By Mete Budak & Semih Tuna / info@eurohoops.net
David Blatt, Darussafaka’s new coach spoke to Eurohoops during the team’s media day for Euroleague and answered to many burning questions, including expectations, goals and… the Cavs!
Blatt will make his Euroleague return this season after winning the 2014 championship with Maccabi. During the summer of 2014 he moved overseas for the Cavs where he coached LeBron James company to the NBA finals, before being fired during the 2015-16 season. It is the coach’s second time in Turkey, after the 2007/08 season with Anadolu Efes and of course his return to the old continent made headlines all around the world.
One of the best coaches in Europe is back and he had a lot to say!
Eurohoops: Darussafaka has been developing fast and offers a solid presence in Europe by all means. Which were your first impressions about the organization of the team?
David Blatt: Very committed, ambitious and visionary organization that wants and is making every effort create a high level environment and structure. An ambitious program that has a competitive and sustainable vision for the future. These are my first impressions.
EH: Preseason games have gone nicely so far. The team is still unbeaten and has won against Fenerbahce and Efes, both which are domestic league competitors. This is very impressing for a newly built team. Are you satisfied with the work the team put on thus far and what do you think is still needed to improve?
DB: Well, 10-0 record in preseason is nice but it doesn’t obviously mean anything. On the other hand, what we can see is we have created a team that has principles, a philosophy, a way of playing, an identity and that has hope for future success. I’m very pleased with the personalities of the players that we brought to this team. They fit into our vision and I’m also very happy with the work ethic that they have displayed. I’m happy with the desire on their part to play together, to play hard, to play to win and they have fun from that. That’s really the overlaying message of what we are about.
EH: It is believed among the basketball community that Darussafaka is already a playoff-bound in Euroleague this season. What do you think about the ceiling of this team?
DB: I think that’s exaggerating. I mean, based on what? We haven’t even won a single game. I’m glad that people recognize that we play quality basketball and we have a competitor group of players but to put us into the same category with Barcelona, Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce and Efes is a little bit turgescent at this point. That’s where we hope to be, that’s where we hope to get but we have a ways to go to be in that category.
EH: When people talk about organizations like Darussafaka and Anadolu Efes, they often complain about limited fan-base. Do you think fan-base is one of the most essential antecedents for reaching success in European basketball?
DB: Without question. That’s something we ourselves are really trying to promote and we are trying to create fan interest in here. We have a beautiful, beautiful arena, very young and very exciting, ambitious team that plays good basketball, we have a great group of people in this organization. We want to deserve the people’s support. There is a lot of competition for fans here in Istanbul. There are four Euroleague teams, There is any number of great professional basketball teams, there is huge number of great football clubs and you know, to get the fans to support you, you have to earn it. So that’s what we are trying to do now and if people give us a chance, come and spend some time in this beautiful arena, I’m sure that they won’t be disappointed.
EH: Did you get every player that you wanted this off-season? Can you tell us Darussafaka’s biggest advantages in order to lure players?
DB: Number one: No team gets every player that they want. Because a lot of those players are the same players that your competitors are going after but I’m very pleased with the group we brought in here. We specified certain things. İbrahim Kutluay, Mithat Demirel and myself got together when we made our player selections. It started with the character of the player, the quality of the person, the skill set they bring as basketball players and it continued with their attitude of playing team basketball and playing in the right way. And I think in terms of those standards and principles, every player that we brought in fits. I would be happy to go to work with these guys any day of the week and twice on Sunday [laughs].
EH: Turkish league is going to have a group of great coaches. What are your thoughts about them and the league in general? After the preseason game against Efes, you said “it’s an exhibition game but look at the level of play” and praised it a lot.
DB: Yes I meant that. For an exhibition game, that kind of level and that kind of competition… I think Turkish basketball today is the Mecca of European basketball obviously for having four Euroleague teams, so many great coaches and players, such great local league and the fact that twelve other teams will join four Turkish team in European competition every week is exciting and invigorating for basketball and it’s challenging for teams. I’m glad that I’m a part of that and I hope that we can have a say in this tremendously challenging league this year.
EH: Euroleague has a new format now. Some drastic changes have been made and the schedule will be quiet busy. What do you think about this new era?
DB: First of all, I think it’s great. It’s a very proper and visionary move on the part of Euroleague. In my opinion, we will see the greatest Euroleague ever, also in my opinion it’s a league that should be expanding a little bit. Even though there are some difficulties in terms of scheduling, there are few other quality teams that I believe could be a part of this special Euro league. But time will tell if that’s something doable. For now, I’m very enthusiastic, very excited and very respectful of the system that has been created. Great for the fans, great for the teams, great for the players. From our perspective, having this tough of a Euroleague in combination with the extremely challenging Turkish league, it’s going to really force us to be at the top of our game every day, every week, every month as well as it will the other teams and it’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out. Because in our schedule with Turkish league and Euroleague, there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. *laughters* You have got to be there every day.
EH: Sometimes you will play four games a week…
DB: Yes. Sometimes you will play four games a week, there are weeks where we will have six Euroleague games.
EH: How is it so?
DB: You know, two Euroleague games plus Turkish league games that will be the same level of Euroleague games [laughs]. So you are going to play six Euroleague games in 13-14 days. This is something that never happened.
EH: There is this ongoing conflict between FIBA and Euroleague. What is this about, do you think?
DB: That is a very long and painful subject to explain. I will talk about not the beginning but about the end of it. For the best interest of basketball, fans and players, this conflict needs to be solved. In order for all to enjoy high level basketball and to create a sustainable future for our game.
EH: Nowadays, European talent is immigrating to NBA faster than the past. Obviously money is an important factor for this but do you think these players would be better off if they stay in Europe for a couple of more seasons and benefit from the fundamentals of basketball that Europe is known to provide?
DB: I am all for players from here going to NBA and players from NBA to come here. That transfer, sharing of ideas, cultures, talents and philosophies are great for basketball. But players who want to make the jump to NBA should do it when they are ready. They should not go just because their numbers are called. Some of them are for this early in their career, some of them need more time. It’s really based on the individual. Every player has a specific preparation for NBA. I will say this for any player though: NBA is a different league. It requires a different physical, mental, emotional and psychological preparation. This is also true for players coming here from NBA. These players are coming to a different world, they have to be ready for that.
EH: People sometimes tend to think that the quality gap between Europe and NBA is huge. Do you think that is true? What makes the difference? Talent? Education? Better facilities?
DB: No, I don’t agree with that. There is a particular level in NBA that you can’t find anywhere else. There are certain players that you only see in NBA. It’s a select few. There is a few of them in each team. Some are blessed with only one, some two or three, or even four. But after that, the level is not all that different. However the game is different. All the things you mention go into what makes a player successful on any level and anywhere. Guys that understand these factors are the guys who are successful anywhere.
EH: What’s the difference between coaching in an NBA game and coaching in a Euroleague game? Do you think, let’s say, time-outs are valued better in Europe?
DB: Game is different first of all. Length, stoppages of play, schedule, 82 games in 5 and a half months, rules, level of certain players and so on and so on… It requires a different mindset and approach.
EH: How about coaching?
DB: You have to be educated and understanding about those differences. You have to differentiate the tactic and principles you are teaching according to those differences and rules. There are much less preparation time for games. Practicing during the course of season is very very different. But it will be very interesting to see a very NBA-like schedule in Europe. You are going to play 60 games minimum but better teams will certainly see that number going up to 70-80 games. There will be less time to prepare for games, less time to practice. It will be much like an NBA season.
EH: Cavaliers won the NBA title. Do you think you contributed to this championship or at least had an impact on it? They have also decided to give you a ring and you have become the first coach who has won both Euroleague and NBA championship ring.
DB: It’s not my championship. I have said many times that I congratulate players and the organization for this historic success. I certainly contributed to it, they recognized that and I really appreciate it. That’s it.