Pistons may hire 1st Euro coach - Obradovic "The Euro PJax"

Goldtop · Post #1 » by **Goldtop** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:26 pm

From a Spanish site, translated through Google:

Important news in European basketball. For the first time a coach from Europe is a candidate to coach a franchise NBA next season. Zeljko Obradovic is right now in the slate of candidates to replace Lawrence Frank in Detroit. The list was reduced to two this weekend leaving an American coach and him.

[...] Obradovic's arrival as coach Detroit Pistons will immediately open franchising to sound more European coaches in the future. If Pau Gasol led the influx of players from Europe, Obradovic may emerge as the architect for the European coach finally not see the NBA as inaccessible. [...] The dilemma of Joe Dumars as may be historic decision for the development of basketball in the United States and here in Europe.

This isn't the first time he's been linked to the Pistons...

Coaching legend Zeljko Obradovic – he’s the European Phil Jackson, with eight European Championships under his belt at coaching stops in Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain and Greece – was in attendance with longtime assistant Dmitris Itoudis. They spent all of October in Auburn Hills observing the Pistons throughout training camp and preseason. Obradovic’s presence caused a stir among the European press.

I'll tell you one thing, I've been training in October watching the Detroit Pistons in the preseason and has been something really, really nice to me. Then I saw the first official match played at home against Houston and then invited me to the game they played in London.

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2013/4/22 ... in/4016813

He's gotten high praise from Popovich in the past as being "one of the best coach's in the world".

A day after beating Panthinaikos in an exhibition game last month, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich spent the morning studying video tape of the Greek team and the system installed by its coach, Zeliko Obradovic.

"Coach Obradovic may be the best coach in Europe at this stage and one of the best in the world," Popovich said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... euroleague

Maybe Spurs fans can comment better on the Popovich connection, but I've read some ppl online say that some of the Spurs system is taken from Obradovic. Is this true?

Either way, if any Euro coach could succeed in the NBA, it would seem Obradovic would be the guy to do it, with all his credentials/experience.

Could a Euro coach succeed in the NBA?

Post #2 » by **mopper8** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:29 pm

Mike D'Antoni was head coach of Milan in Italy for a number of years. Also coached Beneton Treviso.

MrBigShot · Post #3 » by **MrBigShot** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:31 pm

All I have to say is that we CANNOT afford to make another bad hire.

pickIBL · Post #4 » by **pickIBL** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:36 pm

they need to talk to David Blatt first. but i like the thinking outside the box.... or the piston for that matter.

Batu7 · Post #5 » by **Batu7** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:36 pm

Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons. 8 Euroleague titles at the age of 53 speaks for itself.

Spicy P · Post #6 » by **Spicy P** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:42 pm

mopper8 wrote:Mike D'Antoni was head coach of Milan in Italy for a number of years. Also coached Beneton Treviso.

Isn't Mike Dumbtoni American though?

Johnny Firpo · Post #7 » by **Johnny Firpo** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:42 pm

Batu7 wrote:Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons. 8 Euroleague titles at the age of 53 speaks for itself.

They have some nice young talent, building a contender around their twin towers might not be impossible,especially if they draft well/get lucky this summer.

Ive · Post #8 » by **Ive** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:44 pm

Batu7 wrote:Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons. 8 Euroleague titles at the age of 53 speaks for itself.

Thanks for the coach bro. Let me know if there are any other hidden goodies over there.

Goldtop · Post #9 » by **Goldtop** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:46 pm

MrBigShot wrote:All I have to say is that we CANNOT afford to make another bad hire.

idk, I kind of like the idea of going bold and go for a boom/bust hire, rather than another NBA retread whose just good enough to get us an 8th seed and keep Dumars' job safe for another 3 yrs. By going safe, you potentially end up in that mediocre area, not bad enough for Dumars to get fired, but not good enough to win anything. With Obradovic, either it works masterfully and the Pistons maybe find the next Popovich, or it fails miserably and Dumars gets fired. I think I like that scenario better.

MrBigShot · Post #10 » by **MrBigShot** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:48 pm

Batu7 wrote:Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons. 8 Euroleague titles at the age of 53 speaks for itself.

Franchise with a winning culture. NBA is a better place with a good piston team. Monroe/Drummond/Knight, pick 7 and cap space is not a bad start.

Goldtop · Post #11 » by **Goldtop** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:59 pm

Batu7 wrote:Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons.

Thats ridiculous. Pistons are a top 5 all-time franchise. You make it sound like they are Cavs or Raptors.

Juggynaut · Post #12 » by **Juggynaut** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:05 pm

Of course he can be successful as long as the player don't undermine him like wat they did with John Kuester. If the locker room is cancerous no coach can succeed.

Shock Defeat · Post #13 » by **Shock Defeat** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:09 pm

Colan Jello is about to swoop in and offer double of what the Pistons are offering to land him.

boogie-reke · Post #14 » by **boogie-reke** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:10 pm

He will never work like in Europe cause he will fail in player management and treating egos, which is sometimes a bigger job req then actually coaching the game.

Post #15 » by **mopper8** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:12 pm

SalamiNCheez wrote:
mopper8 wrote:Mike D'Antoni was head coach of Milan in Italy for a number of years. Also coached Beneton Treviso.

Isn't Mike Dumbtoni American though?

Oh yeah, I just thought thread title meant coach from a Euro team, not literally born in Europe. I dig ya

boogie-reke · Post #16 » by **boogie-reke** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:14 pm

A guy like David Blatt, for example, would be a huge hit in the NBA for a team willing to take the risk for him.

Great coach, fantastic in developing talents, and will do a great job handling the American approach to the game from media/players not having alot of ego himself being able to handle stars and reach to his players.

Foye · Post #17 » by **Foye** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:17 pm

MrBigShot wrote:All I have to say is that we CANNOT afford to make another bad hire.

He is good. Just a matter of giving him a roster that.is.able.to compete.

About time.a euro coach enters the nba.

BadBoys23 · Post #18 » by **BadBoys23** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:22 pm

I'm excited. Looking overseas might be our only chance at getting a quality coach with the way we've hired and fired.

ndnow · Post #19 » by **ndnow** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:23 pm

Going to see a big influx of euro coaches coming over in the next 10 years.

Batu7 · Post #20 » by **Batu7** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:19 pm

Goldtop wrote:
Batu7 wrote:Obradovic is a legend over here, which is why I wouldn't want him to waste his talent with the Pistons.

Thats ridiculous. Pistons are a top 5 all-time franchise. You make it sound like they are Cavs or Raptors.

I didn't mean to disrespect the franchise, but we can all agree that the Pistons squad right now are not in the top 15. But I did undervalue them I guess, as MrBigShot said they could have a nice squad in a short time if they make the right moves. And if they do, Obradovic is surely the right man for the job if he can adapt to the environment.