SLO - All business for father and son
ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - There are the Lorbek brothers, the Dragic brothers and the Udrih brothers. Over the years, it hasn’t been uncommon to see brothers wearing the Slovenia shirt in the same team. There are no brother combinations in this year's squad at the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, but there is a father-son ...
ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) - There are the Lorbek brothers, the Dragic brothers and the Udrih brothers.
Over the years, it hasn’t been uncommon to see brothers wearing the Slovenia shirt in the same team.
There are no brother combinations in this year's squad at the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, but there is a father-son combo.
When Jure Zdovc stepped down as coach before the end of last year, Slovenia turned to veteran coach Memi Becirovic.
He is the father of long-time Slovenia international guard Sani Becirovic.
Sani, 29, had to take a break from national team duty last year to rest a long-standing knee injury but he's back and now hearing orders from his dad.
"It was uncomfortable at the beginning," he said.
"For a few days, I was nervous and I wasn't playing well.
"But once the other players saw us as just a coach and a player, everything was fine and it was no longer strange.
"I am just treated as the other players.
"I have played under him before and we know how to separate the personal from the professional."
The coach says it's all strictly professional in the team.
"During the practice, during the games, I see him as a player - not as a son," he said.
"If I need him, I call him into the game.
"Or if he plays bad and I take him out, there is no emotion.
"We are both professional."
While Sani has hit the heights as a player, including being drafted by the Denver Nuggets several years ago, Memi was different.
He did play the same positions, but never in the big time.
"I play one-two (guard/point guard) positions," he said.
"I was not such a top level player.
"At 21 years of age, I had an injury in my hip and I quit my playing career and started with my coaching career."
What may come as a surprise is that this summer marks the first time that Memi has coached his son at such a high level.
"For the last 12 years - I hadn't coached him," Memi said.
"I was just his father.
"Now we have the situation where we are together in the national team.
"For 12 years we didn't work together in a club or a national team so now it's a very interesting moment for both of us."
While Sani is happy to play for his father, the most important thing for him is that he is wearing a Slovenia shirt.
There is nothing quite like running onto the floor to represent your country, especially when you are one of the best-supported national teams in the world.
"It's great to be back," he said.
"We have a strong team.
"The players did such a great job last year at the EuroBasket.
"I was so proud of them.
"I wasn't able to play because I had to rest my knees but those that made it, took this national team to a new level by finishing fourth."
Both have helped Slovenia advance to the Eight-Finals at the FIBA World Championship as the second-place team in Group B.
FIBA