By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
A few days ago, Fenerbahce forward and Italian national team captain Gigi Datome became the first EuroLeague player to announce that he won’t participate in the World Cup Qualifiers.
Among other things, Datome emphasized on the fact that none of the upper echelons in the decision-making centers asked him or his teammates about the “formula” of the midseason windows, stating that the players’ opinion should matter and that their involvement is nothing less than necessary.
This is an issue that also bothers other EuroLeague players, more specifically members of Spanish club Unicaja Malaga, as they explained to Eurohoops.
Almost a month before the launch (November 23) of the World Cup Qualifiers, internationals Adam Waczynski (Poland), Nemanja Nedovic, Dragan Milosavljevic and Dejan Musli (Serbia) saw their names included in their national teams’ preliminary rosters but find it extremely difficult to decide if they’ll leave Unicaja Malaga during the windows.
Torn between their obligations to the club that pays their salaries, and their unquestionable devotion to their national teams, they are frustrated with the whole situation. But perhaps moreso, because they are asked to make a choice on matters that were discussed and subsequent decisions that were taken while they, the true protagonists, weren’t even asked for a simple feedback.
Adam Waczynski (Unicaja Malaga – Poland)
“The NBA runs all year and all of its players are excluded from this”
“I know this is the hot subject right now. I’m really confused because I don’t understand why we need to play now. Of course, there are reasons to play now but also reasons not to play. The NBA runs all year and all of its players are excluded from this. The EuroLeague was having this schedule already last season so everybody knew what was coming this season too. I don’t want to be a judge. I know it’s going to be hard physically with all those travels. This is going to to be a tough thing for us, for our bodies. For our head also. Because we start thinking, “Do I go with the national team or not?. “What if I don’t come?”. Stuff like this. It’s difficult for everybody. We need to find a solution. And FIBA with EuroLeague should actually listen to us players. Because we are the ones who actually play and put our bodies out there.
I want to play in the World Cup Qualifiers. But I need to see things more realistically. We got games, we need to travel a lot. We have a tough schedule. In our team (Malaga) we have 12 good players and every game matters for us.”
On Gigi Datome‘s post:
“What he says is true. Players should stand up and make a European community. A union. Like the NBA has. They have a voice on this. They can have a lockout and don’t play. We don’t have a voice. There are unions in some countries. It works. But I hope this is created on a more pan-European scale. And that it involves all EuroLeague players.
Nemanja Nedovic (Unicaja Malaga -Serbia)
“Nobody talks to us”
“I have no idea. We were talking before the game about it. I found out that there’s this (Serbian preliminary squad) list of players. And that I and the other guys are on the list. So far I haven’t talked to anybody from either the national team or the club about it.
It’s such a complicated situation. It’s very hard. I was thinking this: For example, we’re playing Thursday in EuroLeague and then Friday with the national team. It would be really hard for us to go home for the game and then come back. Or travel to a road game and come back again. And so on. I have no idea how they are imagining that this works. Playing for the national team is a very important thing. It’s an honor. But you know… Unicaja pays me. And we have a lot of games this year with Unicaja.
To be honest, I don’t have an exact opinion because not very familiar with the whole situation. But it’s really complicated.”
On Gigi Datome‘s post:
“Nobody talks to anyone. Nobody talks to us, the players. We received a letter from EuroLeague before the season. It was about a plan about the national team competitions taking place during the summer. And then having a couple of weeks off before the season. That looks good to me. But still, nobody talked to me. I don’t know who to talk to. Every national team is different and they all have their own opinions.”
Dragan Milosavljevic (Unicaja Malaga – Serbia)
“You see players getting injured because they’re not getting any rest”
“It’s a bit strange that we’re playing right now. To be honest I don’t know what I’m going to do. I think most players are like that. The club is paying us to play. And this is our job. It’s a really strange decision to make now with the Windows. It’s really tough for players. The season is tough already. You see all the time players are getting injured because we cannot rest. We have national team games and then a long season. Noone cares about it. I don’t think it’s a good idea but we’ll see.”
I’m really proud to be again on the list of the Serbia. And I want to fight for my country. I really don’t know. The situation is really complicated. It’s difficult. We are conflicted between our clubs and national teams. But I think that after this year they’ll definitely find a solution.”
On Gigi Datome‘s post:
“I saw what he wrote. And I definitely agree with him. Players need to be involved”