But in a candid conversation with , the usually fiery coach revealed a more personal, introspective side—rooted in history, pain, and deep reflection.

It begins with his father, , a man of strong political conviction who was persecuted for his beliefs. A leftist under Greece’s right-wing regimes, he spent .

said , recalling a story that sounds like fiction.

A tale so gripping, it reportedly inspired the classic film The Great Escape, starring .

From there, opened up about his upbringing, his early passion for basketball, visits to legendary Greek composer , and his love for theater— he admitted.

Of course, the conversation soon turned to —the club he grew up loving thanks to his uncle. Yet again, fell short at the , a tournament that continues to torment the club’s golden generation.

said .

He admitted that the weight of expectations may have played a part.

After yet another year of falling just short, criticism followed. didn’t hide from it—but neither did he accept all of it.

he explained.

But something changed when he returned home.

— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) June 17, 2025

Despite the heartbreak in Abu Dhabi, and his squad found enough resilience to take down and reclaim the Greek League crown. Yet, questions about his future linger.

So, is he done with ?

What comes next remains uncertain.

One thing Bartzokas is clear on: the dynamic with his players.

“First of all, I never want to be friends with the players. That’s not the nature of our relationship. Also, I’m older, and I don’t want to ‘hang out’ with much younger guys. But there are relationships built on deep mutual respect. And then, there are extreme cases—players who didn’t accept me, and I didn’t accept them either. It’s about chemistry. Not everyone gets along. The obsession to be liked by everyone? I gave up on that a long time ago.”

And just before closing the conversation, Georgios Bartzokas revealed one more thing:

“I’m a huge Manchester United fan! My uncle, who got me into Olympiacos, also convinced me to love Manchester United. I’ve followed them since I was a kid.”

🗣️ He’s a great player, a EuroLeague legend, and one of the best ever!

George Hinas, general manager of Hapoel Tel Aviv, spoke to @BSphere_ about Vasilije Micic and revealed – his case isn’t closed yet! 👀

✍🏻 @vuk_milos_ pic.twitter.com/l2C4JqdsyC

— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) June 16, 2025