By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Fenerbahce Beko forward Luigi Datome has played both in Europe and NBA during his 12-year-long career so far. He is currently playing under coach Zeljko Obradovic who is regarded as one of, if not the best, European coach of all times and Datome believes Obradovic is more than ready for the NBA if he wishes to do it:
“Yes! Absolutely, absolutely. It’s a different basketball, okay, but it’s not just about his talent as a coach. He is a student of the game. He can’t stop watching basketball. If he wanted to go to the NBA, he couldn’t use the same resources he has here. It is a decision that exclusively belongs to him but his knowledge and intelligence are brilliant. I had some coaches there who were worse than Obradovic by far”, he told NBA Spain.
Datome’s last games in the NBA were with the Boston Celtics (2015) under coach Brad Stevens and the Italian player puts him at the top together with Obradovic: “Both are brilliant. They have a privileged mind for basketball. They handle some situations after time out that personally, I had never seen. But if you execute them in the right way, with the right timing and space, they really work”, he said before noting the differences as well.
He finds them both as basketball geniuses but yet they have a bit of a different approach and attitude: “At the same time they are different, although good people. I’ve been with Obradovic for four years now and with Stevens I only spent a few months. He is calmer, more elegant. Although he also has that kind of fire inside that has allowed him to earn the respect and attention of his players. And there are also times when he screams.”
Datome also commented on the financial trouble Fenerbahce faced in front of this season and notes that they are happy with their situation right now: As it happens with other big clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona, football is the main train that carry us. It is true that the president made some comments that went around the world. But they have always told us that they want to keep Fenerbahçe at the highest European level. And for that, of course, you need certain standards that allow you to fight for important goals such as those we fight for. Right now, we are happy with our situation”, he said.