Codi Miller-McIntyre is beginning the process of adapting to a new basketball environment after moving from Crvena Zvezda to Olympiacos.
Despite having watched Georgios Bartzokas’ team extensively before joining the club, Miller-McIntyre explained that understanding the system from the outside is very different from executing it on the court.
“I wouldn’t say [adapting to the new system] is easy, but it’s a part of the job,” Miller-McIntyre told Euroleague.net on the eve of Olympiacos’s semifinal clash with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.
“I’ve watched them for many years, so I already kind of have an understanding of the system, but it’s different between watching and being involved in it. It’s the difference between being a spectator and actually having to do everything in action, live. Obviously, I will have to adjust a lot, my playing style, but also try to find ways to keep my playing style. It will take a little bit of time, which is normal.”
The point guard is also studying his new teammates closely as he learns how to operate Olympiacos’ offense.
“It’ll take time for sure, especially with me and the way I study my teammates, learning what position do they like the ball, how do they like scoring, which side of the court do they like scoring,” he said. “Learning the plays, and then also learning which plays are for which player, and being able to read in the moment which play to call for that specific player.”
For Miller-McIntyre, building chemistry also means understanding what individual teammates need during games.
“Also, personalities, seeing who needs to touch the ball, who hasn’t touched the ball in a while, who’s on fire at that moment,” he said. “Obviously, that’s much easier to do when you’re on a team for two years, three years, as we saw last year with me at Crvena Zvezda.
“But with this team and with the system, like I said, it won’t take too long to understand all of that, though it’ll definitely take a little while to understand all the habits and places on the court that my teammates like to be in.”
