In his seventh Euroleague season, Fan Mail guest Louis Bullock of Real Madrid recently moved up to ninth place among the competition's best scorers since 2000. Last week, he also became just the seventh player this decade to surpass 250 three-point shots. But as he said in one of his Fan Mail answers, there is one milestone that he has not yet achieved that Bullock holds uppermost in his mind as Real Madrid's playoff series against Olympiacos continues on Tuesday in the Spanish capital. "Reaching the Final Four would mean a great deal because that really defines your legacy as a player, to be able get to the elite four teams in Europe and play for the championship of the continent," Bullock said. "It would definitely mean a lot, too, considering that I have been fortunate with my career up to this point in the Euroleague."
Hello Louis! I only became Real Madrid Baloncesto fan three years ago, but I have to say I am very proud of you and the team, even though you might not won a trophy every year. My question is a bit farther in the future. Will you have a chance to see you become a part of the Real Madrid coaching staff someday? Thank you very much for making me a very happy fan during these years - and many years to come I am sure! Regards and best wishes to you and everyone on the team,
Sayamon Potduang - Thailand
"It's a little tough now to say, because I see myself playing for a few more years. What I do know is I have been able to obtain a lot of knowledge through experience and I will definitely be looking forward to sharing some things I learned. I don't know if that will be by coaching full-time or doing camps and clinics, but I would like to do some of that. I definitely want to stay involved in basketball, and if I was able to become a coach, I would prefer to do so with Madrid, yes."
This is your fifth season in Madrid, and I know you can make the Final Four still. How do you come back from two games down against Olympiacos? Good luck!
Joaquin Gutierrez, Madrid
"Well, we have to win the next game, and that alone will give us confidence. We have a lot of confidence anyway after playing two games away and coming close in each of them. We feel confident we can win big games on our home court. We just need the first one to get the momentum swinging our way. We think that if we just get Game 3, we can take it from there."
What would it mean to you to reach the Final Four after so many years in the Euroleague?
Enrique Llaneras, Spain
"Reaching the Final Four would mean a great deal because that really defines your legacy as a player, to be able get to the elite four teams in Europe and play for the championship of the continent. It would definitely mean a lot, too, considering that I have been fortunate with my career up to this point in the Euroleague."
Hello, Louis. Greetings from Madrid. What does it mean for you to play for Real Madrid. Do you get recognized on the street in Madrid and what do you think about us, the fans at Vistalegre? Good luck!
Jorge Ramirez, Madrid
"It means a great deal to play for a team with so much history. And it's also a lot of responsibility. You know that you definitely have to carry yourself in a certain way. On the street, it's flattering when people come and say how much they appreciate what you do for the team and the city. I definitely get a lot of recognition on the streets in Madrid and, just like the fans at Vistalegre, you can only appreciate it all."
Hola Lou, this is Juan from Malaga. We miss your sweet touch here in Unicaja. You once said you would like to play for the Spanish national team. Is that still the case?
Juan Delgado, Malaga
"I would love to do it, but because of the requirements and the qualification part of it, I wouldn't be able to because I played once with the United States national team when I was 19 for a tournament. So that would cancel me out as far as playing for the Spanish national team, but it definitely would be nice to be a part of such a great team."
Hello Lou. How do you practice in summer to be back in shape? Do you stay away from basketball for a while or try to work hard all summer long? Thanks!
Vassilis Kikilias, Athens
"Actual basketball, I don't play a lot of it in the summer. It's more of a conditioning time for me. It's the only time of the year when you can really build strength and focus on areas of your body to be stronger and by doing so make it through the whole season that's coming. If I play basketball at all, it's more about having fun with it: playing with friends, going to camps for kids and stuff like that. Otherwise, in summer, my focus is primarily on getting my body strong for the whole season ahead."
Dear Mr. Bullock... where did the Sweet Lou nickname come from? I find it very accurate, because you have style and a smooth jumper! Good luck against Olympiacos, man!
Bernard Mouret, France
"Just when I got to the University of Michigan, our trained for that team started calling me Sweet Lou because of my shot. Later, I heard about "Sweet Lou" Dunbar of the Harlem Globetrotters and others who had the same nickname before me."
Hello Louis, from Siena! We remember your days in Verona, what a super scorer you were then and now. What is the best part of competing in the Euroleague for you? Thank you!
Mario Cimbrellini, Siena
"The best part of competing in the Euroleague is basically to be able to go to other countries and play the teams that are tops in their leagues. That is actually the best part for me. The Spanish League is so tough, and get the chance to go to other countries to prove ourselves is something added. Also, having played with and against a lot of the same guys in the Euroleague over the years, I like the chance to get to see those guys again. But mostly, it's just the competition itself, which is great."
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