By Semih Tuna/ Stuna@eurohoops.net
Darussafaka Istanbul won the EuroCup for the first time in the history of the club. Following this momentous accomplishment which also means that Darussafaka will compete in the EuroLeague next season, head coach David Blatt was asked by Eurohoops if he sees himself sticking around for the upcoming return.
“I don’t know”, was the honest answer of coach Blatt who is aiming for an NBA return and he is already linked to the Knicks. After all, he signed with the Cavs after winning the EuroLeague title with Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2014.
In his post-game comments, Blatt turned the spotlight on his players, giving them all the credit for this triumph. “I think that during the season, although we lost a couple games, in those we played without Scottie Wilbekin and played without [JaJuan Johnson], so I think that we were every bit as good during the season as we were in the finals. When you get to the finals, it’s really about which team comes in the best way and in the best shape. We had a really good run before the finals. And what can I tell you? I’ve been fortunate in my career to be part of a lot of championship teams. This group and this competition in particular are very, very special – something kind of innocent, something kind of new – and I am proud of my players for what they gave and what they did. They committed to excellence. It’s not about the result. It’s about the day-to-day and what you commit to. And we were the better team and we deserve to be where we are,” Blatt said in his post-game comments.
With this title, Blatt became just the second coach that has ever won both the EuroLeague and the EuroCup. The only one that has made this achievement before him? the legendary Dusan Ivkovic.
“First of all, even to be mentioned in the same sentence as Dusan Ivkovic is very, very honorable for me. But today, honestly, it’s about the players. We didn’t have a single guy who won a European competition or even won a local title except for perhaps one. So they’ve now created their own legacy. Dacka in their history had never won a European championship and I’m just proud of them and happy to be a part of it”, said Blatt.