A talk with Eleftherios Liotopoulos

Rick Pitino has been doing plenty this offseason, whether it be completing his brand new 2023 Red Storm roster, or even starting his 2024 recruiting process. This past week Pitino was able to secure the highly regarded Greek guard Eleftherios Liotopoulos (also goes by Lefteris). The 6-foot-5 guard has proven himself in the Greek circuit and is going to be playing in the upcoming U-18 FIBA World Cup in the summer. Luckily, he was open to taking some questions from me fin a phone interview since he is currently residing in Greece. Today I will be discussing what was said and the conversation as a whole.

Q: What was the recruitment process like and how did you say it differs from the majority of people in the 2024 pool, seeing as you're halfway across the world?

The majority of players in the 2024 class have the chance to go and visit the colleges recruiting them, but Lefteris, he couldn't get that opportunity as he is halfway across the globe in Greece. However, he was quick to point out Coach Pitino wanting him stating, "Rick Pitino sent me a message that he has seen my games and passing myself. Like, then we started talking and he was talking about his college in St. John's. Then he started talking about like he wanted me to go there to preview all stuff." We all know Pitino locks in on a player once he gets in touch with them, and this is a prime example. Lefteris, 16 years old, did say he was being recruited by the likes of Virginia, Princeton, and Stanford, but he made a quick decision. Many people thought Lefteris would take some time in his recruiting, but made a quick decision for a reason, stating, "I think it was best for me because Coach Pitino is a legend."

Q: No stranger to the pro scene, how do you think this will be an advantage to you over other college players?

Greece has produced some great talent over the past decade, most notably Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex. Basketball in Greece is much different than your average American high school basketball conference. Liotopoulos most recently played for DEKA Academy in the U-18 Greek League, where he averaged 23.2 points a game, one of the best lines for his age. However, Liotopoulos stayed humble in his answer saying, "This year I want to prove to everybody that coach made the right decision and to be seen from others."

Q: What were the key things that you were looking for in the colleges that were recruiting you?

College isn't just about the basketball aspect, it is also about your studies and what you want to be post-college if basketball is not the thing you truly want to pursue in life. Lefteris was looking for things on both the academic side and team side, this is shown by when he said, "Well, of course, a basketball part, like, basically to have good teammates and good team spirit, to be good with my teammates, my colleagues, and also the college part of the subjects." Liotopoulos was unclear on what major he will be pursuing.

Q: What meaning does it have to be part of such a special squad that's coached by such a great coach in Rick Pitino?

We know Rick has been all over the place, and he's done well everywhere you put him. Pitino has done almost everything a coach can do, winning multiple national championships (one vacated), along with coaching the Greek and Puerto Rican national teams. He also coached Panathinaikos in the Greek League where he won them the championship twice. Pitinos time in the Greek League helped him in securing the commitment of Lefteris. As a matter of fact, Lefteris has much praise for Pitino saying, "Yeah, well, it's an honor for me to be coached by a Hall of Fame coach, a legend for the game." Liotopoulos also knows that Pitino can help him be a better player, which Pitino has done with the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Mashburn. Eleftherios said, "I think he has to give me, he probably give me a lot of his like things, basketball things and what he thinks of me. And he will probably make me a better player or to improve myself."

Q: How does Rick Pitino stand out from other coaches trying to recruit you?

The answer given goes back to Pitino coaching in Greece, which is where Liotopoulos lives and plays currently. Lefteris said the first time he saw Pitino was in Greece when he coached there, and he has high praise for the hall-of-fame coach stating, "He was very successful all the place, the mind place, mind games he had on the court and also off court by encouraging players and on court, of course. I think basically because he's a very excellent coach."

Q: What made you choose the college path instead of the Greek pro path?

Once you are over 18 you can either go to the States for an education or you can go straight into the European basketball circuit and play with the pros. There are currently a few former NBA players in the Greek league such as Dwayne Bacon, Lamar Peters, and Jaylen Hands. So it isn't always a terrible option to go pro in Europe, as it does secure good pay compared to being in the G-League or riding the bench in the NBA. However, Lefteris wants to prioritize his education stating, "Well, I basically prefer to go to college because of the academic part here in Greece. If I stayed on going to a big club, I wouldn't have the academic part because college gives me the opportunity to have the basketball also in a great combination with the academic stuff."

Q: How would you describe yourself as a player?

This question always gets a range of responses, and players tend to be humble or exaggerate it to further boost their ego. However, the answer given here was humble as Lefteris actually struggled to give a full description. His answer was short but detailed as he said, "I think the great shoot. I can shoot, like, spot up or create with a ball and shoot or on ball and off. What else? I have a very good vision game with passes and a player who plays with his mind more in the game."

Q: Do you plan on traveling over to the States to get a feel for the atmosphere at St. John's games?

The world's most famous arena Madison Square Garden is no stranger to a loud crowd, and Carnesecca Arena also gets rowdy at times. College arenas are one hell of an atmosphere, and for some players, it takes some adjusting. Luckily, Lefteris is going to visit New York soon and is excited stating, "I want to visit New York. I haven't been there or in any state in US. So I'm planning to do this, like, late August to visit St. John's." Hopefully, he can get a feel for living in the United States before he comes here full-time for college.

Q: Why did you decide on your college before the FIBA World Cup instead of letting more offers come in?

People were questioning the quick move made to commit before the upcoming FIBA World Cup that Liotopoulos will be competing in this summer. Lefteris though said that many people thought he made a good decision to commit before the upcoming tournament. I can side with the people saying it was a good decision as Pitino is not one to leave waiting. Liotopoulos says Pitino is "a legend to the game" and that he showed a big interest in him. From talking to Pitino, Lefteris was able to figure out he had to go to St. John's, this proven when he said, "And because we talked with him, I understand that he believed in me. He believes in me, and for that I could not deny, refuse this opportunity."

So that wraps up this article, I am very excited for this upcoming season, but also for the further future. It seems to be in good hands with Pitino at the helm, and with Liotopoulos now on the roster this team is even more threatening than before.