By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Experienced head coach Mihailo Pavicevic shared his opinion on NBA experience helping a player succeed in Europe.
“Some players who have reached the NBA have to understand that playing in Europe is much more difficult than basketball in the United States,” he mentioned after his side, Mornar-Barsko zlato suffered a home loss on Saturday, “We will have to analyze that until the next game.”
Pavicevic, 65, has spent large chunks of playing and coaching days with his hometown team in Bar. Further play-calling experience includes leading Crvena Zvezda to the Winston YUBA League championship in 1998. He has also coached in China and Finland through a long career.
Addressing a ten-game losing streak between the FIBA Europe Cup and AdmiralBet ABA League, he was referring to young players from the USA using overseas options and struggling to adjust to new surroundings in Europe.
“At least half of the NBA players can not play in the EuroLeague,” he added presenting his view on challenges presented by differences between the best league in the world and Europe’s premier club continental competition, “It is difficult to understand and explain.”
The Montenegrin club sits at the bottom of the ABA table with a 1-10 W-L tally in the regional league. Switching to the Europe Cup after being eliminated from the Qualification Rounds of the Basketball Champions League, a 1-5 record in Group D of the Regular Season marked an early exit from FIBA Europe’s second-tier club continental competition.
Photo Credit: ABA-Liga.com