By Stavros Barbarousis/ info@eurohoops.net
Zeljko Obradovic was among several guests at the fourth EHCB Congress in Athens.
Besides attempting to share unrivaled experiences during the EuroLeague Head Coaches Congress on Sunday, he talked about working alongside EHCB president Dimitris Itoudis at Panathinaikos between 1999 and 2012. Creating a dominating team with the help of his top assistant, Obradovic guided the Green to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011.
“It was effortless for us to show what it means to be head coach and assistant, and how important it is to work together. Dimitris was the assistant I trusted and had freedom. Whenever he wanted to stop the practice, he did. The same as me,” remembered the legendary Serbian tactician, a nine-time EuroLeague champion.
“We put rules in the team, Simple rules, presenting the players with the opportunity to play and enjoy the game,” he went into sharing a story on creating an incentive for players to improve their defense.
“If I was on the offense, he was taking care of the team’s defensive side,” he continued.
“Players in offense had five chances to score. Dimitris was in charge of the players in defense. If my team scored at least three times, the players would stay on the offense. If defense stopped the offense at least three times, the teams would change,” he said on the plan, “Players prefer offense. This way, we offered motivation to play defense to get in the offense.”
Reuniting with Itoudis in Athens, numerous plays for offense and defense were presented to coaches attending the fourth EHCB Congress, backed by media sponsor Eurohoops.
“I want to congratulate Dimitris [Itoudis] for his time as president of the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, also Giannis Sfairopoulos, the vice president, Goran Sasic, the executive director, and everyone involved,” Obradovic praised the EHCB Congress in his opening statement.