welcome to the NBA moment” 35:18 - Living in the city that never sleeps 36:12 - How do you earn a star player’s trust as a rookie? 37:26 - The most meaningful souvenir of your career 38:34 - Performance vs mental health 40:02 - Facing Team USA and James Harden in 2014 42:00 - What did it feel like to beat Team USA in 2023? 43:46 - “Kawhi Leonard was the hardest player I ever guarded” 44:22 - What does it mean to be one of AEK’s leaders? 45:42 - “The best advice I ever received” 46:32 - Leaving Zenit, the real context behind the decision 51:45 - Do you have any final goals before retiring? 53:40 - The advice you’d give to younger players 56:58 - What does wearing the Lithuanian jersey truly mean? 59:24 - Your message to the Lithuanian fans 01:00:50 - How do you want to be remembered? Follow us:   / euroinsiders   Euro Insiders is the No.1 European Basketball Podcast. Europe’s Basketball. World’s Attention. Hosted by Alex and Ben Business Related Emails: insiderseuro@gmail.com