Estonia - Elite Estonian club signs Tall Blacks coach
New Zealand men's basketball coach Nenad Vucinic is splitting his career between hemispheres after securing a job with top Estonian club Kalev/Cramo.
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New Zealand men's basketball coach Nenad Vucinic is splitting his career between hemispheres after securing a job with top Estonian club Kalev/Cramo.
Vucinic, who took over the Tall Blacks last season, last coached in a club competition when he led the Nelson Giants to a national league championship last season.
He is currently in Europe, but will return on June 13 to prepare the New Zealand side for tests against Australia and Canada before building towards a last shot at qualifying for the Olympics in July.
Kalev is rated one of the elite clubs in Estonia and plays in the national league's division one. It also competes in a strong Baltic league and in the ULEB Cup, one level down from Europe's top basketball competition, the Euroleague.
Vucinic has a two-year deal with the side, which this season used players from the Netherlands, Cyprus, Croatia, Poland and Germany along with a strong base of tall domestic talent.
The Estonian season runs between October and June, meaning Vucinic will not have to compromise his commitments to the Tall Blacks.
"My agent is out there and knows what teams are looking for coaches. It fits perfectly with the international season," Vucinic said by email from Estonia.