By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
Sasha Vezenkov, a basketball player for Olympiacos and the MVP of the EuroLeague for the 2022/23 season, spoke on the “Game On” podcast.
Among other things, the Bulgarian discussed his time in Barcelona and his relationship with Svetislav Pesic. The legendary coach arrived at Blaugrana in February 2018, and the two worked together for several months.
“Generally, I don’t hold grudges and I try to see what I did wrong. That I wasn’t on the level I should’ve been or could’ve been. I was going home and I was thinking of speaking straight to him. Tell him, “You’re being unfair to me.” Or that you are putting me through hardships.”
The current Olympiacos player clarified a situation from his third season in Spain.
“In my third year at Barcelona, some stuff happened with some coaches. That year, the human relationships were tested. You may be treated unfairly, the coach may have a problem with you, but being patient and being a gentleman matters. I tried to prove myself in practices. Arriving first, leaving last. Being there for the coach and if you don’t play me, OK. I’ll figure it out.”
Vezenkov explained why he won’t even say hello to the well-known coach.
“I still have great relationships with the guys I played there. We still talk a lot. They took care of me as one of the youngest players on the team. We faced this coach recently. I can’t be two-faced. I won’t greet him, I won’t even say hello to him. As a coach, he’s a very good coach with successes.”