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By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
Money does not bring happiness nor does it bring success. As is known in European basketball these last years, titles are not necessarily won by those who’ve spent more, but from those who’ve spent their money more smartly to create a better-structured team. And since the basis of a Euroleague team is its coach, Eurohoops searched and found who are the highest paid coaches out of the teams still competing in the Euroleague.
The list includes everyone whose contract is at least 500.000 euros and so excludes coaches such as Luca Banchi, Guy Goodes, Sasa Obradovic, Giannis Sfairopoulos, Ibon Navarro and Ainars Begatskis, whose salary is smaller.
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[lptitle title=”1. Zeljko Obradovic – Fenerbahce“]
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2.000.000 euros
He has won the Euroleague championship eight times with four different teams (Partizan, Badalona, Real, Panathinaikos) that could never repeat the feat after he was gone, no matter how many years had gone by. Zeljko Obradovic took a year off coaching after Panathinaikos in 2012 and when he got out in the market again Fenerbahce laid down a big bundle of money to entice him. His contract expires this summer, the Turks want to keep him and he has expressed his desire to stay. He’ll still be the highest paid coach by far.
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[lptitle title=”2. Dusan Ivkovic – Efes Anadolu“]
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1.100.00 euros
Last summer he returned to action taking over the reins of Efes Anadolu from assistant coach Vangelis Angelou, who had laid the groundwork since last winter. Dusan Ivkovic took over in Istanbul to try and repeat what he did in Piraeus a few years ago, that is, to showcase young and talented players in a team that aims to be a protagonist. His experience and his track record so far were rewarded by the Turks with a seven-digit contract.
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[lptitle title=”3. Xavi Pascual – Barcelona“]
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900.000 euros
He was promoted to head coach in 2008 after the departure of Dusko Ivanovic and since then Barcelona keeps renewing his contract (this happened last a few months ago) keeping him at the Palau Blaugrana… forever. Xavi Pascual gradually earned the Catalans’ trust in his work, and in the high cost of his contract, which now reaches 900.000 euros.
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[lptitle title=”4. Pablo Laso – Real Madrid“]
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900.000 euros
Since the summer of 2011 Pablo Laso renewed early his contract with Real Madrid twice, once in the summer of 2012 and then again in November of 2013. However, despite the team’s failure to win the Euroleague championship two years in a row, Laso kept his post in the summer with the current contract reaching up to 900.000 euros.
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