Exclusive interview with Maine Red Claws (NBA D-League) Assistant Coach Hernando Planells: creativity, stats and movies in an intriguing coaching path career!

Hernando Planells is currently the assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.  The Red Claws are the official minor league team for the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats.  For the past 12 years Coach Hernando has coached at every level. His experiences have also allowed him to choreograph, coordinate and consult on sports action in movies, commercials and print-ads.
Some of his work includes the basketball scenes and the training of the actors on movies such as “Coach Carter” starring Samuel L. Jackson, “The Longest Yard” starring Adam Sandler, “Rebound” starring Martin Lawrence and "Spider-Man 3" starring Tobey Mcguire and others. His production work has also led him to train the athletes of “Extreme Dodgeball”, the highest rated show on the Game Show Network.
Coach “H” has also appeared on on SPIKE TV’s smash hit SLAMBALL as the head coach for the Bouncers . His three year run with the Bouncers saw them qualify for the playoffs while leading the league in scoring.
Besides his work in sports production Coach Hernando works with former NBA Head Coach Don Casey on basketball related projects including the extremely popular blog  The Temple of  Zones.

In 2008 Coach Hernando returned to the United States after serving as Head Coach of the Ryukyu Golden Kings an expansion team that is a part of the BJ League (Basketball Japan). Coach Hernando was responsible for a roster that was the youngest in the league and spent everyday building and instilling a championship attitude and work ethic.
For the 2006/2007 Coach Hernando served as the Head Basketball Coach for The Hollywood Fame, a team that participated in the American Basketball Association. (ABA) Coach Hernando started the season as the assistant coach and Director of Player personnel to former NBA head coach Don Casey. Coach Casey left the Fame in January and Hernando took over leading them to a second place finish in their division and making it to the second round of the playoffs.
During the last three years Coach Hernando has served as a scout for Marty Blake who is the Director of Scouting for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since 1971, Marty Blake and Associates have provided professional basketball scouting and consulting to the NBA and to clients around the globe. In his role as a scout Coach Hernando puts together scouting reports evaluating NBA prospects which are circulated to every NBA GM and player personnel director. During his time in Japan, Coach Hernando will continue to serve as a scout for Marty Blake, specializing in scouting the Asian countries.
In 2005 Hernando Planells Jr. was named the first Vice President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach in Wyoming Golden Eagle history. At that time 28 year old Hernando Planells was the youngest professional basketball coach in the country.
Prior to scouting, Hernando founded ELITE athlete training which specialized in personal training and consulting services for athletes. Through his work with ELITE, Hernando trained and assisted over a hundred athletes reach their goal of gaining a college scholarship or playing professionally.
From 2003 to 2005 Hernando served as assistant coach in charge of offense for Citrus College, one of the top Community Colleges in the State of California. While at Citrus he assisted the Owls in winning consecutive Tournament titles, post back-to-back winning season in 20 years, guided Citrus to its highest State ranking in school history (6th), established highest single season scoring average at 86ppg and defeated the regular season No. 1 rankedLos Angeles City College and California State Champions, Compton College.
Other coaching stops include the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Head Varsity Coach at Los Angeles High School and Immaculate Heart High School in Tucson, Arizona and as an assistant at Monrovia High School.

Hernando, when did you first know what you wanted to do for a career?

I played all the sports growing up and as I got older coaching become something I was very interested in.  I always wanted to stay involved with basketball and coaching gave me an outlet to stay involved.  No one in my family was a coach but I take the qualities of my parents and from coaches I have met around the world and have been able to learn how to coach, motivate and develop players.  As time goes on I wanted to give myself some coaching goals such as coaching professionally, coaching overseas, coaching a countries National Team – goals have really allowed me to keep my focus…Ive accomplished a few already but have many more to go!
   

You are young but you have had great experiences so far: high school and college basketball, you have been in Japan... Can you tell our readers a little bit of you and your resume?

I appreciate you telling me im still young!  Coaching can make you feel real old very quickly!  Im 34 now and have been coaching since I was 21.  I ‘ve coached at every level, High School, College and professionally.  I had the distinct pleasure in working with former NBA head coach Don Casey; I was his assistant with the Hollywood Fame in the ABA before he resigned and currently work with him on coaching materials for coaches all over the world.  We run a fairly popular blog The Temple of Zones.
One of my coaching goals was to coach overseas and had a great opportunity to coach in Japan and it was an unbelievable experience.  Coaching in another country is such a unique experience, building a team with Americans and Japanese players was challenging yet enjoyable.  I learned so much while dealing with players and management.  Being half Filipino I had a great honor in helping with the National Team from the Philippines a few years back and that was a great experience personally.
Basketball has opened the doors to other opportunities, I have also coached on the TV sport SLAMBALL




and I also have done the basketball choreography on movies such as Coach Carter, The Longest Yard, Spider-Man 3 and others.  Ive also been able to do numerous commercials and work with some great actors.
I’m now the assistant with the Maine Red Claws in the NBA Development League – we are the official minor league team for the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats.  Austin Ainge who is the son of Celtics GM Danny Ainge is our head coach and former Celtics assistant Jon Jennings is the GM – both are quality people and have really made the organization one of the top 2-3 in the league.

Now you are the assistant coach of the Maine Red Claws in the D-League. You've been here for a few weeks, what are your impressions of the team and the guys who are here and are coming?

In my shot time here in Maine I have seen how great our ownership, GM, Head Coach and staff members are.  This is an amazing organization with people who know and understand what it takes to be a great franchise.  We have a very talented and hungry group of players this year – we are young with 7 rookies on the team but the talent is there to win right away.  We have two very good big men in Magnum Rolle and Keith “Tiny” Gallon – both were drafted in the 2010 NBA draft.  Both bring a unique skills set to our team; Magnum is a very good mid-range shooter and knows how to play the game, his basketball IQ is very good for someone who started playing basketball at 16.  Tiny Gallon is young at 19 but is strong and has very good footwork in the post.  On the perimeter, Jamar Smith and Champ Oguchi are two of the better shooters in the league and Mario West (who has played with the Atlanta Hawks) and Paul Harris are two very strong and athletic wings.  Our point guards are Kenny Hayes from Miami of Ohio and Lawrence Westbrook from Minnesota – both are also rookies but are learning quickly.

Speaking of this new group, what do you see as some of their strengths, some of their potential?

The great thing about having a young team is that they are hungry, everyday they come to practice wanting to get better and learn how to be a professional.  Potentially we have the pieces to do very well this year but as with any young team it all depends on how quickly they pick up the information and apply it to the games.

You know international basketball. How do you hope to translate your experiences to Maine?

I’ve been very fortunate to have coached internationally and there are some good coaches in this league who also has international experience, Chris Finch who is the head coach at Rio Grande Valley coached in Europe for years and is now the Great Britain National Team coach.  Nick Nurse also coached in Europe for several years as did Will Voight in Bakersfield .  Those experiences have helped these coaches find success in this league. Although I have had head coaching experience overseas you can never stop learning; and im very fortunate to be working for Austin Ainge, he is an outstanding coach – he grew up around the NBA game and has an understanding of it that very few people have.  My experiences in Japan and in the US and working with athletes have helped me become a more complete coach – overseas or in the other minor leagues in the US you don’t have the resources and you have to find ways to get your players better without video, weight rooms, athletic trainers etc…  I think I have had a very different coaching career path but every opportunity has given me learning experiences that I try to apply everyday!

Switching to off the court, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I don’t get a lot of time off the court but when I do I enjoy spending time with my family… My wife and 2 kids keep me very busy… I enjoy reading and try to read books on leadership and how to bring the best out of people.

Thank you coach for the interview. We just want to know what's your challenge for the future?

You never know what the future can bring, 10 years ago I never imagined having a journey like the one I have had so far - Right now im focused on helping Maine win a D-League Championship and helping our players get better everyday!
Ive been very blessed to have coached and worked with people all over the world – Like any coach you want to continue to move up and make yourself better – I enjoy challenges and im open to any and all of them… 

Exclusive Q&A with coach Eric Musselman: from the NBA to the Dominican Republic NT, now in the D-League with the Reno Bighorns! "In 7th grade, I knew I wanted to be a basketball coach"

Eric Musselman (born November 19, 1964 in Ashland, Ohio) is the head coach of the Reno Bighorns in the NBA Development League. The son of legendary coach Bill Musselman, Eric is the former head coach of the NBA's Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. He was a head coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before becoming an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies. At the 2010 Men's Centro Basketball Championship in July 2010, FIBA America's top regional tournament, Musselman guided the Dominican Republic team to the Gold Medal game, losing to Puerto Rico 89-80. By finishing second, the Dominican Republic qualifies for the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championships and the Olympic Games.

Coach, when did you first know what you wanted to do for a career? You grew up in a basketball family, so how much was your Dad Bill influential and important in your decision?



In 7th grade, I knew I wanted to be a basketball coach. I always idolized my dad growing up I would travel with him on road trips and when most kids were watching cartoons and eating cereal I was watching game tape with my dad.

You are young but you have had great experiences in the NBA as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings and now you are coaching the Reno Bighorns in the NBA Development League. But you also know very well the international basketball being the head coach of the Dominican Republic National team. Can you tell our readers what are the musts for such a successful career?

I’ve been very lucky at a young age to be getting different coaching opportunities. As a coach you always try to get better and improve and learn from your past mistakes. With each year experience you should become a better coach.

You've been here with the Reno Bighorns for a few weeks, what are your impressions of the team and the level of the League?

We love our team and our coaching staff. The coaching staff here at Reno is as good as any NBA staff I’ve been with. As far as the players go, the attitude, energy, effort and enthusiasm they bring on a daily basis has been a real pleasure to coach. The level of talent in the D-League is the 2nd best in the world outside the NBA.

Speaking of this new group, what do you see as some of their strengths, some of their potential?

Our starting 5 has great length and size, we need to continue to develop as individual players and as a team. We feel like we have 4 to 5 players that have the potential to get called up this year and another 3 players with experience at some point should be in the NBA at some point in their career.

You know international basketball. How do you hope to translate your experiences to the squad?

Number one the new goaltending rule has helped us as we have used it in practice. Something we also did with the Dominican Republic national team.

Eric, in the NBA there are more and more non-American players and some of them are big-time players. Do you think American coaches can learn from the top European colleagues?

American coaches can learn a lot from some of their top European colleagues. For instance when I was in the Dominican Republic, a lot of Dominican Republic coaches helped implement things for our system. I have great respect for the professional coaches coaching outside the NBA.

Switching to off the court, what do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I like to spend time with my family with my two sons Michael and Matt, daughter Mariah, and my wife Danyelle. The last few years I have been able to coach and work with my sons individually and I loved being able to do that.

Coach, we just want to know what's your challenge for the future? NBA or a Euroleague organization?

I’m very happy coaching in the NBDL. I have always had interest in coaching in Europe and maybe if the right opportunity will present itself in the future. In the NBA, they are the hardest jobs to come by and the NBA is where everybody in the NBDL strives to get to whether it is players, coaches and referees.

University of Dayton Head Coach Brian Gregory is the rising star in the NCAA. He has a motto: "What does not kill me, makes me stronger!"

Brian Gregory (born December 15, 1966 in Mount Prospect, Illinois) is the Head coach of the University of Dayton. He was an assistant at Michigan State before coaching the Dayton Flyers. He capped off the 2009-2010 season by leading the Flyers to the NIT Trophy over North Carolina 79-68 at Madison Square Garden. The University of Dayton took home their first title in 42 years. Gregory is the rising coach in the NCAA and his system is pretty energetic and needs great athletes. They are furious and intense.



Coach Brian Gregory: "There is no ceiling"

University of Dayton: Lab for Ironmen

Legendary Coach K outstanding Clinic: Attacking the Zone defense

Mike Krzyzewski is the men's college basketball coach of the Duke Blue Devils. He is also the head coach of the United States men's National basketball team, whom he led to a Gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Nicknamed "Coach K", Krzyzewski has led the Blue Devils to 4 NCAA Championships, 11 Final Fours and several Conference titles. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame following the 2001 season.

Coach K teaches in this clip with unmatchable evidence the principles how to attack the Zone defense. Great tips.

Q&A with emerging Finnish coach Pieti Poikola (Pyrinto Tampere): Rannikko, Koponen and the next talents for the NBA Lottery!

Pieti Poikola is the head coach of Finnish team Pyrinto Tampere and the assistant coach of the U18 National Team. At 33, Pieti has already won a Korisliiga title and has a bright future ahead. Pieti was very kind to talk to Basketball Telegraph columnist Fulvio Floreani about his career thus far and Finnish basketball.

Coach, first off congratulations for the Korisliiga title last year! Tell our readers a bit about yourself, you're only 33 but already a successful coach. How did you fall in love with the game and how did your career as a coach start and develop so brightly and so quickly?

Thanks a lot. I used to play until I was 20 and in the meantime I started coaching in the youth programs. I was quite a successful junior coach and got an opportunity to coach women's and men's team in Second division pretty quickly. Of course I've been really lucky to have had chance to coach good players because without top level players you can’t achieve any goals, no matter how good as a coach you are. That time talented players and above all veterans helped me a lot to improve as a coach. Besides that, one of the main reasons for my professional success is that I've always worked hard without any time limits.

Generally, when people think about Finland top sports, ice-hockey and racing come to mind. Looking closely, however, basketball has produced big-time talents (Hanno Möttölä made the team in the NBA, Teemu Rannikko is a European Leagues veteran, Petteri Koponen and Gerald Lee have a bright future ahead, just to name a few). How's basketball going in Finland and what do you expect for the future?

The level of Finnish basketball is increasing slowly. We have some great coaches like Henrik Dettman and Ari Tammivaara who have taught younger coaches and players the work ethic. Möttölä's achievements (NBA, Euroleague) prove that a Finnish player can play and have a great career in the biggest leagues. Now we have very good U18 National team program and we all are very proud for the successes of our National team who has been able to win against Serbia, Italy, Israel, France. I like to tell all of you that even before Möttölä other players played abroad. Kari Liimo, for instance, was drafted by an NBA franchise in the early 70's. We have some interesting youngsters like Sasu Salin who's 19 and playing in Slovenia with powerhouse Olympia Ljubljana, and many others: I do believe we have the next Koponen and Rannikko.

As for the Korisliiga, your team has 3 American born players in its roster, the other players are Finnish and they have a lot of playing time and chances to grow.

I think 3 Americans is a good number because it's the right balance to have a good level in the League but the Finnish players can take the lights and responsibility on their teams. There are some excellent American players in our League. For example, on our roster there is the Italy 4th best scorer in 2006 and also the Brazil 4th best in 2008. Moreover, half of the National team players are playing in the league and having only three imports even kids can have lot of playing-time.

You are member of the U18 National team coaching staff. What are the expectations of the Finnish Basketball Federation and yours from this team.

There are many talented guys on our U18 team. We have some tall big-guards who can play at any level of competition. The biggest talent though is maybe Joonas Caven, a 6-10 who's been grinding in the last couple of  years. This is the first time that a Finnish junior team joined the A-group of the FIBA competitions: the goal is to keep staying with the best European National teams. It's a pretty big success for us. Hopefully new generations will be even better. As a coach,  it's a great honor to be part of Gordon Herbert's staff: he is really a great coach. I have learnt a lot by his methods.

Coach, let's talk a bit of Korisliiga, the Finnish professional league. How are the fans over there? There are many other aspects we want to know: the arenas, the media coverage, how's the league working with marketing?

Basketball is still a minor sport compared to ice hockey and football in Finland. We register about one thousand people in the gym but the numbers are going up. Gyms are relatively small, we don't have great arenas and this is maybe good, because they are packed and the atmposhere is great. Last season the finals were sold-out, and for great games and for playoffs some teams opt to play in the ice hockey arenas where the capacities are up to 5,000.

Pieti, where do you see yourself in 5 years? Still in Finland or maybe you would like to try and experience coaching basketball in top leagues?

I really never thought this play. I don't have a plan for my career. I just want to do my job in the best way possible, trying to help my team and players win and improve as individuals. It'd be great to have such a chance to coach abroad maybe being hired as an assistant first. But it's impossible to guess where I'll be in 5 years. We will see what it will come to happen.

Coach, thank you for your time and best of luck for your career and this year's campaign with Pyrinto Tampere!

Thank you. Thank you very much for your interest to our League!

Exclusive Q&A with Kuwait National team Head coach, Faisal Buressli. A true legend in his country

Faisal Buressli, 49, is the Head Coach of Kuwait and even Director of Youth national teams. Faisal has been a legendary player in his country and not only: in 1980 he received offers of scholarships from many schools of the NCAA. In Kuwait and at international level in whole Gulf area leagues, Buressli wrote the history of basketball as an unguardable player. When he retired after playing professional 22 years, he decided  immediately to begin his new career as a coach. In 2008/2009 he won the Gulf championships with the Kuwaity youth teams and he is building a great project for basketball in Kuwait.

Coach, tell us a little bit about you. We know you have been a great player in your country and you had the chance to play in the NCAA.

I started playing when I was eight years old. My first senior and professional team was Qadsiya. I became a starter in 1976 while I retired in 1998, it was a pretty long and successful career. I played 29 international tournaments as a player, I received the Most Valuable Player and leading scorer champion awards in Kuwait and in the Gulf leagues several times. I am also proud to be named twice as one of the best twelve players in Asia and I received six offers for scholarships from American colleges to play in the NCAA in 1980 but, unfortunately for family reasons, I kept playing in Kuwait. I am the only player from Kuwait that I could have played in the NCAA.

When did you decide to become a coach?

I started coaching when I retired as a player. I began teaching basketball to kids in the youth programs. I won the league championship and the cup in the first years coaching Al Arabi and, after those seuccess our Basketball Federation asked me to become the assistant coach for Kuwaity National teams. I kept coaching some clubs and I've been successful with Aljahra: we missed to win the title in the finals but I still remember that season. The Federation after these good results named me head coach of Kuwait youth national teams and they awarded me 2 times as best coach of the year in my country.

Most of Basketball Telegraph readers have never seen your team play. Could you tell us about your coaching style and phylosophies?

Like every coach has his own phylosophy, I have mine. I was a player so I understand the mentality of the ballers. I graduated in psycholagy so I think I'm good in managing the different personalities of each player and how to relate with youngsters. I really love to feel myself  very close to the players psychologically, and sometimes you can say I'm behaving like an elder brother for them. About my basketball philosophy, I really like to change and experiement different styles, even during the same season. But uptempo basketball is my favourite, as well as switching defenses to surprise the opposing teams.

We are very interested to know more about the game in your leagues. How is basketball in the Gulf area, how many countries are involved and how is the league structured. Do you have american players or any import per team?

Basketball in Kuwait is ok but unfortunately we don't have many bigmen, tall guys. Our domestic players are pretty skilled, but you can find many guards and forwards, not true inside players. So teams need to sign import players, especially 5-men. Each team in Kuwait can sign two imports, the majority are Americans. The rules allow teams to let one player on the court though, so it means when one is in the other is out. Our domestic players are not professional, who knows maybe in the future we will develop a professional league: that is my hope. Regarding the countries of the region, in the Gulf area teams are from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia. All the teams are very competitive and on the same level, maybe just the teams from Oman are a bit weaker.  I want to tell you that one important event is the Gulf championship that it takes place every two years. The best two teams gain the right to play the Asian Camphionships.

Speaking of the next few years, what do you have for goals for the coming seasons as a coach?

I try to read as much as I can about basketball and I watch and attend lots of  games. And I want to be updated about basketball news, being in touch with colleagues and trying to steal  from legendary coaches. You can always learn and improve as a coach. I have many goals in my mind and I would like to make a big change in my future. Just I need time to make it. I hope my country can raise in basketball. Hopefully to make it as the head coach of the National teams and with the great help of the Kuwaity Basketball Federation. That's my dream.

Exclusive interview with coach Ozell Wells. His unbelievable World Record: his career has taken him over 47 countries, from China to Brunei!!

Ozell Wells is the coach of the Brunei Barracudas playing the ASEAN Basketball League (aka ABL). But the story of the Detroit native is unbelievable!
He grew up on the North-East side of the city (Ozell also holds a Dominican passport though) and spent a considerable portion of his youth involved in competitive sports. Ozell's high school years were spent at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. As a direct result of Ozell's academic interests, and proficiency, he was offered academic scholarships to nearly every school in the United States: Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, University of Michigan, UCLA and North Carolina. During Ozell's freshman year, he met and befriended Charles Turner, Head men's basketball coach at University of Michigan-Dearborn. After close discussion with former Michigan and NBA player Mark Hughes, Ozell decided to assist the Grand Rapids Hoops of the CBA, where Hughes was coaching the team. It was with the experience gained there, and after receiving his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 1999, he embarked on what soon became a professional basketball coach. Ozell Wells career has taken him over 47 countries to date, ranging from China to Yemen, from Estonia to Brunei.

Ozell, your story is amazing. Maybe you have a world record that it's worth to be told. Tell our readers how was it possible you have visited and worked in 47 countries so far as a basketball coach.



Not sure if they have such a record. I do however know of a few other coaches who would rank higher on the totem pole if there was such a record in existence. Terry Layton, Scott Fields and Rajko Toroman are a few of them. My last stop is with Barracudas in Brunei, where I am one of the coaches and I am really comfortable over here experiencing the competitive ASEAN Basketball League.

Now we are really curious. In your incredible journey with basketball, tell us about your experiences, from the funniest to the scariest you had in so many different areas of the planet.

WOW! Well the scariest would definitely be the beheading in Saudi Arabia, the hanging in Syria or being in Tijuana Mexico when the Drug War with the USA began. I was on the streets in my car the day that they arrested over 1,000 people and then also for the ensuing war on the city streets that carried on for weeks afterward and is still unresolved.

Funniest experiences would have to be when I was home in Dominican Republic, coaching in Santiago and was approached by 3 different females who claimed to be the mothers of 3 different baby boys all bearing the same name, due to the fact that they claimed to be impregnated by him, the same player! Now all three of the women, with babies in hand, were standing in a practice that was in session, all yelling and imploring me to provide the contact info for this player.

No one can witness but you how basketball and sports in general are a real language between different races and cultures: what are the most interesting stories off the court thus far and where. Moreover which are the places you liked the most?

Well, my return to the Middle East, as coach of the National Team of Yemen was something that I will never forget. We were participating in the Arab Championships, and I was greeted by basketball official after official and referee after referee whom I remembered from when I started coaching internationally way back in 2000. I was even named "Altruistic Basketball Missionary Teaching the game to the Basketball Underpriveleged" by my friends at ART Television, who broadcasted the games across the Asian Region. I can say that I love so many places, but none more than my home of Dominican Republic. I have become partial to Estonia, in Eastern Europe, but it is always the ties that bind ..being the DR because I have a basketball school there, and am partnering with 3 of the best coaches on the island to create another academy in the coming year.

What's your next challenge as a coach?

The next challenge for me is to be in Estonia, as I have founded a Sport Club in the country and we are currently playing in the Estonian Kossulliga. It has always been a dream of mine to run a club, but this is a bit different, as we are founded to be a culturally benefitting organization and have many things in place to benefit the community, the youth, the elderly and effect an overall change in the way of living for those in Estonia. I will rejoin my club once the season has concluded here in Brunei.

Weekend Grind for a Coach with Sam Waniewski

The following is a guest blog with an emerging American Graduate Assistant Coach, Sam Waniewski.
Sam enters his first year at Concordia University in 2010-11 after a short stint on Coach James Giacomazzi’s staff at Consumnes River College in Sacramento, California. Waniewski will be in charge of scouting, video editing and recruiting for the Bulldog men’s basketball program.
Waniewski began his coaching career at Division II Chico State University, Chico, California where he worked under head coaches Puck Smith and Greg Clink as a student assistant. Waniewski’s duties included coaching the red-shirt team, on-court coaching, and day to day operations within the basketball program. Chico State doubled their win total during Waniewski’s time on the staff.
Waniewski also has experience working high profile individual camps at UCLA under Ben Howland, Stanford University under Johnny Dawkins and Slypark under Steve Williams. He also coached the Chico Blazin Heat program. Waniewski graduated from Woodland Christian High School in Woodland, California in 2005. He currently holds the single game three point record with 9. Sam graduated from Chico State in 2009 with a degree in Kinesiology. He currently resides in Seward, Nebraska.

Originally, I was going to talk more about the past and then get to what was going on presently. However, I have decided to slightly change this. Today I felt was a good day to talk about, so I didn’t want to be obligated to talk about past irrelevant events and forget what today was about. Other days when I don’t have a very eventful, significant day, then I reserve my right to go back, talk about the past and talk about different aspects. Stay flexible with me here!

It’s 12:30 a.m. right now. About 30 minutes ago I finally got home. Certainly this isn’t the norm in the profession, but by no means is it something uncommon. I am tired right now, both mentally and physically. However it has been a very productive and educational day. When I talk about educational, I’m not exactly talking about reading English books, writing papers, and listening to course instructors. For me, basketball is what I’m learning about and educating myself about. Basketball and coaching aspects is what I’m seeing, being around, and learning from experiences. It’s kind of like my assistant and head coach are my course instructors, and the basketball court is my classroom. However as I’m starting to realize, my “classroom” goes beyond just the court. Just as a student needs to learn in more ways than just being in a classroom (they must do projects, go on field trips, interview people, etc.), the same is true with an aspiring basketball coach. Being on the road in a car for many hours while recruiting and scouting is such a critical part of it. Everyone wishes they could just stay on their home court and have success, but true success is in the preparation that’s done away from the court in many instances. That is what I had to do today.

“BUZZZZ, BUZZZZZ, BUZZZZ”, my alarm clock goes off at 7:45 in the morning. I usually keep my phone on vibrate because a louder alarm clock sound sometimes rattles me a bit and makes me angry to have to wake up so abruptly. A nice, consistent vibrating sound can slowly and usually happily wake me up. I got up, showered, and put some peanut butter on a piece of bread that I folded up to take with me for breakfast. If it wasn’t for occasionally getting sick from having low blood sugar, then I probably would skip breakfast most of the time. We had practice at 8:30, and I made sure to be there a half an hour early. I had to make sure the court was set up, with all of the baskets down, lights on, and the ball rack out.

One time, we had a 6 am practice when I was at Chico State. I showed up at 5:50, figuring I was there before practice, I would be okay. I’d have enough time to get the balls out before the clock hit 6. The problem was that the players got there even earlier. The guys got there earlier to get dressed, stretch, and shoot around prior to practice. As I got there, I noticed the balls were already out, and the hoops were down. “COOL!” I thought, less work for me. I couldn’t have been more wrong with that mentality. As the guys started coming in, my head coach came up to me and had a stern talk with me. “You really want to be a head coach!?” He asked rhetorically. “Why do I have to be the one to get the balls out!? Why do I have to be the one to set up the court?” His point was apparent. He was the head coach, he had paid his dues. It was my job, and I had failed to show up early enough to get it done. It forced him to do it. Such a thing may seem like a small thing, but I realized exactly what my coach was trying to tell me. It was a matter of being disciplined, sacrificing yourself and your time to make your coaches life easier, representing a willingness to do whatever it took, and showing respect to your head coach by NOT making him have to do your job. From that day on, I made sure to have the court ready well ahead of time, especially when we had an early a.m. practice. I would take this same approach with me when I got the graduate assistant position.

So we practiced for a few hours. It was a pretty good practice. For some reason I usually feel like guys work pretty hard and have good practices on Saturdays. I have certain responsibilities during every practice. I have a practice schedule with me that I look over to know when we are going to do different things. It’s my job to be in front of the ball rack, so that as we switch from drill to drill, the players can just throw the ball to me or I can throw balls to them depending on what we are doing. While we aren’t in a transition phase, I am on the court helping coach. On rare occasions, if I really notice something that the players are doing wrong, I will stop what is happening and instruct or coach the players about a certain aspect. However, I try to not do this much because obviously the Head coach and main assistant are doing this frequently, and we want to still allow the players to get into a flow without having them stop every second to hear a different coach instruct. What I focus on is coaching and teaching while the players are sitting out of the drill and that is what my coach prefers me to do. As players are doing the drill, I take mental notes about what certain guys are doing wrong, so that when they come out, I can have a talk with them one on one. Players will often lose balls that go into the bleachers or just anywhere on the outside of the court during drills or when we go live 5 on 5. I have a ball with me at ALL times during practice so that incase they lose it, I can just throw them a new ball, and we are able to save time. Many possessions are gained everyday at practice just by having a spare ball ready to throw to the players. Throughout an entire year, the more possessions and repetitions we are able to gain, the more beneficial it will be. We also have a JV squad. Sometimes we will break off into 3 baskets, groups of 5, to work on plays, and I will be in charge of them. When they start playing games, I will be the head coach of them during that time, which I am extremely excited about. I really try to focus on them during drills, especially because they need more help than everyone else. I frequently will grab the team as a whole when they are sitting out and talk to them about what they can do better and motivate them to compete harder than the varsity guys. By getting more out of the JV guys, not only will they get better, but it will also make the varsity team better! Only positives will come out of it! As practice ended the assistant coach spoke to me – “I got good news and bad news. The bad news is you’re going to have to miss the Giants game tonight. The good news is you get to go with me to go scout a game three hours away.” Not exactly the great news I was looking for, but I told him “I’d miss a Giants game any day to go scouting”, and I meant that.

When I got back from practice, I took a brief nap, and then I went to get a haircut. We have our first preseason game tomorrow, and I knew I needed to look sharp to start the season. Plus, a coach should try to look sharp at all times anyways. At 3:30, I went to the laundry room. I had to make sure to switch all of the players’ laundry bags to the dryer. This is another aspect of the job that isn’t fun, but yet it’s necessary. And it’s certainly something the head coach shouldn’t have to be doing. I then went to the assistant’s house in order to head out on our scouting trip. We drove 3 hours to go watch an alumni game of the team that we’d be playing second game in our season. It was officially the longest I’d ever gone to scout an opponent. (Obviously, I had never scouted for a college team before. My AAU scouting consisted of looking on a different court in the same gym for the team we’d be matched up against next). Despite the drive being long, it was very good to be able to talk with my assistant coach. We talked about lots of basketball. It was an opportunity for me to pick his brain apart, and also talk about different aspects or strategies I felt strong about and believed in. We also talked about our futures, and he gave me some very helpful advice about mine.

As we got to the gym, and sat down, I became very excited. I was officially scouting an opponent for a COLLEGE team! My input could potentially influence the outcome of a college game. It was an exciting feeling, and I loved being able to sit down and analyze the game. We were fortunate that the coach called out a lot more plays and sets than we were expecting, especially for an alumni game. We were also fortunate that the old, lazy alumni didn’t decide to just stay in a 2-3 zone the entire game and we saw lots of sets against a man to man defense. We were very pleased with the scouting report we got, and we even left with about 8 minutes left in the game to get an early start home. I was so excited that we were able to find the San Francisco- Philadelphia Phillies game on the radio for the ride home! It certainly made the ride a lot better. I was able to finish my night with “GIANTS are going to the world SERIES!” Coming from California, and being a Giants fan, it was a nice thing to hear. The overall trip really gave me a feel for what college coaching was about. Driving for 6 hours overall to scout a team for 30 minutes was stuff that a lot of people don’t really think about when it comes to coaching. However, I knew it would help our team and any advantage I could give our players, I would be doing!

History of Basketball: Naismith Hall of Famer coach Alexander Gomelsky

After the Second World War basketball became one of the most important sports in the former Soviet Union. The National Team was worlwide known as the strong former club "Red Army" and it was totally dominant till the '80's at Euro level, winning 14 European Championships, but also 2 World Championships (1967 and 1982) and 2 Olympics (1972 and 1988).

After the dissolution of the Soviet Empire in 1991, the successor indipendent countries all set up their own national teams. Based on the number of titles, the basketball program of the former Soviet Union remains one of the most successful in the history of international basketball competitions. The Russian National Team was back at high level winning two Silver medals at the FIBA World Championships 1994 and 1998 while the most recent success was winning Gold at Eurobasket 2007 in Spain.

The games between the Russians and Americans during the "Cold War" were memorable and the unforgettable and controversial finals at the Olympics in Munich, Germany in 1972 has become a piece of modern history about the difficult relationship between the two power nations.

Among the most influent characters that built basketball successes in the Soviet Union first and then Russia, needless to say the real "patriarch" was coach Alexander Gomelsky. His story begins in 1945 when the Soviets occupied Warsaw and a few days later liberated Auschwitz: Gomelsky was Jewish,  only 17 years old, and a huge love for basketball. He attended the high school in Leningrad (now St Petersburgh) where he started his career as a coach. In 1966 he took the helm at CSKA. Gomelsky - he was nicknamed Silver Fox - coached the Soviet Union National team for almost 30 years, leading them to 6 European Championships titles, 2 World Championships titles, and the Olympics Gold medal in 1988 in South Korea.

He was the Soviet National team coach in 1972 too, and was expected to coach the team at 1972 Summer Olympics but the KGB (soviet intelligence) confiscated his passport fearing that, since Gomelsky was Jewish, that he would defect to Israel. The Soviets won the Gold with his assistant Vladimir Kondrashin as head coach, thank to a controversial call of a buzzer-beater basket over the USA in the finals.

"At that time there were no clinics, the TV was just born, there were only very few books to study, we were all self-taught - Gomelsky said when he was asked about his incredible career - but we had so much passion and desire to learn". The birth of the European Competitions was a crucial step because it allowed him to travel to foreign countries and experience new styles of basketball. Once retired from coaching, Gomelsky stayed always close enough to basketball, publishing 10 books and becoming a commentator for the Russian television. He was named the president of the Russian Basketball Federation in the 1992, and then of glorious CSKA in 1997. He was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and in 2007 he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame. The Euroleague annual coach of the year award is named after him, as well as CSKA Universal Sports Hall.

Coach Alexander Gomelsky passed way in 2005.

Q&A with Spanish coach Pedro Martinez Sanchez: twenty years always at the top in the strong ACB!

Pedro Martinez Sanchez is the head coach of Gran Canaria in the Spanish ACB. The 49 year old Barcelona native began his career with Joventut Badalona: he won three consecutive titles with the junior team under his tenure. In 1990, Martinez at only 28 was asked to take the helm of  the pro team: he quickly stepped up to the challenge, leading Joventut to the 1990 Korac Cup (former european competition) and overwhelming the Italian team Scavolini Pesaro in the finals. Martinez in his long and successful career has coached Manresa, Salamanca, Girona, Granada, Ourense, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

Coach Martinez Sanchez talked to Basketball Telegraph columnist Dr FingerRoll about his career and many other topics of  Spanish basketball.

Coach, your career is long and successful. Do you still remember the first time you thought that basketball was going to be your life?

For me it was simply the arrival of a process. I began my career coaching the youth teams of Joventut Badalona and when I started having some success coaching young players I started to think that basketball could become my job, my profession. You see, for me it has never been a goal in the beginning, like I had to reach no matter what, it was more the consequence of my dedication to the game.

Can you describe to our readers what are the qualities that a young coach has to posses to become a legit professional?

There are many aspects, but I would love to stress out a few of them randomly: perseverance, common sense, ability to relate and team-work, patience and empathy. And, well, you would also need technical and tactical knowledge of the game, but these two qualities are the easiest to achieve and, believe me, not the most important ones..

Like you told us, you started your career coaching in the youth program of Joventut Badalona: what are the skills you see in a kid that make you think he can play?

Well, of course, his body frame, then it's very important to notice if it comes easy to him to pass the ball, to move without the ball and to score. Needless to say, it is also very important that the kid is able to focus on what he is doing and his work ethic is of paramount importance. Last but not least I would like to mention the family background, which is something that usually plays a big role in the development of a player's personality and attitude, on and off the court.

You are now the head coach of Gran Canaria in the strong ACB. Has the world economical crisis affected the Spanish teams dramatically?

Well, like in every business, the international crisis has affected ACB either, but I have to say that the work the League has done through the years made the teams stronger and ready to work with financial difficulties. The spanish teams have professional structures that proved to be strong and solid enough to resist the financial dwindlings of the budgets. Currently there are quite a few teams facing economical problems but I would say that the overall future of the League is solid.

In Gran Canaria's roster there are Spanish players and American players. Some ballers are young and some experienced of European basketball. How can a coach find the right chemistry among guys with different backgrounds and ages?

Like you said, we basically have just American players and Spanish players. We always try to avoid having guys with too many different nationalities on our roster and most important, this is our policy, we try to keep at least a small group of players from one year to the next, because this is crucial to me for building a program and a team with common and known rules. I do believe in this and I will also try to carry on some values that mark my philosphy as a coach through the teams.

Your career has never brought you to coach away from Spain. Have you had any opportunities to work abroad?

Honestly, I never had the opportunity to coach abroad. I guess that Spanish coaches don't have a very good reputation outside Spain. When I was younger I hoped I could work in France or Italy and I really wanted to try and live that experience. Unfortunately, I doubt this is something that it's going to happen in my future. But you never know.

Exclusive interview with German coach Andreas Barthel: Basketball IQ and discipline make the difference!

Andreas Barthel is the emerging star of coaching in Germany. At only 25 he has been named the assistant coach of the Webmoebel Baskets Paderborn in the Beko Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). He is also the assistant coach of the U19 team and the head coach of the Paderborn second team who plays the Regional League. In the 2008/2009 season, Andreas Barthel had a great experience in the United States, being part of the Harker School basketball staff of the West Bay League (Central Coast Section), working both with Boys and Girls Varsity.

Hey Andreas, tell our readers a little bit about you and when did you decide to become a coach.

I grew up in a part of Germany without good basketball programs around and a small number of experienced coaches. Most of the basketball techniques I had to teach by myself, as well as the coaching knowledge. A career as a player was never an option for me. At the age of 19, I dedicated myself completely to coaching. I never had to decide, should I do it or not. Coaching basketball is my profession, my love, my life and already was when I was younger.

We know you had an amazing experience in the US. Was the stay overseas successful?

More than successful. Our overall season record was 24-8 and we entered the Top 15 of the Central Coast Section for the first time in school history. Not the easiest thing with so much basketball powerhouses around in the Bay Area. Finally our season came to an end with a narrow defeat in the CCS Quaterfinals against the later Section Winner Menlo School. One of our players became part of the All-Time Top 20 Scoring list of the State California, scoring more than 1.500 points in 4 years High School Varsity Basketball.

Besides all these facts and stats we had great team chemistry and an outstanding time together. For me personally, I had an awesome time getting to know the American way of teaching, playing and most important living Basketball. Especially the two coaches I worked with, Butch Keller (4 times State Championship Winner) and Jeremiah Brewer inspired me a lot and I'm really thankful that they gave me the opportunity to become part of their program. We are still in contact and one of them just visited me over the summer in Germany.

Which are the main differences between the American basketball and the European one. Did you notice a different approach and organization at any level?

I can just compare the American basketball with the German one and I think there are three big differences.

Professionalism:

As you know, the organization of Youth Sports in the United States is completely different in comparison to the German system. It's not just different, it's way more professional. I had the same responsibilities in a High School Basketball Program as in a Men's Pro Basketball organization in Germany. That includes everything. Daily practises with the team and Individuals, Athletic training, scouting opponents, video analysis, reviews.

Athleticism:

Athleticism is a big factor in the American game. They start lifting weights years before a German kid even has been looking into a weight room. That builds up a strong advantage on the physical side. When you feel strong and are able to use your body you feel confident. And if you feel confident you build up an advantage on the psychological side too. On this way you're able to dominate against opponents.

The status of sports in society:

Sports in the United States are like a social glue. It's a strong medium to transport social values like teamwork, self-discipline and persistence. I had the feeling that everyone is involved in it. Young and old, either as a participant, fan or spectator.

Which is the basketball you like the most. Can you describe it, even giving us some of your technical rules to success? Maybe you have a top level coach who particularly inspired you as a young coach.

In my eyes all starts with great team defense and a winning effort on this side of the court where five guys work together without having the ball in their hands. That's the first step to accomplish success, joy and team spirit. On the offensive end, I prefer a deliberate style of playing the game, where basketball IQ and discipline make the difference and not just the level of athleticism.  In the end it all comes down to the "Willingness to win". Losing is not acceptable, but you should always remember that winning a game isn't everything in life!

For me as a coach, it's very important that I have a dream and goals. You have to have a vision how you want to let your team play and have to teach it with positive passion. Believe in it and make others do the same. I never had just one particular coach that inspired me. I mean, there are so many different types of coaching and playing philosophies and so many coaches using some of them. The ultimate about inspiration is how coaches teach their philosophy, no matter what it is.

What is your next step for a career?

Right now I am really happy with my situation in Paderborn. We have a really young team with a lot of good guys that work hard every day in practise to improve individually and as a group. I feel good about being part of a Pro Basketball organization and one of the top Youth Basketball Programs in Germany and I'm looking forward to a successful season.

During off-season I plan on going back to the States and coach at College Basketball Camps. There are several options for me and it's always good to get in touch with young players, coaches and different basketball mindsets from all around the world.

For me basketball is like a journey. I don't know exactly where the journey is going to come to an end, but that's not the important thing about it. You should always be thankful to be in a position of doing what you love and having the chance to inspire others, no matter where it is or on which level.

Pavlicevic sets sail in Shimane. Two-time Euroleague champion coach details plans for BJ-League expansion team

This is a guest blog by Ed Odeven, staff writer of The Japan Times. Basketball Telegraph got the permission to publish the article by the author.

Zeljko Pavlicevic, 59, has been called one of the top 20 coaches in European basketball history. He guided croatian Cibona Zagreb to the 1986 Euroleague title. He repeated the feat in 1991, coaching croatian Split, also from the former Yugoslavia, to the Euroleague title. He has also coached Ferrol and Vitoria, a pair of spanish (ACB league) teams, and served as the bench boss for Panathinaikos Athens, for which he earned a Greek Cup crown in '93. Pavlicevic's career has also included time as the Croatian National team's technical director. He led the Japan National squad from 2003-06, serving as the team's head coach during the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. 

As you prepare for Shimane's season opener against the Saitama Broncos, what are the team's top objectives for 2010/11?

Look, because the Shimane is a new club, with no background and no history, it's difficult to say how we'll perform in the opener. But the most important thing is to develop a good club - everyone. The club is not only a team, but also the front office, the fans, the boosters. To be a stable club is the most important thing for all of us. It's important to find good foreigners, even if we don't have very big success this season. We can be very active to search and find guys with talent, but between them there may not be good chemistry. Maybe we are lucky this year and we can find good guys and good players, but as we build for the second season and future seasons that foundation will help us to produce winning results.

So, in other words, team unity and stability will be vital for the team's success?

Yes, that's right. As the first coach in Shimane in the history of the club, I wish that the club will have a long, long life. That is my main expectation.

Is it too early to say what you want to be the Susanoo Magic's trademark for the 2010/11 season?

I'm still waiting to add players, so it's early. But, yes, so many have asked the same question before. When some coaches don't have what they would consider the right type of players, they refuse to adjust and change their system, only trying to play one kind of game.. I try to stay flexible and change our strategy, using different tactics to fit the players we have.

How would you describe the energy of Shimane's team staff and the attitude of the community as it prepares for the club's first season?

The strong support in Shimane is not surprising. The entire city is behind the club, and that is something that is very important for me and all the players. We have up to 5,000 boosters now; that is a big number. I think we will have even more. That is very good, I think.

As a league with a number of teams in rural areas and the countryside, how important is it for teams such as Shimane to develop a strong local following and to be indentified as part of the fabric of the community?

Shimane is a nice small city, and I was in Tokyo for four years. It is one of the greatest cities in the world, but I like this city, it's a nice city. In Europe, soccer is the big sport in the big cities, except for some big cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Basketball, especially in Italy, is mostly in small cities, such as those with a population of 200,000 and 300,000; the same in Spain, where you have so many small cities. With the BJ-League expansion plan - to have 24 teams as the final number - you have to start to catch the fans from the countryside and small cities, small cities like Akita and Shimane, where people can support one good basketball club.

Based on your experiences following the JBL over the years and attending the BJ-League Final Four in May at Ariake Colosseum, what are your overall impressions of both leagues? And how has the BJ-League changed since it was established in 2005 with six teams?

The Final Four game me good impressions, the Final game (Hamamatsu Higashimikawa vs. Osaka) was good, and the semifinals were good. I will say from the beginning that I respect the JBL because they are the old league, but they are always staying with eight teams. In a big country like Japan, with 120 million people, it's a big number, so I hope in the future there will be one big league. Season after season, there is better organization in the BJ-League and the players are improving.. I think in the future, not so many from the university ranks can come to the JBL because of only eight teams, but they will come to the BJ-League and it has a very good future for growth.

Analyzing the overall state of basketball in Japan, not just at the pro level, how would you characterize the sport here?

Well, more education and improvements are needed. Regarding basic fundamentals, some players don't know them. They need to know more basic concepts and develop fundamentals at different levels.

Do you believe it's wise for the BJ-League to use a salary cap - reportedly Y77 million this season - to limit spending?

That is a smart move. It helps clubs be stable; they don't want to spend too much money. The league knows some clubs cannot survive (without the cap). But I think with the salary cap it is difficult to find some very talented foreigners, because you also have to spend a bigger amount with four or five foreigners on your teams. You can spend 80 per cent (of your foreign-player budget) on one player, but then it's limited to the others. If you have a higher salary cap, it can be a bigger problem and less chance of stability for the clubs. Season after season, you can increase the salary cap little by little. And after a few years, the BJ-League can find better foreigners, more expensive foreigners.

What have been the biggest compliments you've received since becoming a head coach in 1984? And what accomplishments are you most proud of from your distinguished career?

There have been big successes - titles, trophies and recognition - and so many nice things came and I don't remember everything that many nice people said. But one thing that's special for me is when some of these coaches, through Facebook and other online sites, communicate with me or write nice things, you can see them, catch up with them, after a long, long time. They say, for exemple, they really respect your job and follow your style, like this style, etc.

About my proudest achievements, it begins with my first (European Cup) title in 1986 with Cibona Zagreb with Drazen Petrovic, and I was not very old, so it was really special for me.

In 1991, Pop 84 Split began the season with three new starters after winning consecutive titles, and it was my first year with the team. Dino Radja had left (and later played for the Boston Celtics) and another starter (guard Dusko Ivanovic) also departed. People didn't believe that team would reach the Final Four again. But we won the European Cup. I'm very proud of that team.

Also I am very proud of the Japan National team and how we did at the 2006 World Championship. Based on the National team's history, it really hasn't had big results in basketball, but we exceeded our own expectations. It was really very exciting.. We played very good basketball and nearly advanced to the second round.

You've coached some great players - Tony Kukoc, for exemple - throughout your career and also coached many average players. Do you generally adjust the way you speak to challenge players of different ability levels?

That is a very important question. And also if you always tell players, you don't know this, you don't know that, or say, he's always bad..how can he do things himself? My point off the court is to give a player the confidence to believe he can do much better than he can really do.

So confidence is a big part of your coaching message?

Yes. If he is 60 percent confident, I need to get him to be 70 or 80 percent sure he can do something. Some coaches always cut players down, down, down. So how will they believe? Each player on the team, I need to push him to give him the belief he can do almost everything, even if I know he can't do it. This is very important.

There are some very young new coaches in the BJ-League now and established bench bosses, including Hamamatsu coach Kazuo Nakamura and new Tokyo coach Bob Hill, who has led four NBA teams during his long career. Do you think the league's older coaches will be helpful role models for the up-and-coming sideline supervisors?

I respect the decision of the young coaches to pursue this career. It can be a tough career. Some players will be older than the young coaches and that can be difficult. They will make mistakes, but they will also accomplish some good things. I know, I was a head coach at 34. You only live once, so it's a good challenge. Some coaches only want to go to top teams with a history of winning trophies. But for me if I can build the Shimane team and if the team is happy because I am here, that will give me satisfaction.  When you are young, money is more important, but as you get older, there are other thoughts too. Sometimes it's not only about money. There's also pride and it's a personal challenge. My good friend Nakamura (who is 69), he appears young in his style. He's very aggressive and he has very good intelligence. He's young and energetic. Bob Hill is a big name and like me he came here to promote the sport.. It may be good for promotion of the BJ-League but also very good for these young coaches because of the experience of Bob Hill and Nakamura and my experience.

This is something we have done for a long time.

The unparalleled Serbian school. Interview with coach Aleksandar Vrzina

Aleksandar Vrzina is an emerging serbian coach. At only 35 he has an impressive resume so far: in 1999-2000 he was the youngest coach in former-Yugoslavia pro leagues when he took the helm at Sabac. Then he had experiences in Bosnia with Radnik Bjieljina while in the last five years he has been in Ukraine where he was the head coach of Khimik-OPZ Yuzny and Gryfony-Symferopil in the ukrainian Superleague and european cups as well.

Coach, when did you first know what you wanted to do for a career?

I was a promising guard when due to a spinal surgery I had to stop playing when I was only 21 year old. I didn't have any other option, I had to quit my pro basketball career as a player. One year later, I had the chance to talk to my former coach and he asked me if I wanted to start coaching assisting him. It was a fascinating opportunity and that is how I started my new career. Later on that same season I got a chance to coach a team by myself. And in my first game we won. Some veteran players told me it was a great game managing. I had a great feeling during the game and..that was it..I got caught.

Was any top level coach who particularly inspired you at the beginning of your career?

I can't tell there was one coach only who inspired me. We in Serbia have a lot of big-time coaches. The list of great serbian coaches is very long and lasts for decades. So it is hard to tell you only one name. Basketball is more than a game in Serbia and it's like a way of living, I would say. I think I got inspired with that special atmosphere and enthusiasm for basketball. Or, as I often say "I've got infected by everlasting virus"

Aleksandar, tell our readers about your professional experiences so far and also what makes the former-Yugoslavia basketball school so successful at any time?

I have been coaching at high level in the last 8 years. I spent the last five years in Ukraine. It is amazing when when you work abroad, in a foreign country. Your responsibility is much higher than in your home country. And I love coaching young team, with perspective guys with talent and work ethic: in that case you really can focus on trying to improve your players and work hard to develop their basketball skills. But I definitely like to teach my players also how to behave as adult people off the court. We are living in very tough times. Nowadays it's not easy to keep youngsters in the gym: there are so many things, and some of them even dangerous round every corner. Our task as coaches is teaching and point the right way, not only on the court. I can tell you moreover that, in my experience as professional I have coached a lot of great players and they always are very helpful, because they want to improve, they want to work hard and they want above all win. Trouble makers are often average players. To me, not always while building a team you take in mind you do need positive players. You really do not need bad people in the locker-room. Having kids with bad attitude it will be like a cancer, especially when in tough times (and everybody passes through though times) . Choosing players for your team, you have to consider many stuff: every team has players coming from different countries and it is very important to find soon the right chemistry, on the court and also off. You as a coach and your organization must be able to let the player feel themselves like at home. That is the key for a successful season. Our destiny, you know, depends on our players. We should stick all together all the time. But about former yugo school.. hmm.. a lot of people have tried to figure out that success and the reasons and fundamentals around that success is built. First, our coaching school was no doubt the best: our gifted coaches have changed the game, set new standards, rules, methodologies that have become trendy. I think that we are made for basketball. Our people are very strong, tall and creative. Don't forget then that Serbs have built their winning mentality through decades. There is something in our winning mentality, I can't describe it. Each generation has a clutch player, able to decide a game and take the big shots:  in the 70's and 80's they were Kikanovic and Dalipagic, in the 90's and early years of 2000 Djordjevic and Bodiroga and nowadays Teodosic.

One friend of mine has interesting opinion: "we are good in basketball cause it is a highly intelectual game and you have also to cheat both ends, offensive and defensive, to hide your intentions. When it is about cheating, the Serbs are the best in the world! - he laughs - I do not know, but maybe there is a little bit truth in this sentence.

What's your next big challenge as a head coach?

I have a few challenges but the one which attracts me the most is to coach a perspective young team like diamonds in the rough. And help these kids to become great players and good men off the court.