By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes guard Vasilije Micic said that the presence of coach Ergin Ataman is among the top reasons that keep him with the Turkish team.
“Everyone doubted him [Ataman], honestly, maybe I did too when I signed,” Ataman said in an interview with Sport Klub. But put that aside. I was given freedom Ataman is one of the biggest reasons for me staying with Efes. We have minimal communication off the court but it’s good enough for me on the court. We found a common language and I personally got everything I wanted as a player.”
Micic had the top season of his professional career under Ataman in 2018-2019. The Serbian guard averaged 12.4 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in EuroLeague while making the All-EuroLeague Second Team.
He was one of Efes‘ most prominent contributors together with Shane Larkin, in the ‘s first-time run towards the EuroLeague Final. Micic and Efes fell to CSKA Moscow.
“As much as you think that the second place is a success, you feel sorry for not finishing first,” Micic said while commenting to the loss to CSKA as one of the hardest defeats of his career, along with the one of the Serbian national team to Slovenia in the 2017 EuroBasket Final. “It definitely felt really heavy… some feeling of emptiness.”