By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
Sasa wishes through Eurohoops.net “good luck” to Sasa Djordjevic for the fresh start in his career taking over Panathinaikos, a team that was interested in him, except he chose to stay in Alba after all.
His successful tenure in Alba put him on the register of the best European coaches that can make that extra step in their career and establish themselves in the elite.
Sasa Obradovic proved that he can develop a plan over time and improve the team and the players. After the end of the season he attracted the interest of several teams, but in the end he stayed in his “favorite team,” as he told Eurohoops.net.
The greatest interest came from Panathinaikos, but the Serbian coach explained that “all that was just rumors. Nothing of that actually happened. It’s nice that I was among the options of top teams, but if I’m not the first choice for a team’s bench, then I don’t think that I’m among the options. I won’t go to a team where I was, for instance, the tenth option.”
But what exactly transpired with the “greens”? “We didn’t have any real communication with Panathinaikos. It was mostly a conversation with my agent. The bottom line is that I will stay in my favorite team, in Berlin, Alba.”
In the end, Panathinaikos agreed with a different… Sasa, Sasa Djordjevic. What does Sasa Obradovic have to say about his compatriot and onetime teammate?
“I wish him luck. I know it’s not going to be easy. Especially if you are in a national team like Serbia and Panathinaikos at the same time, a new team that you don’t know and to which you have to adjust. I believe he can do a good job because he’s a good coach, charismatic and he can succeed.”
Coming back to Obradovic, we would say that the interest of several top Euroleague teams in him was the result of the huge success that Alba had this past season. “It was really amazing because we have to realize how difficult it is for a team to compete both in the national championship and the Euroleague. The teams that play in both tournaments and that try to go a long way are heavily burdened. For instance, look at which teams won the championship in Turkey and Italy, teams that didn’t have dual obligations for a long time and managed to endure. They are more fresh in the end and they have more chances.”
Despite all this, Alba improved many players who, when they reached Berlin were almost unknown. What does Sasa Obradovic have to say, who will be called upon to find the new Renfroe, the new McLean and the new Redding? “Winning titles is an achievement, but we are trying at the same time to give the players a different identity. Everyone knows who Redding is now, but no one knew about him when he joined us. The same goes for Jamel McLean and many other players. Including both the Americans and the Germans, who are now getting more opportunities and we are proud of that.”