Ilona Korstin: "Georgy Zhbanov is an ideal fit for this award"

VTB United League CEO Ilona Korstin attended the sixth game of the semifinal series between Zenit and UNICS, which took place on May 25 in St. Petersburg and ended with a 73:78 victory for the Kazan team. Before the start of the game, the League's head presented the award for Defensive Player of the Year in the 2025/26 season to Georgy Zhbanov, the forward of the Blue-White-Sky Blues.

— As expected, the series is very intense. What can you say about the rivalry between St. Petersburg and Kazan?

— It really is an exciting series. Both teams want to win, they want to reach the finals, and they fight to the very end. There is a lot of high-quality, top-level basketball. I think true fans are enjoying this series and savoring the gameplay. Everything is decided on the court, and it's hard to predict a winner because both teams are of a very high caliber. The battle is fierce, and neither team gives up for a single second.

— Georgy Zhbanov is the Best Defensive Player. What do you think about the forward's performance this season?

— I congratulate Georgy Zhbanov on this award. I believe it is 100% deserved. Zhbanov is truly a player who plays selflessly on defense and gives 100% effort. I know that players from other teams don't like it when he defends against them because he's like a tick: he latches onto his opponent and doesn't let them breathe. And of course, from the League's side, we want to recognize such defensive play, so this season he is an ideal fit for this award. But I'd also like to note that this season Georgy is not only effective on defense but is also excelling on offense, and therefore may be in contention for other awards.