By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes coach Ergin Ataman believes that it’s time an NBA team hires Zeljko Obradovic – the most decorated coach in European basketball history – and that such a move could potentially lead to more European coaches getting NBA jobs.
“I think that now he’s [Obradovic] the most relaxed,” Ataman said to the “Jumpball” show of the Greek national television. He was referring to the fact that while he and other prominent European coaches are preparing for the EuroLeague Final Four, Obradovic has taken the year off. “Because he doesn’t have our stress. He already has nine EuroLeague titles at home. I think he will continue his holidays or maybe somebody in NBA will understand that now EuroLeague Basketball, European basketball is much better than the NBA and they call the best coach in Europe to coach in the NBA. He deserves to start coaching in the NBA and maybe open the doors for all of us successful European coaches to maybe coach in the NBA in future. Not only the players. Now it’s also time for the [European] coaches to coach in the NBA.”
Obradovic took a hiatus from coaching after parting ways with Fenerbahce Beko last summer. During his stint with Fener, he pushed them towards winning the EuroLeague championship in 2017, a first-time achievement not only for the club but Turkish basketball overall.