Andrea Trinchieri spoke at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Zalgiris Kaunas upcoming game against Partizan Belgrade. He praised the Serbian team’s impressive form and acknowledged their recent success.
“They are a very hot team; they won two great games, playing close to perfection, offensively and defensively, plus the fans are raising the bar for any opponent to go there and try to play,” Trinchieri noted.
Trinchieri was also asked about Partizan’s uncommon move during the off-season to change their entire roster, a strategy not often seen in basketball. He responded, emphasizing that while this approach is rare, there is one coach capable of making it work:
“It is not very common [to change the entire roster], but if there is one coach that can make it work, it is Zeljko,” Trinchieri said.
Reflecting on Partizan’s potential for success this season, Trinchieri expressed his belief that they could reach the Final Four.
“I have a feeling they can be one of the four teams in the Final Four, seeing all the ups and downs of many teams…”, he added, underscoring his respect for Partizan’s adaptability and resilience.
The conversation then shifted to Partizan’s head coach, Zeljko Obradovic, and what makes him such a formidable opponent. Trinchieri spoke about Obradovic’s experience as a player and coach.
“He has an unmatched mix between being a former player in the best era of Yugoslavian basketball and being the coach that, in my opinion, has the quickest reaction from any other coach out there,” the Italian coach said.
Trinchieri then compared Obradovic to his former player and “student”, Sarunas Jasikevicius, highlighting the similarities between the two.
“It is not a coincidence that Saras, who was coached by him, is very similar,” he concluded.
