By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
An eventful offseason for Pablo Laso did not include an offer made or even any kind of talks with Crvena Zvezda mts. He categorically denied any contact with the Belgrade outfit.
With the additional confirmation of his representatives, Laso refuted the rumors after being contacted by the Spanish outlet Gigantes. Therefore, he did not reject an offer citing medical reasons, as reportedly discussed by Zvezda president Nebojsa Covic in the club’s assembly.
The Serbian side eventually opted to hire 38-year-old Vlada Jovanovic to replace Dejan Radonjic. The departing head coach had concluded his second stint and inked a two-year contract to become the play-caller of Panathinaikos OPAP.
Laso, 54, has since declared himself fit to continue coaching. Parting ways with Real Madrid ended the long and successful run as the boss of Los Blancos. Since assuming the head-coaching duties in 2011, he guided Madrid to a couple of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championships in 2015 and 2018, lifted the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2015, masterminded six championship seasons in Spain’s Liga Endesa, and added six Copa del Rey titles and six Supercopa titles to the extensive list of achievements.
He had suffered a heart attack early in the 2022 ACB Playoffs forcing him to stay at the hospital for a couple of days and to the sidelines for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. Despite lacking the clearance to return to his usual role, he was present in the championship-clinching Game 4 of the best-of-five series versus rival FC Barcelona and celebrated alongside his players.