NBA Expansion Hard


NBA Expansion Hard
16-10-2007 11:15

Panathinaikos coach Zelimir Obradovic is one of the most respected and most victorious European coaches of all time and, even if not with his current team, would probably be coaching a European team that would be among those competing in the NBA. Mr.Obradovic is, however, not subscribing to the idea quite yet.
"I think it is very hard. Basketball in Europe is very good, played on a very high level. I think we should concentrate on that. that is our neighborhood and we should work ourselves on making it better. The best indicator of that is the number of European players that are coming over. More and more people are interested in European basketball and I hope that European basketball continues to grow."

"This is one nice experience, perhaps at a bad time for us as we are not complete and are not in game shape yet. Immediately after we get back, the Greek league awaits". Teammate Milos Vujanic also points to travel as a big problem:

"I don't think that integrating NBA into Europe is realistic in the near future. After a long trip across the ocean it is very hard to come over and play by their rules. It takes a lot of time to get used to that. Tonight's score is not realistic, we should have played a better game. A lot of things have to happen before NBA and European basketball can be combined. it is a totally different game, different rules, different contacts."

So with so many differences, is integrating NBA and Europeans basketball even possible?
"I have no idea", continued Panathinaikos Coach Obradovic. "That is not a question for me, it is for people that lead basketball. As far as I am concerned, that is very hard to accomplish. We have a very strong European league and we should work on making it stronger. There are many reasons why I think it will be hard. There is a big difference in the mentality of the players and what the very essence of basketball is in this country".

The essence of his coaching style, and what made him into a coaching legend in Europe, is how much he expects from his players and how much he is willing to give for them. In the second half with the game already mostly out of reach, Obradovic got two quick technical fouls and was ejected from the game. Perhaps a strange move for a 'friendly' preseason game, but a move that maybe indicates differences in the 'essence of basketball'.

"I told my players that I am sorry that I got two technicals but I could not just idly sit by and watch players that love and know basketball get beat up -- literally beat up -- and no fouls are called. The whole team reacted, it was not just me, we got five technicals as a team. But it is a great opportunity to play the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, just to understand where and what we are and how much some things can be improved in our game."

Coach Obradovic quickly added that this was not a realistic representation of his team. A few days before starting the USA tour, he was quoted in the Greek press that this is perhaps not the best time for leaving Athens as the Greek season is starting soon. For that reason, he looked at these NBA games as sort of a practice session for his team.

"The score here does not interest me, it is much more important for me to have a nice exercise, like the preparation tournament we had on Cyprus. I am sorry we did not play better, but all that matter is when it counts -- and that is back home."

While it would have made for interesting NBA theatre, Greek guard and ex-Rocket Vassilis Spanoulis did not travel with the team due to an injury. That left the Panathinaikos NBA spotlight squarely on Sarunas Jasikevicius, the Maryland graduate who climbed to the top of European basketball only to come to the NBA where he was largely underutilized with Indiana and Golden State. Perhaps to prove a point, he commanded his Lithuanian national team to a fantastic 3rd place finish at the European championships this summer in Spain, which also puts his squad at the China Olympic games next summer.

Said Coach Obradovic of having Jasikevicius on his roster:

"Sarunas has enormous intelligence, he understands the game, he is a great player in Europe. Here in the NBA he did not get an adequate chance, in my opinion. We believe he is a player that can help, he is one of the biggest names right now in Europe. He has a great vision of the game and for me as a coach, it is always easy to work with players who understand the game."

Sitting next to Yao Ming in the locker room was Steve Francis, who also went to Maryland. Seeing Sarunas' name on the whiteboard above the flat panel TV playing a recent Panathinaikos game, Francis cracked a big smile.

"Jasikevicius is on their team?" Francis asked, perfectly pronouncing the Lithuanian last name. "Well, I ain't guarding that beast".

So there is plenty of basketball respect going both ways across the Atlantic. Although future steps towards NBA - Europe integration are probably going to be more complicated, it is a good start.

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