Aleksandar Aranitovic, a Serbian player in the jersey of Breogan, spoke in an in-depth interview for Basketball Sphere.
Given the fact that this is his second season at the club from Lugo, where he has settled in very well, and that just a few days ago he extended his contract for another year, we contacted him on that occasion.
Breogan managed to play extremely competitively until the very end this season, and considering that they are part of the strongest domestic league in Europe and that the competition is outstanding in every sense, starting from club budgets, player quality, and the fact that there are four EuroLeague teams, one EuroCup team, three FIBA Champions League teams, and three FIBA Europe Cup teams.
In such a balance of power, Aleksandar Aranitovic and Breogan managed to achieve a 15-18 record and are 10th in the standings. They were not in a position to fight for the playoffs, but they certainly have reasons for satisfaction ahead of the final game of the regular season.
Aleksandar Aranitovic has fit in very well with the team, which also includes Mihajlo Andric, Danko Brankovic, Dominik Mavra, Dragan Apic, which is just another indication that the presence of Balkan character has had a positive impact on all of the mentioned individuals and certainly also positively influenced the team chemistry.
Congratulations first of all on the contract, since information has come out that you have signed for another year. How were the negotiations and how do you see the whole situation? People in the club have accepted you in a nice way, and how do you see the club’s ambitions in the future?
“This is my second season there and we quickly agreed on a third. My priority was to stay in the best league in Europe. Breogan is a serious and stable club that wants to make progress every year, so now we have the opportunity to finish in Europe, and then we will see what and how. Overall, it is a stable and good club with history and great fans, so I am happy to stay here for a third season.”
It cannot be said that the goal is survival, but every season in which Breogan is in the Liga Endesa must be considered successful. How do you see the team’s season and the way you played? There were ups and downs — you beat Real Madrid, but also lost to weaker teams.
“It is a big league and there are many big budgets and quality teams, especially with the EuroLeague teams, so the second part mostly fights either for Europe or survival. For someone to make a surprise against Real Madrid and Barcelona is maybe a bit harder, but for us the season is successful. We needed some things to align to reach the playoffs.
Personally, I think I improved in my second season in Spain, especially with the help of coach Luis Casimiro, with whom it is very easy for me to cooperate, so overall it has been good. I hope we finish the season in the best possible way.”
How do you personally see the season in Breogan? You have made a jump in points and rebounds, you have consistent minutes and are a stable part of the rotation. Is that in line with expectations?
“I had a detailed conversation with coach Luis Casimiro, who told me exactly what he expects from me and how to achieve it, so I focused on those things and it turned out well. I think I improved compared to last year, so my goal is to get better from season to season. It is also important that the team has a good result, which shows that we are all doing a good job together.”
What is your health situation? You had a lot of problems at the start of your career and that always stays with you in some way. The intensity in Spain is high, so how do you feel about everything?
“Everything is fine with my body and knees for a long time now. I have no problems. The speed of basketball in Spain is such that it was a bit harder for me in the first year until I adapted to the rhythm. However, now in the second season I have adjusted a lot.
You have to do everything one second faster and react on the court, but I think I managed that. Of course, the body always has to be ready because the seasons and games are very demanding, with a lot of rhythm changes, so the gym and recovery are key. You always have to take care of everything and I think that is the most important thing. Luckily, everything is good now.”
It is certainly easier to have some familiar faces next to you, especially since you also have Dominik Mavra, Mihajlo Andric, Dragan Apic and Danko Brankovic, and there is also Dario Dreznjak.
“It is definitely easier with our guys, and there are more than enough of us — five of us, so it is really great. We are all good guys, we stick together both on and off the court. Somehow we cooperate better because we know each other from the ABA League, we played against each other, so it suits us to be together here.
I believe that is one of the reasons why we were in the playoff race, because we have great chemistry. I think it also positively affects the team, and we all individually have successful seasons.
Mihajlo arrived a bit later, but he adapted very quickly since Casemiro’s system suits him. Everyone somehow manages to find their role and we hope to continue in the same rhythm.”
With the arrival of Joan Penarroya at Partizan, what Ibon Navarro is doing, and other Spanish coaches, it seems there is no nation with as many good coaches as Spain, especially in clubs outside the EuroLeague. Is Spain the most tactically advanced league in Europe, since you have gone through many leagues?
“Definitely yes. First of all, in Spain you will rarely find a coach who is not Spanish, except maybe in some EuroLeague clubs. They may have a foreign coach, but almost the entire league has domestic experts. They respect that a lot and give opportunities to young coaches. There are also experienced and proven coaches like Casemiro or Pedro Martinez, people who have been in the Liga Endesa for more than 20 years.
Not only is the league physically demanding, but tactically everything is extremely well prepared and it is not without reason the best league in Europe.
Without a doubt. For example, against Valencia and Pedro Martinez — their pace and aggressiveness are something special. You cannot describe it until you experience it on the court. It is intense in every direction. When they concede a basket, they are already in transition in three seconds. That is an unbelievable rhythm and tempo, and that is why they deservedly reached the Final Four because they play their own specific style and never give up. It is truly incredible.”
Let’s say something briefly about Cibona. You were very successful there, which allowed you to move to Spain after several great seasons. The club left the ABA League and has two European titles and a huge tradition. How do you see the whole situation, especially since you were well received there?
“My time at Cibona is one of the nicest periods in my career. Cibona is slowly getting organized now and the club is starting to stabilize, which makes me happy and it is nice to see. A healthier story has started, which is how it should be, and I am glad about that.
Regarding leaving the ABA League, I do not know what to say. The people in the club probably know better and have a plan, so that is why they did it. Whether it is the right move, they know best. I see that they played in Europe and that the whole story is rising, which makes me happy, so I hope Cibona returns to the level where it belongs.” – explained Aleksandar Aranitovic.
Did you manage to follow the ABA League outcome, especially considering that Partizan had a very turbulent season full of ups and downs?
“I follow both the ABA League and the EuroLeague. I especially follow the ABA League because I have many friends there. I watched the start of the series between Zvezda and Partizan. It is clear that Partizan was disrupted a lot by the departure of Zeljko Obradovic, as well as the injury of Carlik Jones.
As soon as Carlik returned to the court, things immediately improved, they started winning, connected the team, and everything went in a better direction. In a way, they finished the season solidly with several important wins.
It is a big shame for Zvezda that they could not go further, they simply stopped at the end, but the finish will certainly be very interesting.”
You came to Partizan at a very sensitive moment, after the departures of Dule Vujosevic and Aleksandar Dzikic, when Muta Nikolic and then Nenad Canak were there. What are your best memories from that period? It did not end ideally due to injuries and coaching decisions, but there were also good moments. How do you see that period today, especially since Partizan is now in a completely different position?
“When I came to Partizan, I was still recovering from injury and the season had already started. Muta Nikolic was the head coach and I was just returning to competitive rhythm, so it was a bit harder for me to adapt.
After some time, Canak came and it was great. We already knew each other from Mega juniors, we won the junior EuroLeague together, so it was very nice for me to work with him. I have great memories from the Radivoj Korac Cup we won against a very strong Zvezda team at that time. That was one of the strongest teams then — Taylor Rochestie, Dylan Ennis, Milko Bjelica, James Feldeine… a very serious team. We played very well and I will always remember winning the Cup with Partizan.
With the arrival of Trinchieri, things did not click, but that is basketball. It was up to me to accept it and move on.”
You mentioned Canak. When you look at all the coaches in your career, he seems like one of the most underrated. What was special about him? He seems like a very dedicated and precise coach with no tolerance for problematic things.
“First of all, he was a great player and because of that he immediately had authority when he entered coaching. He also has a great relationship with players because he was a player himself, so he understands that part very well.
He is very disciplined and a very dedicated coach, and there is not much more to add. He was a big authority for us and we all listened to what he said. We tried to implement everything he planned on the court. He found his place in Lithuania at a good level, he constantly plays EuroCup and competes with Zalgiris and Rytas, which shows he is a great coach. I wish him success.”
There were announcements of a big reconstruction in Partizan with emphasis on domestic players. Was there contact from Partizan and is there an ambition to return one day?
“I support Partizan and always follow them and wish them all the best. What will happen in the future — we will see. I have signed for Breogan and I am happy there, so that is my only focus right now.”
How do you see your time in Lithuania? That was a big step compared to Serbia — a different league, more shooting-oriented, tough in some aspects, and specific off the court as well.
“Lithuania was a very important step in restarting my career. It was a very good season for me and I knew I was going to a basketball country where everyone follows and loves basketball. What surprised me is that only two sports are really followed there — basketball and cycling — which was interesting to me.
The league is fast, with a lot of shooting and explosive players. Someone who cannot shoot there, especially in guard positions, can hardly fit in and get serious minutes. I also liked the fact that they respect domestic players a lot and every team has an important Lithuanian player. There are Americans as well, but there is no overthinking — they push domestic players and that left a very good impression on me.”
What is the best starting five of teammates you have played with?
“Nigel Williams-Goss at point guard for sure. At power forward Novica Velickovic. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot at shooting guard. Mindaugas Lukauskis, a legend of Lithuanian basketball. At center… that is a bit harder, but let it be Tyren Johnson, who was there during my time in France.“
The final question referred to the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens, but since this interview was published after the tournament, we can say that Aleksandar Aranitovic correctly predicted the winner, so in retrospect we can read how he spoke before the final tournament:
“It will be fantastic basketball, for sure. As for the Spanish matchup between Real Madrid and Valencia, Real Madrid is not in an ideal moment right now, primarily due to Tavares’ injury and a few other players, but we all know what Real Madrid is and that they can always ‘surprise’ when it matters most. Still, Valencia is in great rhythm and played very well against Panathinaikos, so I give them a slight advantage.
As for Olympiacos and Fenerbahce, I think Olympiacos will not only advance but also go all the way, as for me they are the main favorites to win the title.”
Basketball Sphere presents: 27 players on our radar who could make the jump to a EuroLeague this summer. 👀 🟠
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) May 13, 2026
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