FIBA Basketball
SRB - Obradovic named Serbo-Montenegrin assistant
BELGRADE (FIBA World Championship) - Just a month after completing his rookie coaching campaign by capturing the German championship, Sasa Obradovic has been named as assistant coach of Serbia & Montenegro for the FIBA World Championship in Japan
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BELGRADE (FIBA World Championship) - Just a month after completing his rookie coaching campaign by capturing the German championship, Sasa Obradovic has been named as assistant coach of Serbia & Montenegro for the FIBA World Championship in Japan.
The 1998 world champion and three-time European champion Obradovic will join Dragan Sakota's team at their training camp in Bormeo, Italy, on July 14.
"It was a great honour to play for the team back then (in 1998). And now it's an unbelievable chance for me to coach the team," said the 37-year-old Obradovic, who coached RheinEnergie Koln to their first-ever German crown this season.
"It's an honour for me for a couple of different reasons. First of all, for patriotic reasons - I started my career playing in my country, and I think I owe my country," Obradovic told PA Sport.
"Another reason is because I have a chance to work with a very good coach in Dragan Sakota, who had an excellent career in Europe. It's a good experience to learn about different methods and systems."
Obradovic said he understood the national federation KSSCG's decision to issue a statement on Wednesday night strongly criticising un-named players for not committing to the national team.
"We have had problems keeping the team together. It's really hard to convince the players from the NBA to play for us. I know there are different reasons for not accepting," Obradovic said.
"Some I can understand, some I can't. I can understand the physical reasons - if you're tired from the season or have an injury. But I don't understand some of the other reasons.
"You see the big football stars, who all really have enough money. And they give everything they have for their country. I just don't understand it.
"But that's what you feel or don't feel. That's what your parents give you. I played even though I knew something could happen to me."
Obradovic said his sole goal in Japan is to help the team recapture past glories.
"Like almost never before, we are not one of the favourites," he said.
"I remember the 1998 World Championship we were not the favourites. But we won missing (Vlade) Divac, (Zoran) Savic and (Predrag) Danilovic, And (Aleksander) Djordjevic was not completely healthy.
"Now we are a really young team, a lot younger than back then. But we have a good atmosphere and the young players will want to promote themselves in the best way."
The defending world champions are in Group A of this year's tournament with 2004 Olympic champions Argentina and 2005 EuroBasket bronze medallists France as well as Nigeria, Venezuela and Lebanon.
By David Hein
PA Sport
BELGRADE (FIBA World Championship) - Just a month after completing his rookie coaching campaign by capturing the German championship, Sasa Obradovic has been named as assistant coach of Serbia & Montenegro for the FIBA World Championship in Japan.
The 1998 world champion and three-time European champion Obradovic will join Dragan Sakota's team at their training camp in Bormeo, Italy, on July 14.
"It was a great honour to play for the team back then (in 1998). And now it's an unbelievable chance for me to coach the team," said the 37-year-old Obradovic, who coached RheinEnergie Koln to their first-ever German crown this season.
"It's an honour for me for a couple of different reasons. First of all, for patriotic reasons - I started my career playing in my country, and I think I owe my country," Obradovic told PA Sport.
"Another reason is because I have a chance to work with a very good coach in Dragan Sakota, who had an excellent career in Europe. It's a good experience to learn about different methods and systems."
Obradovic said he understood the national federation KSSCG's decision to issue a statement on Wednesday night strongly criticising un-named players for not committing to the national team.
"We have had problems keeping the team together. It's really hard to convince the players from the NBA to play for us. I know there are different reasons for not accepting," Obradovic said.
"Some I can understand, some I can't. I can understand the physical reasons - if you're tired from the season or have an injury. But I don't understand some of the other reasons.
"You see the big football stars, who all really have enough money. And they give everything they have for their country. I just don't understand it.
"But that's what you feel or don't feel. That's what your parents give you. I played even though I knew something could happen to me."
Obradovic said his sole goal in Japan is to help the team recapture past glories.
"Like almost never before, we are not one of the favourites," he said.
"I remember the 1998 World Championship we were not the favourites. But we won missing (Vlade) Divac, (Zoran) Savic and (Predrag) Danilovic, And (Aleksander) Djordjevic was not completely healthy.
"Now we are a really young team, a lot younger than back then. But we have a good atmosphere and the young players will want to promote themselves in the best way."
The defending world champions are in Group A of this year's tournament with 2004 Olympic champions Argentina and 2005 EuroBasket bronze medallists France as well as Nigeria, Venezuela and Lebanon.
By David Hein
PA Sport