June 19, 2013
Devotion
Real Madrid player: Pablo Prigioni
Pablo Prigioni - Real MadridOf the many shining stars that South America has given the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, one of the steadiest is Pablo Prigioni of Real Madrid. After debuting in the competition at age 26, Prigioni quickly found a place among the Euroleague's all-time great point guards. One year after his arrival, Prigioni began a string of four consecutive Final Four appearances with his first Euroleague team, Tau Ceramica of Spain. During that time, he led the competition in steals, set the current single-season record of 156 assists and was named to the All-Euroleague team twice. He now ranks second among all Euroleague players this century in total assists and steals.

Real Madrid signed Prigioni in 2009 for his experience at running top teams, including bronze-medal winning Argentina at the most recent Olympic Games, a year earlier in Beijing, China. A proven winner, Prigioni has thrived as a pass-first guard – few playmakers run the pick-and-roll as well – while scoring enough to make defenses pay for ignoring him. Indeed, Prigioni recently marked his eighth Euroleague season by scoring a career-high 17 points to help Madrid gain homecourt advantage in the playoffs. Once there, he averaged the most steals, third-most assists and sixth-most minutes among all playoff performers. Prigioni's experience, poise and vision under pressure could prove invaluable to Madrid at this Final Four. So can his motivation: having lost his only Euroleague title game until now, Prigioni hopes to change his luck – nine days before his 34th birthday – by giving himself and Real Madrid a present that both have waited a long time to hold.

How does it feel to be back to your fifth Final Four, your first one with Real Madrid?

"Huge! It's a huge satisfaction. It is a sports success and it's always nice to be part of a Final Four. Reaching the Final Four with such an important club as Real Madrid makes it even more important for me."

How does your previous Final Four experience help?

"I don't really think that having been in other previous Final Fours can be determinant since the moment and the rivals are completely different. We just have to try to reach the date in the best possible shape and knowing that every minute counts."

Most of your teammates are playing in their first Final Four. What advice do you have for them?

"It's not easy, but what I think is that we have to prepare this game well, thinking that we are going to play a very important one, only that. We must have a lot of concentration and responsibility."

Only two Final Four players are older than you. What advantage does age give you?

"Maybe the fact of being a veteran player and having more experience than other players in this kind of events can calm you down a little, but given my personality, I really don't know whether that will happen or not! What no one can question is that experience helps and it helps you look at these events from another perspective."

What makes this event special for you?

"This Final Four is very special for me, my teammates and the club. We have been through rough years and we have suffered a lot to be here. That, the long years that Real Madrid has waited to be in a Final Four again and the will we are putting in this event makes it all something very special for us and all the Real Madrid fans."
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Euroleague.net
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FINAL FOUR TEAMS

FINAL FOUR SCHEDULE
SEMIFINALS - FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2011
3RD PLACE - SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2011
FINAL - SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2011

2011 FINAL FOUR TV COVERAGE

DEVOTION

PAST FINAL FOURS

FINAL FOUR SLIDE SHOW
All-Euroleague team 2010-11

VIDEOS
Panathinaikos celebrates!
Dimitris Diamantidis MVP
Final: Maccabi vs. Panathinaikos
3rd place game: Madrid vs. Montepaschi
Semifinal: Maccabi vs. Real Madrid
Semifinal: Panathinaikos vs. Siena