In August, two significant events occurred in the life of the national basketball team. The first is a contract with the head coach. Zoran Lukic was extended for the entire Olympic cycle. Secondly, the young players of the Russian national team brilliantly and freely held the Fonbet Friendship Cup, winning four victories in Perm.
In a conversation with , Zoran Lukic summed up the results of the tournament and also shared his immediate plans. From the interview you will learn:
“We send players to clubs in very good condition.”
— Zoran, how satisfied are you with the team’s performance at the Friendship Cup held in Perm?
— In addition to the desire to win these matches, we intended to see several young players in action. We invited five young basketball players. In addition, there is a group of players from the national team who, during the last season, lost their role in the club teams. We wanted the Friendship Cup matches to give these guys an idea of their role within the team, as well as an impetus. to return to their basketball.
I must say that the last tournament fully met our expectations regarding the tasks set at this stage. Maybe someone did less than they wanted, but here our task was not just to achieve results, but precisely the desire to help the players. And I think we did our job well.
— How can you assess the teamwork of the basketball players at this stage?
— Before the tournament, we trained for 20 days, and this was usually the first stage of preparation, and now we send the players to their clubs in very good condition. Physically, they probably helped. It is not far from the VTB United League Super Cup.
As for teamwork, it’s hard to say precisely now. There are a lot of new young players in the team. There are of course moments when you have to teach something or correct something. As for the matches themselves, they were very good, intense and interesting for the fans.
— What can you say about the level of your opponents in the Friendship Cup?
— Both teams are worth it. This is what we needed to complete our preparation plan.
— The Colombian Basketball Federation sent its fifth or tenth team to the Friendship Cup, and then, even after a crushing defeat, it decided not to send its team to the tournament. Was that very disappointing?
– No, of course, we expected a quality match against Colombia, but the second match against Parma still helped us a lot. For me, there is no disappointment here. The force majeure has just happened, it will not happen again, that’s all. The Federation has given explanations about it. The situation was beyond our strength and there was nothing to be done.
“Parma’s excellent form at this stage of preparation has surprised many basketball fans.
— I wouldn’t say it’s surprising. They’re preparing meticulously for the United League championship, preparing for their good performances in the upcoming season. But for now, they’re still missing one player. But it seems like they’ll be a very tough opponent for any team in the league.
“If we had played in the Olympics, our team would have been different”
— The question is in a sense abstract, but if we were not suspended from international competitions and could participate in the Olympic Games, what would happen then?
– Indeed, all this is rather abstract. But I will say one thing: our team would be different. It goes without saying. Now the opportunity was given to young players to prove themselves. What was the point of inviting basketball players to this gathering whose abilities seem obvious to us? There are many good and experienced players in Russia, and they are all very familiar to me. If their abilities were not clear to me, it would be a completely different matter, but otherwise… So there was no point in inviting them to this meeting. Besides, contract players, family people…
— Did you manage to create team chemistry during the last training camp?
– Everything is fine. In general, this is a standard situation for us: the guys always communicate very well within the team. I am very happy about it.
— You don’t like to talk about the team’s players personally, but fans and experts noted Mikhail Belenitsky’s superb game in the first match against Parma.
– Yes, it’s true, and I’m very happy about it, I’m happy for the player.
— A year ago, when Nizhny participated in the United League Super Cup and Belenitsky played in your team, I spoke to Mikhail after the match and you asked me: “Why are you interviewing a “passenger”? Why?”
– Well, Mikhail then understood what I meant. You can’t always just pat on the head. There are times when players need to stay in a certain direction and understand what they need to work on. You need to think about what will benefit the player, and maintenance is the last thing. No offense.
— Will Belenitsky also be useful to the national team and UNICS in the future?
– Maybe.
— Your contract with the RBF is designed for the entire Olympic cycle. Is this a sign of great confidence on the part of the federation?
– Without a doubt. At the same time, Andrei Kirilenko and I have been discussing this topic for some time. And then it was enough to wait for the right moment to express it. We already had a worked out program and plans until the end of the calendar year… Everything is going as it should.
“I am ready to consider offers from the United League”
— As you said before, the United League Super Cup is just around the corner. What are your expectations from the tournament and what has surprised the clubs’ transfer campaign this off-season?
– Everyone knows what surprised and what was unexpected. There is no point in talking about it.
I will tell you that the clubs certainly have the quality of the players, but teamwork and team chemistry are important here. It is important in what state they arrived after the holidays, how they passed the medical examination. During the off-season, very, very good basketball players came to the United League. But at the stage of preparation for the season, it is difficult to say anything specific.
Yes, of course, the Super Bowl will give an insight into the teams. And yet, at the stage of preparation for the season, one should not expect crazy results. And there is no way to say that this is exactly what will happen during the season. Maybe we will see something now, but then two or three players may get injured and the situation will change. What and how it will happen, only the season will tell us.
— The contract with RBF does not prohibit you from working at the club. The other day you mentioned that in the future you do not exclude your return to Paris Nizhny Novgorod. Could this happen during this season?
— Of course, I don’t rule out a return to Nizhny. Why not? This is my club and my city. But it certainly won’t happen this season. I’m just talking about the future. When it happens, everything will become clear to everyone.
— You said you had offers from Europe. Why weren’t they accepted?
— There were several moments here. First of all, the Friendship Games were planned for this year in September, but they were postponed at the last moment. I have a contract with the RFB. Until the end of September, I could not work in any club. Nevertheless, I have time, I have something to decide before the new year, so we will see then.
— So you don’t rule out that after the New Year you will start working at the club at the same time?
– I hope so. But before the New Year, I repeat, I have something to decide in my life.
— If there are offers from the United League, but not from your beloved Nizhny Novgorod, are you ready to think about it?
– Why not? This is the most profitable time for a national team coach to work in this league. But even now, when I am not working at the club, I will have enough opportunities to keep an eye on candidates for the national team. Moreover, I will now have even more time for this. And this is a huge plus for the national team and the RBF. I am happy with my role. It is great for me.
The new VTB United League competition starts on September 21. Watch live broadcasts of the tournament matches on the TV channels of the Match holding company, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.
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Source : MatchTV
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