Real Madrid's Dzanan Musa is getting ready for his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game with Los Blancos chasing their 11th continental crown.
For Musa, Sunday night's clash in Kaunas is somewhat symbolic, but also a story of what could have been because when Musa was 15 years old, he was offered a long-term deal with Olympiacos.
"I was already about to sign a contract with Olympiacos", Musa confirmed. "Basically paper was in front of me so I was almost signing for Olympiacos. It was basically already a signed contract."
However, the job was never completed and he went to Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia instead.
"I was looking forward to playing with Spanoulis," Musa said ahead of the championship game. "I was looking up to him when I was a young player, trying to copy all of his shots, step-back, step-side. It was a dream. But I ended up with Cedevita and it is something I am proud of, too. I am grateful for Cedevita to have brought me into the EuroLeague spotlight. So you can always take good from things."
And then, not even a year later after not signing with the club from Piraeus, he made his EuroLeague debut against them.
"It started with the first professional game against Olympiacos, now in the first [championship game] against Olympiacos", Musa smiled. "I see it as a funny story."