By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Two coaches with illustrious careers in Europe left the old continent for the NBA this summer and now after David Blatt and Ettore Messina, Croatian Neven Spahija is hired as an assistant by the Atlanta Hawks in what was a totally unexpected move.
A very talented coach but also known as being more than strict, never lasted for more than two seasons in the same club, despite winning championship titles in Croatia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Israel, Spain and Turkey. He has also won the Eurocup in the 2009-10 season on the bench of Spanish club Valencia and left the team that summer for Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce/ Ulker. However after leaving Turkey at the summer of 2012 he stayed unemployed for one season and then return last summer in Croatia and traditional power Cibona.
He said that it was a challenge to create a new team and coach NBA draftee Dario Saric, however he was fired for not being able to break a streak of 17 Eurocup defeats which was dating back to the previous season.