Dimitris Diamantidis and Mike Batiste are now part of the top performing group and typically, the prior leavind the ceremony with a bunch of trophies the latter named to the All Euroleague 2010-2011 season Best Team for the very first time in his career. Diamantidis was named Best Defender of the season, was named to the All Euroleague 2010-2011 season Best Team and it was announced that he was also the 2010-2011 season MVP. Both Best Team awards were presented by Frangiskos Alvertis in views of a warm round of applause from the entire room, in a ceremony held at the MNAC (National Museum of Catalan Art), a very impressive area.
The captain of Panathinaikos, stated: “I am very happy and I thank my coach and my teammates because they helped me reach so far. The most important thing is the Final. We are focused on our goal and we will try for the best, so that we can all be smiling after the game too. Mike Batiste dedicated the accolade to his mother: “She was always there for me. During tough moments, through tough times she drove me to play basketball, supported me, was by my side and I dedicate it to her… I had never imagined getting so far, neither at team, nor at a personal level. It is a European award, it is first time I ever win such an award and it makes me feel that all my hard work is being recognized”.
Next to the Panathinaikos players and clearly moved stood Thanassis Yannakopoulos. He took pictures with them, stressing: “I am really proud for the team, for all it has accomplished. As I am very proud of these two boys. It is a very important accomplishments for both them but Panathinaikos too”
