Sergio Llull, the “cold-blooded” man who managed to crown the history of the Euroleague with threes | Relief
“The guy chosen for many things.” “Decisive Player” “Unusual”. “The composure to throw hot balls.” And, in short, “one of the best Spanish players of all time.” The Sergio Lullia Race (Maon, 1987) is one of those races that makes history even more meaningful.. This is a player who, while not primarily a shooter, was able to make a name for himself in European basketball with incredible baskets… and three-pointers. A shot that he a priori resisted in the Euroleague, but with which this Tuesday in the first game of the playoffs against Baskonia at the WiZink Center in the last quarter he broke another record. Sergio Lull, the guy who didn’t score a single goal from the three-point line in his European debut, He became the leading three-point shooter in EuroLeague history, surpassing Juan Carlos Navarro’s 623 three-pointers. The Spaniard currently leaves his personal account at 624.
When In 2007, Lull made his debut in continental competitions. this clairvoyance in front of the hoop that characterized him so much from the very beginning – “he was capable of making shots, wanting the ball, looking for an extreme situation and dealing with it positively,” explained Relevo Gil Rubio, who, a few months before, shared his dressing room with him in Manrese – diluted. 0/6 in threes in the Euroleague was his calling card in this regard.
In fact, it wasn’t until Season 2008–2009, against the Greek Peristeri.when on the second try scored the first three in the score todayafter 17 seasons and at 36 years old, made him what he is: a living legend of European basketball.. Because Lull, although not a three-point specialist – his average per game in the Euroleague is 1.5 (35.1% accuracy) – has proven himself as a player. grab thanks to his “coolness” and amazing wrist. This allowed him to make 623 three-pointers, making Juan Carlos Navarro the king of threes in the EuroLeague.
“The qualifying matches are over. He is a player who, when time passes and we find ourselves in other areas, hopefully it will be too late, we will remember him as one of the best players in the world. What Sergi does, with the shots he takes, with the control of the game, how he is able to handle certain situations, how he avoids negative feelings affecting him by fighting bravely, what he does in the locker room with his teammates, with his coaches , squeeze, squeeze… Few players are able to put it all together. And Sergi, on the day he retires, will be one of the players who will have to erect a statue at the WiZink Center.“, Chus Mateo surrendered at the end of the match.
“His physique, style of play and understanding of basketball have always made him the type chosen for many things“, his teammate Carlos Cabezas admitted to Relevo a few months ago. And, as the former player explains, Llull was always “unconscious” – in a good way – and “the cold-blooded throwing of these balls,” which eventually became known as tangerines and that they brought him such great success both in Spain and at his Real Madrid. The team of his life that he didn’t want to give up, no matter how much the NBA was looking for him.
“Many people dream of playing in the NBA, but since childhood I wanted to play for Real Madrid.”– Mahon’s point guard assured him more than once. And the truth is that this relationship continues to bring him endless success. Because in white he won three Euroleagues, which he owns (the latter, precisely thanks to one of those magical shots that only he can take).
Last February, in white, he became the top three-time scorer in the Copa del Rey.again overtaking Juan Carlos Navarro. And in January, he became the player who most defended this color and the Madrid crest. throughout the history of the club. “I’ve been a Real Madrid player for 69 years and Lull… It’s just that whatever he’s done since he arrived, he likes it,” confessed Jesús Relevo that day at the doors of the WiZink Center.
For this reason, his coach Chus Mateo said this about him: “He’s the soul of the team” and the fact that I am “honored to have the opportunity to coach him because he is outstanding” is not surprising. And even foreign basketball fans say that he “one of the best Spanish players of all time”as Croatian fan Luka admitted to Relevo.
Now Llull is also at the top of the EuroLeague as the king of three-pointers in Europe.. A crown he hopes to retain—and grow—for at least “another couple of years,” since, as he himself recently admitted, he hopes to continue distributing tangerines for at least a few more seasons.
“I feel relieved”
“I feel relieved because people have been reminding me about this for months,” Lull admitted after achieving the record. I’m very happy and proud to be there, at the top of this list, let’s move on to a legend like Juan Carlos Navarro, who always I had it as a reference. I’m happy with the work and now it’s time to continue.”
Of the match, which his team won 90-74, he said: “We did a great job of following the game plan from the start. The whole team was very involved. We knew that the first game of house might be difficult, but I think we were very serious. “We’re very happy with the 1-0 scoreline, but we know we haven’t done anything yet.”
“From today good, important things have begun. In the Euroleague we had a big advantage over the second team in the regular league, and this sometimes makes us unconsciously relax or not play matches with the proper tension. We had a little blow, but today the team showed that good things have begun, we have been successful from the beginning and now we must continue,” he said.