SAN DIEGO — He's a wide-eyed rookie residing his NBA dream with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, however on Friday night time, from his resort room on the highway, Sandro Mamukelashvili will likely be dancing alongside his former Seton Corridor teammates when their March Insanity dream begins in opposition to TCU.
“I’m gonna be there with them whereas they’re enjoying watching,” Mamu advised The Submit. “I can’t wait to see them go on the market and present all people how good they're.”
He wouldn’t change a factor about his senior season, even when Co-Massive East Participant of the 12 months honors didn’t show sufficient to get the Corridor again to the NCAA Event. Simply since you’re not there doesn’t imply you possibly can’t keep in mind how you can be Corridor in.
“I need them to know there will likely be followers there, but additionally there should not followers there,” Mamu stated, “however we’re there with our hearts and souls and we’re cheering for them.
“I really like ’em, I miss ’em. I want I used to be there with them. I really feel like they made me so proud. I used to be strolling round telling the entire [Bucks] group we made the March Insanity.
“Let’s get the dub.”
He was an harmless child from Tbilisi, Georgia, and discovered the exhausting means as a thin 6-foot-11 freshman in regards to the magnitude of March Insanity and the NCAA jitters that accompany it.
“At first, coming from Europe, I didn’t actually know the way large of a event it was,” Mamu recalled. “However then once I bought there, and it was this loopy ambiance of cameras in every single place, all people excited, Choice Sunday and stuff, you simply understand, ‘Oh, that is in all probability one of many greatest tournaments you’ll ever play.’”
The Corridor defeated North Carolina State, however was no match for Kansas within the second spherical within the Midwest Area.
“I used to be sitting within the locker room and all these individuals flood the locker room with the cameras, they’d come to me as a result of all of the seniors have been exterior kinda giving interviews,” Mamu recalled. “And so they come to me and so they’re like, ‘So what do you concentrate on Kansas? [Udoka] Azubuike, what do you concentrate on him?, what do you concentrate on that?’ I simply got here to America like two years in the past, so I simply stated like, ‘Angel [Delgado] is best, I feel we’re gonna dominate the sport,’ and so they took this to the subsequent stage the place I stated we’re gonna dominate. I really feel like the entire Kansas hated me earlier than the sport (chuckle). I didn’t even imply it like that, I used to be simply attempting to indicate all people that we have been assured, however I really feel like they took it the unsuitable means.”
The following yr, the Corridor misplaced to Wofford within the first spherical of the Midwest Area.
“Guys have been upset, emotional,” Mamu stated. “We didn’t know what would occur subsequent yr. Sadly, COVID occurred. However I really feel like even when you will have a tricky loss, it simply brings you extra collectively. The following yr we went to Italy for the summer time and all we talked about the entire journey was how we wished to make the March Insanity and go far and play collectively and have an incredible season. We simply fell down, however we bought again up and we bought even stronger.”
Kevin Willard’s 2020 Pirates appeared destined for greatness. However COVID-19 quarantined March Insanity.
“I positively suppose we have been probably the greatest within the nation,” Mamu stated. “It sucks, however I feel we'd be a Last 4 group.”
If the defending NBA champs didn’t know a lot about Seton Corridor, they know now.
“If I used to be a 12-year-old man and I checked out myself proper now I will likely be so comfortable the place I’m at as a result of I all the time wished to be an NBA participant, I all the time wished to be the place I’m at right this moment,” Mamu stated.
He signed a two-way contract with the Bucks’ G-League Wisconsin Herd, and has discovered loads and grown bodily and mentally.
“All the pieces I dreamed of,” Mamu stated. “It’s superb. Within the NBA you bought so many nice coaches round you you possibly can study from, and so many nice gamers.”
None higher than Giannis. “Not in all probability, I feel he’s the perfect participant within the league proper now,” Mamu stated. “Tremendous dominant and he works so exhausting and he will likely be even higher. It’s simply unbelievable watching him and studying from him. And the particular person he's so humble and so right down to earth.”
Russia’s struggle on Ukraine has been particularly emotional for Mamu.
“I stand with Ukraine,” Mamu stated. “I really feel like Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 in the same means, so my ideas and my prayers exit to the individuals of Ukraine. I hope the struggle is gonna cease quickly, in order that they know all Georgia’s standing subsequent to them and we pray for his or her security.”
Mamu was residing in Chicago together with his Aunt Eteri in 2008. Fortunately, the individuals he is aware of in Ukraine have been in a position to escape to Poland.
“My mother’s mates reside there, some shut mates of the household reside there, a few guys I do know reside there,” Mamu stated. “They left in order that they’re protected now, nevertheless it’s simply loopy how at some point you possibly can simply get up and a struggle begins and also you gotta go away your job and ensure your spouse and youngsters are protected and simply run to the safer place. That shoulda by no means occurred.
“As I stated, I stand with Ukraine and the individuals there.”
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