BasketNews Talks

Zalgiris Kaunas head coach Jure Zdovc sits with BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas to discuss his difficult start in Lithuania, personal decision not to take assistant coaches with him, and an unheard story of the beginning of Zeljko Obradovic’s coaching career. Topics: Two different months in Kaunas (0:00); Feeling ashamed to walk in the streets (3:48); No traveling 'circus' with coach (6:18); How Zeljko...

Zvezdan Mitrovic sits down with BasketNews' Uygar Karaca to discuss his work with the French clubs ASVEL & Monaco and explains why he gets along well with EuroLeague coaches. Topics: Coaching beginnings (00:00); Mitrovic's particular attraction to new project (06:00); Challenges with new players and Monaco (9:10); Monaco's goals for near future (14:05); Mitrovic's basketball style (16:15); Zvezdan...

AX Armani Exchange star Shavon Shields talks to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas about his success in Milan, the missing piece for the EuroLeague title, life inspirations, and two crucial plays he had to go through last season. Topics: Intro about his childhood haircut (00:00); A headband away from being Paul Pierce (00:35); Kyle Hines in Danish NT (2:21); Messina’s pitch, success in Milan (4:00); Gett...

AX Armani Exchange Milan newcomer Giampaolo Ricci talks to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas about his unexpected journey to the EuroLeague from the lower Italian divisions, making Milos Teodosic smile as a captain, shocking the Italian basketball world with his summer decision and dreaming about the next crazy scenarios. Topics: Intro about maths in basketball (00:00); The unexpected story from the 3rd...

AS Monaco big man Will Thomas sat with BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas to talk about the secret of his longevity, the strategy that usually never works to stop him, his surprising EuroLeague move, and what he calls his second home. Topics: Intro (00:00); Mike Krzyzewski words on a podcast that proved Will Thomas was doing the right thing (2:05); A great story of such players like Will Thomas and Kruno...

Olympiacos Piraeus forward Sasha Vezenkov sat with BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas to talk about his childhood and basketball culture in Cyprus, experience in Barcelona, and the pleasure of playing with the legendary Vassilis Spanoulis.

Last two seasons Dimitris Itoudis, one of the basketball masterminds, coached Mike James and dealt with his character. In the upcoming year, he is ready to face new challenges, including Alexey Shved’s integration into the team. Itoudis talks to BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas about his desire to improve and his way of thinking. Topics: Intro and three facts about Dimitris Itoudis (0:00); The start of...

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Fenerbahce Istanbul center Jan Vesely about his Olympic adventure with the Czech national team, surprising Zeljko move and how they surprised the EuroLeague together in Fenerbahce, turning down the NBA offers, his second home in Istanbul and the example he wants to set in his beloved team. Topics: Intro about the first Olympic adventure (00:00); The main thing...

BasketNews' Uygar Karaca connected with new Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul power forward Achille Polonara and talked about him finally being rewarded for his humble attitude and hard-working approach. He also remembered Italy's successful Olympic run and gave his thoughts on the upcoming EuroLeague season. Topics: First thoughts after recent friendly game against Turk Telekom (0:30); Olympic Summer and...

Last year Thomas Walkup famously stole the ball from Kostas Sloukas and made a game-winning basket against Olympiacos. This year he is a teammate of Sloukas, as Walkup moved from Zalgiris Kaunas to Pireaus. Walkup talks to BasketNews’ Jonas Miklovas about his decision to change teams and how he is adapting to different cultures in Europe. Topics: Intro and Summer workouts (0:00); Finding lifelong...

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Zalgiris Kaunas guard Janis Strelnieks making a stunning rise in basketball after signing in early years and being unnoticed among the top Latvian prospects, rejecting few crucial offers in his career, learning from Andrea Trinchieri and Vassilis Spanoulis, facing Patrick Beverley in practice and dealing with an uncomfortable situation. Topics: Intro about the...

BasketNews' Jonas Miklovas talks to CSKA Moscow newcomer Alexey Shved on moving to a club that he knows so well, respect to coach Dimitris Ituodis, and his NBA days. Topics: Coming back to a familiar place ( 3:25 ); About a different role compared to Khimki ( 9:27 ); What he hated in NBA and offers from US ( 18:06 ); Playing in empty gyms and what is behind No. 91 ( 22:38 ). #CSKA #EuroLeague #VTB...

BasketNews collaborator Uygar Karaca spoke to one of the most prolific scorers in EuroCup history Jamar Smith. The American guard, who was named last year's EuroCup MVP and helped UNICS reach the EuroCup finals, currently ranks second with the most points scored and tops the most 3-pointers made list. Topics: Life in Istanbul (1:14); Why did he chose to play for Bahçeşehir Koleji instead of a Euro...

BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas talks to Zalgiris Kaunas head coach Martin Schiller on the critical things of Zalgiris rebuild, interesting experiences in Lithuania, and the NBA examples which helped him in the EuroLeague market. Topics: Intro and what Schiller would ask Ergin Ataman (00:00); Trip to Germany from Lithuania by car and free agency conversations in Warsaw’s hotel (2:52); The key of Zalgi...

BasketNews' Giorgos Kyriakidis catches up with EuroLeague icon and Panathinaikos legend Mike Batiste. Topics: Intro (00:00); Donating to Greece wildfire victims (1:38); Returning to OAKA and participating in the training session with Pao (4:02); How Panathinaikos can return to being a winning organization (5:52); Dimitris Diamantidis becoming the General Manager of Panathinaikos (7:16); Chatting a...

Latest episode of BasketNews Talks covers the NBA Summer League. Mindaugas Gobikas, Giorgios Kyriakidis, and Uygar Karaca discuss how European players performed in Las Vegas. Alperen Sengun, Filip Petrusev, Usman Garuba, Franz Wagner, Omer Yurtseven, Alex Antetokounmpo all played different roles and produced different results. Topics: Intro (00:00); Alperen Sengun's MVP worthy performance in the N...

BasketNews' Uygar Karaca interviewed Alba Berlin's Sports Director Himar Ojeda. The men talked about the offseason changes that the German champions went through, the team's short-term and long-term goals in the EuroLeague, and a unique approach to preparation for games. Topics: intro (00:00); Alba Berlin’s coaching change as Aito Garcia Reneses steps down (00:24); Last season’s leaders in Fontecc...

BasketNews Talks return with Rytis Vyšniauskas, Orazio Cauchi, and Giorgos Kyriakidis recapping the Olympic Basketball semi-finals, where France upset Luka’s Slovenia, and Team USA dismantle Australia. The guys also look ahead to Saturday’s Final and 3rd place matches. Topics: intro (00:00); France edging out Slovenia behind Batum’s amazing block (0:09); momentum shift that helped Team USA dominat...

In the latest episode of BasketNews Talks, Rytis Vyšniauskas, Orazio Cauchi, and Uygar Karaca discuss the latest from the Tokyo Olympic Games basketball tournament quarterfinals including the retirement of such legends as Gasol brothers and Luis Scola. intro (00:00); Slovenia’s victory against Germany analysis (01:35); Spain v Team USA: Last Dance for Gasol brothers (08:26); Italy gave it all, but...

BasketNews’ squad discusses the latest Tokyo Olympic Basketball and Olympic 3x3 Basketball news. Topics: intro (0:00); Slovenian party after 48 points by Luka Doncic (0:48); can aging Spain and Ricky Rubio beat Slovenia? (6:58); Argentina’s struggles this summer (12:04); the popularity of 3x3 Basketball (18:30); Latvian fairytale in the first-ever 3x3 Olympic Basketball Tournament (22:45); preview...

BasketNews’ crew briefly recaps the first 2 days of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Basketball Tournament. Topics: intro (0:00); Luka Doncic’s incredible Olympic debut versus Argentina (0:45); a disappointing performance by Team USA against France (5:59); untapped potential for both Australia and Nigeria (14:24); other results of round 1 (17:47).

BasketNews' Donatas Urbonas talks to Zalgiris Kaunas newcomer Josh Nebo. Topics: intro and painful birthday surprise (0:00); joining Zalgiris after unusual Zoom interview with coach Schiller (2:07); Armani’s interest last season and first-time experiences of playing in Israel (9:43); crazy time with rocket attack on Israel (15:49) how skateboarding was more important than basketball (19:07); life-...

Keith Langford will turn 38 next September. In a summer period when several EuroLeague veterans, among them Vassilis Spanoulis and Omri Casspi, decided to retire, one of the continent's most productive scorers keeps going.  The EuroLeague trophy may be still missing from his collection of silverware, but the experienced slasher has always been capable of delivering the goods whenever required. An...