How Dimitris Itoudis inspired Fenerbahce for tremendous shooting season

Donatas Urbonas
Senior Staff Writer
2022-12-02 12:05

Fenerbahce Istanbul produces the best true shooting percentage since the 2019-20 Anadolu Efes team.

Credit: Imago Images - Scanpix
Credit Imago Images - Scanpix

What single word perfectly defines Fenerbahce's early season success the best? 'Confidence,' I would say.

Shooting is one of the best indicators in basketball that measures confidence level. And today, Fenerbahce is just shooting the lights out in the 2022-23 season.

Their new head coach Dimitris Itoudis also has something to do with the spectacular numbers Fener are producing in the EuroLeague.

Points this season

52%
86,9
Points made: 86,9
Accuracy: 51,5%
Place in standings: 2
Record max: 107
Record min: 74
Best scorer: Johnathan Motley

Itoudis's approach quickly created a strong mutual trust between the new players and the coaching staff.

A 52-year-old Greek coach will take you out if you're not aggressive and not shooting the ball. In contrast, most coaches have the opposite approach, benching players for shooting too much.

But if Itoudis sees a player putting in a lot of extra work, he'll be rewarded with the confidence to continue shooting even if balls are not going in.

Shooting plays an essential role in Itoudis' practices. Having assistant coach Rado Trifunovic, recognized as one of the best in the shooting department, only helps.

Fener's assistants are last to leave the practice gym if somebody stays for extra shots. In CSKA, Itoudis sometimes stayed to rebound the ball for the players by himself.

Credit HBF

Extra shots became part of Fener's culture too.

It's rare to see players working out on their shot more than two hours before the tip-off. But that's what I saw before the Panathinaikos game. Nigel Hayes-Davis and Tarik Beberovic took shots way before the Panathinaikos bus even arrived at the Ulker arena.

Hayes-Davis is a perfect example of the confidence boost that pushes this Fenerbahce team.

Last year in Barcelona, his 3-point percentage was only 24.4% (EuroLeague career-low). This year he's close to his career-high (43.2%).

After going 0 for 5 vs. ASVEL, 48 hours later, he made 4 of 8 against Valencia in a tight win 79-77.

Ten games into the season, Nick Calathes makes the Top 10 in the 3-point accuracy.

He hit 14 threes already this year, compared to 20 in the entire 2021-22 season (in 29 games).

Calathes' previous career high was 35.3% in the championship season with Panathinaikos (2010-11). He was over 30% shooter in 4 of his 10 EuroLeague seasons.

"I think the coach believes in me. When I'm open, he wants me to shoot," Calathes, a 29.6% career 3-point shooter, explained the change to BasketNews.

"I've been working hard. Much respect for Rado (Radovan Trifunovic), our assistant coach, who works with me every day before practice to get me comfortable. I hope I can keep knocking them down and shooting with confidence."

Will Clyburn is another example of how confidence can affect shooting.

Prior to his move to CSKA, Clyburn was a 29% 3-point shooter in Ulm, Holon, and Darussafaka.

Throughout five seasons in Moscow, he became a high-volume 36% 3-point shooter.

Now, he makes threes in Efes at 40%.

Itoudis encouraged Clyburn to rely on his 3-point shot more through day-to-day work. For instance, he often forced the defense to play under Clyburn in practice sessions to make him shoot threes. 

Step by step, shot after shot, Clyburn became a 3-point threat.

Credit Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Fenerbahce tops the EuroLeague in 2-point (58.9%), 3-point (40.9%), and true shooting percentages (63.1%).

To no surprise, it goes along with the best offensive rating in the EuroLeague (per BBallytics).

Combine it with the second-best defense in the tournament, and we're talking about currently the best EuroLeague team.

Confidence goes beyond shooting. First of all, it takes acknowledging and embracing the roles that have been set before the season.

Nick Calathes leads the team in points created from scoring and assisting (24.1 PTS+AST) and orchestrates the group the way he used to almost his entire career.

Scottie Wilbekin (12.5 PPG) and Marko Guduric (12.3 PPG) thrive as the primary ball handlers.

Although Wilbekin gets the least playing time since his EuroLeague rookie year with Darrusafaka (2015-16) and has the lowest-scoring average since 2017, he shoots from the 2-point range at a career-high 51.4% and makes 40.6% of his threes (2nd best). Also, he has the best +/- in the entire Fenerbahce team (per BBallytics).

Johnathan Motley is making a case for the All-EuroLeague team. He uses the advantage of being a great rolling and passing big and leads the team in points (13.8 PPG), rebounds (5.3 RPG), and efficiency (16.8 PIR).

Nigel Hayes-Davis offers a crucial all-around presence averaging career-high 11.1 points.

Other players also deliver solid contributions by fulfilling their roles.

For instance, Tonye Jekiri brings toughness and rebounding as a backup and plays an important role, as many other Fenerbahce players do.

Carsen Edwards and Melih Mahmutoglu drag the defensive attention to make the space bigger for others to shine.

Every ingredient is vital in this Fener's winning formula.

Surprisingly, this reshaped Fenerbahce team, with five of their six top-scorers being newcomers, managed to click together so fast.

"It's very easy to play with these guys. We have a lot of great guys who know how to play. I think what's good for us is that we have a deep bench. At any given point, people can step up," Fenerbahce floor general Nick Calathes told BasketNews.

"I feel like we know we can do better. I know that's a good thing about our team. I think we have a very good roster with a bunch of good guys. We don't have any d********. Everyone wants to get better. We'll keep improving," Calathes concluded.

Fener's confidence will be tested when the team faces adversity and elite opponents.

The exam starts on Friday. Fenerbahce host Real Madrid, which currently are on the longest winning streak in the EuroLeague (5W).

URBONUS podcast:

Dimitris Itoudis interview:



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