By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Partizan returned to the EuroLeague last season with a bang, making it to the playoffs and coming close to the Final Four. They retained most of the core players and added some extra talent over the summer, gearing up with the highest possible ambitions.
Kevin Punter, James Nunnally, Zach LeDay, Balsa Koprivica, and Aleksa Avramovic signed new contracts with the club, while Matthias Lessort, Dante Exum, Ioannis Papapetrou, and Yam Madar left. Coach Zeljko Obradovic is beginning his third season back on the bench of Black and Whites, and in conversation with Nedeljnik, he expressed his gratitude to the players who chose to stay, while also acknowledging those who left.
“I consider someone’s word more important than contracts. We had very open conversations with the players at the end of last season and told them what the club could offer each player. This is the perfect opportunity for me to publicly thank Kevin, Zach, James, Balša, and Aleksa for extending their contracts. The players who left spoke openly about their reasons, almost all of them. Mathias Lessort said he had great financial offers and since we couldn’t match them, he decided to leave. Fair enough. Dante Exum wanted to return to the NBA and try his luck there, and I wish him all the best. That’s fair too. Papapetrou received a great offer to return home and he said it was a big wish for him. Again, fair. In the case of Yam Madar, however, I can’t say that everything was sincere,” Obradovic said.
Unfortunately, it was a messy divorce with Madar. The club issued statements, and the Israeli player’s agent responded. Now Zeljko Obradovic revealed how everything transpired with the new Fenerbahce point guard.
“He flew in from Tel Aviv specifically to talk to me. We sat in a cafe near my house for about two hours and talked about future plans. At no point did he mention anything other than playing time, opportunities to play, plans, gratitude, and everything related to the progress he had made. That’s how we parted ways, and I went to a coaching clinic. It didn’t take long, Madar called me and mentioned money. He said he was dissatisfied with his contract. I asked him why he didn’t mention money when we talked, and he said he realized he wasn’t paid enough. I won’t delve into who advised him, but it’s clear someone did. I told him that regardless of his quality and progress, I didn’t want to separate him from other players his age, reminded him that we pulled him out of anonymity, and that we made a plan for future work where his place was very important. When I realized I had nothing more to say to him, I directed him to Zoran Savić, and that’s how it ended.”
One of the top stories of the summer in European basketball was Nikola Mirotic’s transfer saga. He was on the verge of joining Partizan, but ended up at Olimpia Milano.
“After several conversations we had with Nikola, both me and the club management, he called me and told me he was definitely coming to Partizan. The remaining paperwork between him and Barcelona needed to be sorted out, and that whole mess. However, we continued to communicate during that time. Nikola is an extremely polite guy, and all those conversations were very pleasant and went smoothly – we talked about the team-building process, which players we wanted to bring in, how we planned to play, he was interested in every detail. After two weeks of such conversations, he called me and told me he couldn’t come after all. When I asked him why, he told me it was because of ‘pressures’. I told him that we’re all under pressure, that it’s part of the job, insults, expectations, threats, but that no one has really suffered any consequences from that pressure, and I think he can handle it. He then told me he received several calls and was forced to back out… He didn’t mention any names, but he told me he received calls from politics and the church.”
Still, Obradovic respects Mirotic and his decision. He even called on fans to show him, and the players who left, nothing but respect when they come to Belgrade.
“At no point do I want to blame Mirotic for anything. First and foremost, I felt the need to honestly tell Partizan fans what happened in both his and Madar’s case. But I have an even greater need to make a plea to them, welcome all the mentioned players, Lessort, Papapetrou, Madar, and Mirotic with applause, show them respect, and prove your greatness. That’s my sincere plea.”
Partizan also added a couple of new names, with Ognjen Jaramaz returning to the club after two years in Bayern Munich. Mateusz Ponitka arrived from Panathinaikos, while Frank Kaminsky came to Europe for Partizan, after spending eight years in the NBA.
“I know Ognjen Jaramaz’s qualities, and my conclusion is that we will have to slowly introduce him and that not playing for four months requires patience. Patience from the people in the club and dedicated work with him, and I hope the fans will also have patience. I believe in Ognjen. Mateusz Ponitka and I had only one conversation, and he signed the contract. Everything was so clear, his strong desire to play for Partizan and be coached by me, my desire to have such a player, and he immediately showed everything we knew or hoped for him – that he’s a fighter, a serious worker, a fanatic, and that he’s ready to play injured. In Frank Kaminsky’s case, the situation was similar – we had one conversation, he grew up in the Serbian community, he knew where he was coming. He’s a smart player, some adjustments will be needed, but I’m satisfied with him.”
The Belgrade club made another NBA signing in P.J. Dozier. Obradovic believes injuries prevented him from having a more important career overseas.
“We inquired a lot about him, and it’s incredible that we got the same answers from people who don’t even know each other – only words of praise and stories about how injuries prevented him from having a much more significant NBA career than he did. We approached him in the same way, and it was immediately confirmed that he’s a smart player who loves and understands the game. During the lectures that the EuroLeague referee organization held for the players, I watched what questions he asked, and everything was clear to me,” Zeljko Obradovic concluded.