By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
Goran Sasic, Director of the EuroLeague Coaches Association, shared in an exclusive interview with Mackolik his insights on a wide range of topics, including the future of European basketball, coaching stability, the rise of physicality in the game, and the recent resignation of Željko Obradović from Partizan.
He emphasized the impact of off-court interference, public pressure, and leadership decisions on the legendary coach’s departure, while also offering his perspective on the evolution of coaching, roster building, and Turkish basketball rivalries.
When asked about the potential shift in the balance of power in European basketball in the coming years, Sasic said he sees this as a much broader issue than basketball alone, one that is closely tied to football. He explained that the recent recommendations from the European Parliament, prepared with UEFA’s involvement, already show that this discussion goes far beyond basketball.
“When former EuroLeague long-time CEO Jordi Bertomeu spoke with major football clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain, the response was always the same: The investment is too much and it takes too much time to recover some of the investments. Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, are the biggest sports brands in the world, operate with a clear mentality—they don’t pay to play; they get paid to play.
This raises two key questions: how the NBA could convince football clubs to invest in basketball, and how it could persuade them to pay participation fees. Turkey is a good example. Club presidents already face heavy criticism for spending on basketball instead of football. Let’s assume an entry fee of €100 million; it would be extremely difficult to justify to fans and could even threaten leadership stability.
It’s also important to note that while the NBA has hired major consultancy firms, including JP Morgan, no finalized market analysis or business plan has yet been presented to the Board of Governors. As always, I remain cautious until I see a formal vote and an official announcement that those have been approved by the Board of Governors.
That said, I fully support the idea of the NBA, FIBA, and EuroLeague coming together to find a common solution. If football clubs can be convinced that basketball is a sustainable long-term investment—as Bayern Munich’s gradual rise shows—I would welcome such a development. European basketball, in my view, ultimately needs to follow football in any business development.”
Coaching Stability and Roster Continuity
On the unusually high number of coaching changes early this season and what it says about European basketball, Sasic noted that this is actually not the worst season in that regard.
“When we founded the EHCB, there were already nine coaching dismissals by December—and that was one of the reasons the association was created.
I often draw comparisons with football. Sir Alex Ferguson consistently fought for Premier League and Champions League titles with Manchester United. Since his departure, the club has struggled even to qualify for the Champions League.
The same principle applies in basketball. Coaches like Zeljko Obradovic with Panathinaikos and Fenerbahçe, Ergin Ataman with Efes or Pablo Laso with Real Madrid, have proven the importance of long-term consistency.
But consistency is not only about coaches—it’s also about roster continuity. Building a competitive EuroLeague roster realistically takes three years, because top players usually sign three-year contracts. If you want all the pieces to fit together, you need time.
That’s why I always encourage general managers to offer multi-year contracts instead of one-year or “one-plus-one” deals.
In addition, injuries have had a dramatic impact this season. Over the past two years, we have repeatedly communicated to EuroLeague the need to establish an expert panel involving doctors, strength and conditioning coaches, head coaches, the players’ association, and referees.
The goal is not only to address player injuries, but also the health of coaches and referees. This process has now started, and an expert panel will work with EuroLeague to prepare recommendations for next season. I’m very happy about this development.”
Obradović’s Resignation and Partizan Leadership
Reflecting on Željko Obradović’s resignation from Partizan and the reasons behind it, Sasic said:
“Let me start with a simple question. Do you know the name of Partizan’s current president? Most people don’t, and that already says a lot.
What must be clearly understood is that Željko Obradović has never resigned from a club before. Not at Fenerbahçe, Panathinaikos, Benetton, or Real Madrid. The president of Partizan is the first under whom Obradović ever stepped down.
After Obradović spoke publicly, the club president held a lengthy press conference in which he directly linked budget increases to sporting success. I have never seen Florentino Pérez, Joan Laporta, Tuncay Özilhan or Ali Koç do this. Publicly framing results in this way was something I had never witnessed before.
The president claimed he never interfered in sporting matters, but I strongly disagree. He dismantled Partizan’s 2022–23 playoff roster, made the decision to play a EuroLeague Playoff game immediately after a national tragedy despite the possibility to postpone it under EuroLeague bylaws, and later withdrew the club from the Serbian domestic league. None of these decisions were made by the coach. Also, after a streetfight last season in Belgrade from several Partizan players the president insisted they have to stay.
I was at that EuroLeague Playoff game myself. Two referees were crying at tip-off. I left the arena in tears, and I am not someone who shows emotion easily. Now imagine how the players felt being asked to compete under those circumstances. You even had very few interviews from EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga stating that he didn’t understand why the game was not postponed. That request had to come from Partizan and Real Madrid even agreed to postpone the game due to the school massacre that happened in Belgrade.
Additionally, players were signed without Obradović’s approval. For a coach of his stature, this represents a serious lack of respect. Even figures as powerful as Ali Koç would never treat Obradović this way, and neither did Real Madrid. Yet his own home club did.
This accumulation of disrespect and constant off-court interference made it impossible for Obradović to focus solely on basketball. I advised him months before his resignation not to fear the moral weight of stepping away. In my view, the decisive factor was the complete breakdown of respect from the club’s leadership.”
Anadolu Efes and the Importance of Stability
When discussing Anadolu Efes’s 50th anniversary season and the early changes that followed, Sasic highlighted the importance of stability.
“First of all, I want to express my deepest respect to Tuncay Özilhan for his 50 years of investment in basketball. Without people like him, basketball would not be where it is today.
However, anniversaries often create artificial pressure. We saw the same thing last year with Zenit St. Petersburg’s 100th anniversary. These milestones generate expectations that are not always rooted in sporting reality.
Last season, Efes lost four key players. Despite that, all Euroleague General Managers voted that Efes made the best roster moves in the summer. They also brought in PJ Dozier and Luca Banchi mid-season and went on a strong run, nearly reaching the Final Four. Why should it be impossible for them to go on a similar run again? Even if it doesn’t happen immediately, we must remember the three-year rule when building a roster.
İsmail Şenol has exceptional basketball knowledge, strong leadership skills, and an extensive network that made those roster moves possible. Pablo Laso has proven his ability to build stability and develop talent—just look at Luka Dončić. Perhaps he will now help develop the next Turkish superstar.
At one point this season, Efes had six injured players. Combined with the loss of four major contributors from last year, expectations must be realistic. This is not a factory producing identical results every day; this is elite sport based on human performance.”
European Basketball Trends and Physicality
On the evolution of European basketball, Sasic reflected on Fenerbahçe Beko’s recent EuroLeague title without a traditional point guard or classic center.
“I don’t like the term ‘Americanized.’ EuroLeague has always been about building the best possible roster without nationality restrictions.
What I do see, however, is that we are becoming a league of veterans. One major reason for this is the NIL system, which has become a huge issue not only for EuroLeague, but also for the NBA.
Young players now often choose college basketball because the financial incentives are much higher. The real problem will come when players who don’t make it to the NBA return to Europe after earning millions in college and suddenly face much lower salaries. Managing motivation, work ethic, and expectations will be extremely difficult.
At the same time, the game has become simpler tactically because teams practice less. We have no more two-a-day practices, more games, and stricter regulations. That inevitably impacts how complex the game can be.”
Regarding the growing importance of physicality in basketball, Sasic said:
“Absolutely. There has always been a huge gap between youth competitions and EuroLeague-level basketball. We often describe it as ‘boys playing against men.’
Twenty years ago, EuroLeague players rarely lifted weights. Today, physical preparation is on a completely different level. On television, players might not look massive, but if you stand next to them in real life, the size and strength are intimidating.
Look at last season’s Monaco and Fenerbahce team. Their ball pressure, physical defense, rebounding, and low-post battles were extremely demanding. For players, this style of basketball is very difficult to face—but fans love it.”
European Coaches in the NBA
On the trend of European coaches moving to the NBA, Sasic believes it is just beginning.
“Yes, I believe this is just the beginning. It always takes one person to open the door. Once that happens, more will follow just as we saw with international players in the NBA.
For example, Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković is a clear example of what defines a European coach. He comes from the Serbian coaching school, graduated from the coaching college in Belgrade, and later completed a master’s degree in coaching technologies. His career path, from youth basketball in Serbia to senior teams in Spain, College in the USA and eventually the NBA, reflects the traditional European development model.
What sets him apart is his ability to transfer this European coaching identity into the NBA environment. I visited him last year in Toronto with students from the EHCB Coach Academy and could clearly see the theoretical principles at the universities we were taught being applied in daily practice.
Rajaković manages a staff of nearly 80 people, yet remains highly involved on the court. His attention to detail and hands-on approach are considered untypical in the NBA but are very European in nature.
In roughly 12 years, he progressed from college basketball to becoming an NBA head coach, a path that deserves great respect. When I visited him last season, the Raptors were near the bottom of the standings, yet he confidently said they would soon compete for a playoff spot. What he has built since then shows how effective his approach has been.
In my view, Rajaković has proven that a European coach can succeed in the NBA without losing his identity. He opened a door, and others will follow.”
Early Career Lessons from Pešić
Reflecting on his early career under Svetislav Pešić at Alba Berlin, Sasic recalled:
“First, English proficiency is a prerequisite. All basketball knowledge is available today, but without English, you cannot access it.
Second, education. Formal coaching education is essential.
Third, exposure. Young coaches must visit practices, observe different systems, and understand how elite organizations operate.”
Turkish Basketball and Personal Wishes
Finally, Sasic expressed a wish for Turkish basketball:
“Yes and that is to nourish sports rivalries and respect each other. All clubs should be competitors on the court but partners off the court. Few years ago when I had an interview with Ismail Senol I said that I wish for Efes and Fener to start cooperating on the court and seal their misunderstandings. I said that I don’t wish them to go in the wrong direction that Partizan and Red Star went at that time. Partizan and Red Star improved their relationships thanks to two gentlemen like Zeljko Obradovic and Giannis Sfairopoulos. I think that Fener fans and Ergin need to go down that same road. Ergin brought joy to the whole Turkish nation with the medal from the last European Championship, so everyone should nourish that. On the other side I really think that there are some lines not to cross also for fans, which should leave mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters out of any chants. I usually say I don’t want to tell people what they have to say or what they should not say but this is just a wish I have.”
When asked about his favorite Turkish foods, Sasic said:
“That’s a very difficult question. But if I have to choose: katmer is my absolute favorite. I also love kebabs and Ezogelin Corba. Turkish cuisine is exceptional.”