“ They don’t trust coaches from Europe, that’s obvious. » Thus expressed Zeljko Obradovic two years ago, regretting that, unlike the players, the coaches of the Old Continent are unable to establish themselves in the Great League. Today the Serb is delighted to see one of his compatriots, Darko Rajakovicat the head of an NBA team, the Raptors.
He certainly has a long American experience behind him now, starting in 2014 with a first assistant position with the Thunder. But Toronto’s rookie coach is taking advantage of an opportunity that Zeljko Obradovic was unable to benefit from ten years earlier.
Zeljko Obradovic loved his short stint with the Pistons
The man with nine Euroleague titles had indeed briefly spent time with the Pistons in 2012. “ Forty days » within the Michigan franchise without ever receiving “ concrete offer » despite discussions with the GM at the time, Joe Dumars. “ I want to be clear and precise: this passage there was fantastic for me “, he nevertheless summarizes.
The Serbian coach still has his entries into the Great League. This summer, for example, he attended a seminar organized by Sergio Scariolo with Joe Dumars, now vice-president of the league.
“ Before that, (Scariolo) was on the Toronto Raptors (as assistant) and I was interested in their decision to take Darko Rajaković as head coach. I have a fantastic relationship with him, we talk a lot “, describes Zeljko Obradovic, taken over by EuroHoops. And according to him, one factor played a big role in his nomination: his age (44 years old).
Darko Rajakovic, an ideal coach for a reconstruction?
“ They believe that with a young coach it will be much easier to develop young players. They think it will be much easier than with Scariolo (62 years old), who strives to achieve results. Can you imagine that in the Euroleague, that the result is not the priority? I don’t believe it, everyone wants at least a place in the top eight “, decides the technician, the Raptors indeed entering a reconstruction phase.
The latter, as indirect advice to his compatriot, remembers a conversation he had in the 1990s with Rick Carlisle, when he was coaching Real Madrid. That day, the current Pacers coach told him: “ In the NBA, 80% of the coaching job is based on the relationship with the players, and 20% on basketball, the details. »
