Dario Gjergja, the head coach of Belgium national team and Oostende, spoke to Basketball Sphere about basketball in Zadar, the phenomenon of Luka Bozic, joining the Croatian Basketball Federation, defeating Spain’s Sergio Scariolo twice, Oostende’s record streak, and many other topics.
Dario Gjergja spent quite some time under the radar of the regional basketball community. However, that changed when he became one of the main options to take over the Croatian national team. In the end, an agreement with the Croatian Basketball Federation was not reached, but Gjergja continued to achieve fantastic results with Oostende.
The significance of Slavko Trninic in career
However, the modest Zadar native attributes all credit to one person – Professor Slavko Trninic, who is responsible for the development of players such as Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja, among others. Trninic is truly a basketball encyclopedia and as such, he wrote books such as “Analysis and learning of basketball game” and “Selection, preparation, and leadership of players and teams.”
“I would put it like this. Without Professor Slavko Trninic, I’m talking after my studies, there would be no me. I wouldn’t be at the level I am. The everyday summer conversations with him are invaluable, nobody can pay for that. Starting from his experience to the model of ‘how and why,’ the way he guides me and how I should work.
The first difference with him is expertise. I think he invested a lot in himself and his expertise is on a higher level. The second thing I would highlight is that I was a kid when Slavko was coaching Zadar, and then we worked six to eight hours a day. I have never seen such energy in anyone’s life. First, I would set it up differently – a group of three to four players working together because the team looks better.
That is the level the professor continuously focused on, at least from today’s perspective I can see it. I think the essence of all that is that in those moments, the player knows what to do. I am trying to do that now in seven days and I am as happy as a little child.” – began this interview Dario Gjergja.
Player development
These stories are not myths, but they truly happened. Kukoc himself spoke about it, saying how they practically didn’t leave the gym until certain things were brought to perfection. In today’s era, with the well-known notion of “five seconds or less,” where it’s said that people today can’t concentrate on something for more than five seconds, it’s hard to imagine even kids in schools working like that.
“I disagree with that. The quality of work, the quality of information and the knowledge a player receives, along with continuous correction of mistakes, contribute to the player’s progress. There’s no player who wouldn’t agree to progress because they’ll see that they’re progressing in all of that.
I have older players who don’t need a certain other technical-tactical readiness that younger players need. That’s why continuous developmental training is done with younger players because without it, there is nothing. Every summer I read when my professor sends me some of his texts. He’s currently writing two coaching manuals, and I think it will be a higher level.” – stated Dario Gjergja.
“You need to be a foreigner somewhere and remove all those people who are ahead of you”
Professor Trninic, much like his pupil Dario Gjergja, has long been flying under the radar. It seems like Croatia too quickly overlooked its genius. There’s something to be said about the fact that he’s the type of person who won’t overly expose himself in public, but nevertheless, you always need such experts in the system working with younger categories.
“We are kings of underestimating ourselves. They always say about me, ‘look at him working in Belgium.’ I say let them come and try it, you need to be a foreigner somewhere and remove all those people who are ahead of you. It’s not easy. Someone needs to trust you and see that you can do it and that everyone benefits from it. If the professor had published his textbooks in United States as an American, they would be bestsellers.
It’s a bit difficult for me to speak, I can’t be objective. I’m super subjective here and I believe that Slavko can still help Croatian basketball, even if it’s just with one or two sentences of advice. When I ask the professor if he can watch a game and if I get even one piece of information, just a small one from that game, I’m great,” Dario Gjergja tells us with a high level of emotion in his voice.
Zadar as the favorite for the title
The story about Slavko Trninic was the perfect introduction to this interview. As we started with some of Dario Gjergja’s beginnings in the world of basketball, it was hard not to touch upon Zadar itself and its current state.
“As for the results, there’s not much to say. They won the Croatian Cup, there’s continuity in their work. Last year, it was by chance that Zadar didn’t win the Cup, but they won the Croatian League. This year, they had an excellent start to the season. I don’t think anyone expected Zadar to play so well in the ABA League. I’m extremely pleased that they’ve already won the Cup and will probably take the first place in the domestic championship before the playoffs. Having a competitive season in the ABA League is crucial.
As for the Croatian League, I think Zadar is the favorite, with respect to Cibona, Split, Cedevita Junior and Dinamo Zagreb. I don’t think any of them can threaten Zadar at the Visnjik. I believe Zadar is the favorite to win the title if they have the home court advatange.” – Dario Gjergja stated.
Dominance of Luka Bozic
When we talk about today’s Zadar, it’s almost impossible not to mention their leader, Luka Bozic. He’s the man who convincingly charges towards his second consecutive MVP award in the ABA League. In the last two seasons, he has also won MVP awards for Croatian League Finals and the Croatian Cup with some unforgettable performances. Bozic is breaking record after record, most of which were held by the late Dejan Milojevic and when you’re in a sentence with such names, it’s really not a small feat.
What seems interesting in the whole story is how the public no longer reacts to his brilliant performances precisely because the man has accustomed us to some of his standards. In the Croatian Cup semifinals against Cedevita Junior, he “bombed” them with 34 points, shooting 7-12 from three-point range, while in the final, he achieved a historic first triple-double ever in the Croatian Cup final with 27 points and 10 rebounds and assists each (6-12 from three-point range).
The reason we are mentioning three-pointers is because that was actually the only aspect of the game where Luka was a little weaker. The impression is that now that he has added that weapon to his repertoire, he is truly ready for a European breakthrough.
“Absolute domination. What’s good about him is that you can see the progress from last season and the continuation of dominance in the ABA League. Let’s be realistic and also say that there are players in the ABA League who are really high level. We have two EuroLeague teams, two EuroCup teams that really have quality. Luka Bozic maintains consistency of good performances against such teams. Every praise must be given.
A few things have come together here. He has great trust from head coach Danijel Jusup, who gives him free rein. In Zadar, he can be that guy. Luka Bozic has matured both as a player and as a person, and those are two components that were extremely important for him to play in the manner he does.” – says Dario Gjergja.
Luka Bozic recorded a triple-double in the Kresimir Cosic Cup final against Cibona! 🤯
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) February 17, 2024
This marks his FOURTH triple-double of the season, and his Zadar team clinched the trophy with an 80-68 win. 🏆🇭🇷
Yesterday in the semifinal he had 34 points and five rebounds on 7-12 3PT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/T3tmQd2cOa
Is Luka Bozic finally ready for a European breakthrough?
Luka Bozic hasn’t played in the national team jersey since 2016 which will soon make it an unbelievable and long eight years. Far too much time for a player of his caliber. This is a man who didn’t miss a single national team summer in his younger years. A lot has happened since then, starting with the missed free throw for win against the United States in the final of the junior FIBA World Cup. The United States was led by current NBA superstars Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brunson.
It’s definitely not easy for a player of that age to accept such a fact. Everything else that happened later is the result of misunderstanding and poor communication. It’s actually hard to imagine Bozic with the authority he has in Zadar, especially when Bojan Bogdanovic and Mario Hezonja are on the forward positions. The epilogue? Another missed national team gathering.
“It’s simple. For every player who has quality, a role must be found in the national team. The national team is the peak. Every player must understand that they cannot have a dominant role like they do in the club. We’re not talking about Nikola Jokic here because that’s a different story. You build the team around Nikola Jokic. We’re talking about 10, 15, 20 minutes where he can help. It all comes down to how you convince him that he can do it and what role you will give him in all of this to convince him that this is the most productive way for the national team. I think that’s the approach to take.” – Dario Gjergja share us his vision of things.
Partizan’s offer rejected
Before the start of the season, Luka Bozic turned down a much more lucrative offer from Partizan and remained faithful to his Zadar. Opinions are divided. Some say that romance in sports has not yet died and that money really can’t buy everything, while others say that he simply doesn’t want to move away from Danijel Jusup, who is like a basketball father to him because he is aware that he won’t get such treatment anywhere else like he does in Zadar.
“It all depends on him. Every person has different ambitions and determines their own destiny. I believe he has the quality and can fit in, here I’m talking about what I said for the national team, in various teams, whether it’s EuroCup or EuroLeague. Now it’s all up to him. I think he’s responsible and smart enough to know that if he goes to a bigger club, he has to be aware that almost nowhere will he be as involved and spend as many minutes on the court as he does in Zadar. There are very few teams that would involve him in the game in that way.” – says Dario Gjergja.
Result or development of young players?
Although Zadar has had very good and trophy-winning seasons in the last two years, the situation behind the scenes is far from good. The club is in significant debt, the budget for this season has been greatly exceeded, the stands are no longer filled as they once were and it seems that young players are getting fewer roles, especially considering that this team was built to win titles. Zadar is not alone in this: Cibona is in a worse situation, while Split only recently got back on its feet after years spent in various debts.
“We cannot say that the City of Zadar hasn’t supported the club. The city has continuously stood behind the club for years. I think results can help, but also, given the conditions in which we currently live and work, it’s not easy to maintain consistency in the game and finding players that fit. I think coach Jusup has done a fantastic job in selecting players. Everyone mentions young players but in the end no one asks you how many young players have emerged, but rather what result you have achieved.
Everyone lives off that result, and from that perspective, Zadar is good, but for further progress you need to have more and better – three, four sponsors who will invest consistently, along with the support of the city. Along with those sponsors, you should also start repaying those debts. That’s how it should work.”
Claim Now After the immense drama he went through regarding the coaching position, Dario Gjergja once again showed how great of a man he is. Many people after the situation he found himself in would never have answered on that call again, but he decided to step up and accept a role in the Expert Council of the Croatian Basketball Federation.
Many big names actually found themselves on that list: Krunoslav Simon, Tomislav Mijatovic, Velimir Perasovic, Josip Sesar, Rok Stipcevic, Dario Gjergja, Davor Kus, Slaven Rimac, Damir Mulaomerovic, Zan Tabak, Drazen Anzulovic, Veljko Mrsic.
“Jasmin Repesa called me and asked if I wanted to do it. To me it’s an honor. We talked in the context of the fact that there was a chance for me to be the coach. I’m so clear-headed about this. There’s no bad blood between me and Josip Sesar. Everything with Aleksandar Petrovic was fair and correct, it couldn’t have been better. I’ve never had a single bad word or sentence with Sesar. I know where all this came from and Josip is not to blame.”
Serbian cult in the coaching profession
“I have to be honest now and say that even though I’m the head coach of Belgium national team, I’m Croatian. I care about Croatian basketball moving forward and I would be even happier if our coaches continued to emerge. Just like the Serbians who have a cult in coaching where they always have their two or three people with them. They can do that given the level of clubs they work with. I immediately agreed to it because I think that after so many years abroad, I can see some things from a different perspective and how I can help our players and coaches and that’s the key to everything.
We need to support, push and pave the way for each other, not just look out for ourselves. We’re too small and we’ll destroy what’s good. Mr. Repesa will determine how everything will work. As far as I know there will be video calls and everything else where ideas will be proposed for what and how to proceed.” – says Dario Gjergja.
Difficult situation in Croatian basketball
The general public opinion is that the current state of Croatian basketball is not good at all. The national team has been without a medal at major competitions for 29 years, and last summer rock bottom was hitten when Croatia played pre-qualifiers against teams like Ireland and Luxembourg. Clubs have not been competing in European competitions for years and are struggling with debts, while in regional competitions, the harsh reality is a battle for survival.
Most clubs operate in debt, and there was also the aforementioned drama where Gjergja was not chosen as Croatian head coach in the end, even though the then-sports director Aleksandar Petrovic presented him as the ideal candidate, which further tarnished Croatian basketball’s reputation, while their young players are leaving for clubs like Mega, which has become a haven for young players in the region.
“It’s hard to talk about it. If our clubs don’t play against good competition, our best clubs wouldn’t have any competition at all. If we’re in this situation we are, which is a lack of funds, then in the next two Olympic cycles we definitely need to push as many young players ‘into the fire’ as possible. They will lose against much stronger teams, but they will gain invaluable experience.
It bothers me when I see that the best five of the week in Croatian League are all Americans, that hurts. If we don’t have the finances, why give someone, let’s say, 1000 euros, when we can give 700 euros to one of ours and know that he will benefit from it. I would go by the principle of creating such clubs. That’s an idea I would go by. Okay, maybe they are on a lower level, but they will produce young players.”
Croatian basketball could draw inspiration from the Serbian basketball in many aspects
“Again, we have to look at Serbian basketball. Look at how many young players are playing in Serbian basketball. Let’s leave Mega aside, which is a completely different project. Look at, for example, FMP, or other teams from certain clubs. There really is a large number of young players playing. If our young players aren’t noticed by Cibona, Zadar and Split, they will seek their path elsewhere. When they go abroad, they get a different dimension and perspective. That opens up space for another Croat to go abroad.”
“We need to see what the Turks, Greeks, Lithuanians and Spaniards are doing”
“Our clubs need to find a model to play in some European competitions. I know there’s a lack of funds, that it’s bad and difficult but we’re losing the idea. Our clubs play in the ABA League, which is great. However, if you have a certain number of young players and you want to showcase yourself abroad – it’s not the same to constantly play against clubs from the former Yugoslavia.
We need to see what the Turks, Greeks, Lithuanians and Spaniards are doing. We need to see different models and systems of basketball, we need to play and feel it and I think that’s one of the keys.” – practically in one breath, Dario Gjergja tells us, further emphasizing how much he cares.
Pushing young players is crucial, even at the expense of results
Dario Gjergja made a similar move with the Belgium national team where after excellent results in recent years he decided to initiate a slight generational shift, even at the expense of results suffering. The outcome indeed included some painful defeats, but what Dario Gjergja gained were players who, in combination with experienced players, provide a better and more complete picture.
“Last summer, only three players from this latest cycle played. We pushed young players at the cost of defeat. You simply have to know what you’re doing. The starting point guard of the national team was a guy who is not yet 21 years old. The idea is to leave something for the future. I am with the national team until 2025, when EuroBasket is scheduled, if we qualify, because it’s hard for me to do two things at once.
My idea is to leave something behind me, not just wins and defeats. My desire is to establish a culture for the national team. I am Croatian but I have Belgian citizenship and I live for the success of the national team and then the players will breathe for it too. You have to find a model to achieve that.
The important thing regarding Croatian basketball in these eight years is to profile what we want, where it should not happen that our league is semi-amateur. Talented players must be given space even at the cost of poorer results, even if it means closing the league so that no one is relegated. I am talking about this with Belgians now because we have now merged with the Dutch which is a bit of a mess. No one wants that. Even the federation did not decide that, but it is what it is.
I am currently explaining to them the model where Belgium has a problem that if a somewhat talented player doesn’t get a chance, he either comes to me in Oostende or goes to the United States because he is not getting a chance. Last year Ivica Skelin finally gave a chance to a guy named This De Ridder and he seized that opportunity and has already gone to Bilbao. He will progress there, and that’s what I’ve been saying: that our player who has some quality will go to a better place.
We have to come to terms with that. If Zabok is able to produce two good potential national team players, it is logical that they go to a better European club and then they have to find their model there.”
The development of Michael Ruzic in Joventut
Talking about this topic, it’s impossible not to mention Michael Ruzic, another “wonder-kid” from Zadar. He is the son of the renowned Zadar basketball player Tomislav Ruzic who was part of Danijel Jusup’s coaching staff last season. It is believed that Tomislav left Zadar precisely because his son was not getting significant playing time. Michael is only 17 years old but is playing serious minutes for a team like Joventut, which is competing for playoffs in the Liga Endesa and EuroCup.
At just 17 years old he has played 14 EuroCup games this season, averaging 16.5 minutes on the court for 6.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game with phenomenal shooting percentages – 60% from the field, 48% from three-point range, and 83% from the free-throw line. In the Liga Endesa, considered one of the best European leagues after the EuroLeague, he has played 15 games (averaging 17.4 minutes) for 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
“This is phenomenal. A world wonder. Joventut is exactly the type of club that consistently produces players, and bigger clubs constantly snatch up their players. From Ricky Rubio to Rudy Fernandez and many other players to whom they have given a chance. This is the ideal situation for him where it can’t get any better. He has basketball ‘mastermind’ Ante Tomic by his side, who will help him at every moment and a coach who supports him.
At his position, he plays alongside Vladimir Brodziansky, a Slovak who is a phenomenal person, as confirmed by Aramis Naglic, someone who isn’t on an ego trip but will help. He has all the conditions to establish himself as a top player in the next three to four years. The coach believes in him, and the club supports it all. That’s the model we need to find in our clubs or else we will bring basketball into amateurism.” – reflects the Belgium head coach.
How to go through Giannis, Doncic and Towns?
However much the situation is difficult in Croatian basketball community they are still here and they have the quality of NBA and EuroLeague players to compete for qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. But the road won’t be easy at all. Their group includes Greece with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Slovenia with Luka Doncic and the Dominican Republic with Karl-Anthony Towns, with hopes for the return of Bojan Bogdanovic. This is the path Croatia must take because if you want to be the best, you must beat the best.
“First and foremost, the atmosphere is important. A clear and clean division of roles within the team, with a clear definition of who can do what. We should only think about the next game, only about the next team we’re playing against. That’s the most important. If we start thinking about saving players against one team to be better prepared for the next, it won’t end well. Even if we don’t succeed, it’s important to immediately analyze the reasons why we failed. After that, selective corrections need to be made within the team and coaching staff.
It’s also important to go through the training process, not only within the national team but also in the clubs. We need to identify what we’re lagging behind the teams competing for the top 10 in Europe. Can we compensate for the absence of players like Dario Saric, Ivica Zubac, Mario Hezonja or even Jaleen Smith to achieve results? Those are some of my ideas and thoughts on the matter.”
Dario Gjergja as kryptonite to Sergio Scariolo
Opening the topic of the Belgian national team it was the perfect time to delve into that subject. In last week’s international window Belgium defeated Spain, led by Sergio Scariolo, for the second time in the past two years. The first win occurred at the EuroBasket tournament less than two years ago where Spain claimed gold. Their only loss on the road to gold medal was against Belgium. We were curious about the preparations for such games.
“It’s not simple. Last summer, we had a completely different team. We rested some of the older players and wanted to introduce younger players to see their potential over time. We needed to initiate a generational shift after EuroBasket. First, it’s about communication. Let’s be honest. We can’t change much within three to five days, so communication and proper player selection are key. I believe that out of the 16 players we brought, 15 were fully committed and one wasn’t but the team itself pushed him to be better. That’s number one – communication at the highest level.
As I mentioned regarding Croatia: defining the roles within the team and expectations from each player. Analyzing and scouting the opponent to understand what to expect from them in the game. Determining the player’s role and playing time accordingly. Those little details can help the team through the individual quality of each player – that’s number one. Number two is good scouting of the opposing team. Let’s be realistic.
We all know that within three days it’s not easy to do everything – analyzing the team, identifying the players who make a difference and devising defensive and offensive strategies accordingly. Those are the basic elements.
If you noticed in both games now, entering the final phase of the game when it’s a close game, entering with a team that can handle it mentally and physically. I think we did the right thing there. For example: Against Spain, we rotated all five big men within the first 17 minutes of the game which I believe was crucial for our game. We could have been more aggressive, saved players from foul trouble and sacrificed a player who could have played more at the power forward but was at small forward, namely Hans Vanwijn. But that sacrifice, recognized within the team, wasn’t really a sacrifice.”
Record streak with Oostende
After discussing the Belgian national team it was only logical to touch upon the club he coaches. We’re talking about Belgian side Oostende. A club that under Gjergja’s leadership has won 12 consecutive domestic championships, along with seven Belgian Cups, four Belgian Super Cups, and two BNXT Super Cups. This season, they also hold the top spot in the BNXT League, which combines Dutch and Belgian teams. Their streak of 12 consecutive titles is currently the longest active streak in all of Europe.
“I don’t concern myself with that. I focus on my work and daily corrections of myself and my team and I’m not interested in anything else. What newspapers write, I don’t pay attention to because it’s wasting energy on things you can’t control. I’m not interested in it at all. We have a problem where the budget gets smaller every year. Now we only have three foreigners, and one of the reasons is the budget.
Within the team we’ve integrated several young players and I would say that they are progressing from week to week, from month to month and we can rely on them more and more. I hope that at the end of the season we’ll not only achieve good results but also develop the team’s players further.”
An elite mentality that doesn’t allow him to relax
Having been in the same system for so many years and achieving success year after year, it’s natural for some kind of saturation to occur. It’s in human nature to always seek more and better. Dario Gjergja is no different in that regard. We were interested in gaining insight into the mindset of a man who has been dominating a league for a whole decade, and where he finds motivation, focus and energy to continue.
“That’s precisely the part that I believe I’ve acquired since I was young, both through family and later working with coach Danijel Jusup. I’ve also worked with Professor Trninic and later with Drazen Anzulovic and Velimir Perasovic. You have to create some kind of model and ambition. I don’t know any other way, I can’t allow my team to look different from what I envision according to my model – a prototype of everything.
I can’t allow my team not to be prepared, I can’t allow going into a game where someone doesn’t know what to do and my role there is nonexistent or simply allow things to happen as they may. Just because I’ve achieved something doesn’t mean I’m someone now. That’s not how it works. I’ve embraced sports completely differently and try to explain to my players that whoever can accept that they will be continuously pushed to achieve something every year can stay. The one who can’t stay is the one who has become self-satisfied by winning a title or beating someone. For example, that person can’t remain on my team.
“I only think about one thing”
“The mentality is that I want us to continuously move forward. I don’t even think about the trophy. I only think about one thing. I’d divide it into three parts. So, when the season starts, first, I look at what kind of player I’ve got – let’s say October 1st. Then, by June 15th I assess what kind of player that is at that moment. When I get a talented player I believe I must maximize his qualities and elevate him to a higher level.
I think we continuously do that and I believe that in the last eight or nine years, everything has been improving everywhere, earning significant money, profiling themselves, and I deeply hope that the year they spent in Oostende was a great help for their future.
That’s how I function. First, concerning the players, second, concerning the team result. So, it’s not the same to me when, for example, we play against a better team. You play against, let’s say, Pinar Karsıyaka, a team worth 10 million euros, and we have a budget of not even half a million euros. What are we talking about? It’s not the same to me how they play in game number one and how they play in game number two. We can lose but we have to lose in a way that shows improvement compared to the first game.
We need to see that we are better and that we have corrected the mistakes we made. That’s how I would set it up. Thirdly, considering the possibilities and the teams you play against, how you can achieve a result. Again, there’s a milder way. Some coaches might see it as a joke. There are different types of coaches. With me there must be a top level of professionalism. It may not be easy to endure with me but that’s how I behave.” – confidently responds Dario Gjergja.
Flying below the radar for too long
The path that Dario Gjergja has traversed has not been easy at all. From this conversation you could already glean some of that. It’s a significant step to leave your own country, sail under the radar for about 15 years knowing that you’re qualified and have excellent results, yet many people “skip over” you even though it might be your turn. Then, when you come so close to the biggest dream of every coach, which is leading your own country and you’re left without it even though you practically had it in your hands, it’s very easy to fall into self-doubt.
“If I continuously think about what someone else thinks or if I continuously wonder why someone is not writing about me, or I ask myself why I didn’t get a chance, then I’m just frustrating myself with that. I lose touch with reality because we can talk about Zadar now, but my reality is Oostende. I have to conduct practice in Oostende at a top level at five o’clock to make it a model for the next game and I have no right to think about whether I’m mentioned somewhere or not. If I’m guided by that, then I’m making a mistake.
You lose your level of dedication and everything else. You engage in something else that is totally irrelevant and over which you have no control. It’s like when they ask me if I deserve to go somewhere else, I believe I deserve it. Now, what is the reason, maybe the reason is within me, that’s not important at all.
What’s important is if I continuously dwell on it and if I’m frustrated with it, there’s no way I can maintain my level of focus on what awaits me within my club, the national team and within the relationships with the people I’m currently working with. I can’t be thinking, for example, about Oldenburg when I’m the head coach of Oostende. That doesn’t make sense. Or what someone in Zadar or Zagreb will say about me, anywhere. You have to maintain your level of normalcy.” – told us Dario Gjergja.
Time for a career breakthrough?
Dario Gjergja, as such, is aware that without hard work there is no progress in his career. With his approach and humility, he has certainly earned a step forward in his career, and he is aware of it himself.
“I believe that I deserved to go further earlier, not today but in the last five, six seasons. However, offers dictate things, there were options that didn’t materialize. It’s all fine, but again, as long as that doesn’t happen, I don’t want to burden myself with it and live in the clouds and wait for my chance. I have a contract in Oostende, but my contract is fair enough that if I get a good offer I can leave immediately. I don’t know if a person can have a better relationship than what I have here.“
Wherever he goes, Zadar is always in his heart
Every departure from one’s city or country is initially difficult. Taking that big initial step in life where you go into the unknown and don’t know what awaits you is a stressful thing for anyone. Dario Gjergja, as a proud native of Zadar, first went to Zagreb and then continued his life in Belgium, but the feeling of belonging to his city is still within him.
“You simply get used to it. I miss it, I can’t wait for vacation. Just let me go to Zadar and everything passes. I love Zagreb, I spent wonderful 14-15 years of my life there and I have everything else there, even an apartment in Zagreb, but when I come to Zagreb, visit friends, see everything, a lot has changed.
I can’t wait to go to Zadar and then I feel somehow at home. What I’m much more proud of is that many people know you, people change, but my friends that I had when I was growing up as a child, from the 5th to the 16th or 17th year, they are my friends today, that’s somehow the biggest life human win for me. To be honest, Oostende is like Zadar, that’s probably why I’ve been here for so long. Oostende is Zadar in terms of population, just like a basketball city in Belgium,” Dario Gjergja tells us with a smile.
The rise of Tomislav Mijatovic and Igor Milicic
When we draw parallels in Croatian basketball, in recent times two more coaches have emerged alongside Gjergja’s name, who have long sailed under the radar. One in Turkey and the other in Poland. Of course, we are talking about Tomislav Mijatovic, who spent 13 years as an assistant coach at Anadolu Efes before finally stepping into the spotlight and seizing his chance as the head coach of a Turkish team.
The other is Igor Milicic, the man who, as the head coach of Poland led the team to the EuroBasket semifinals by defeating Slovenia, led by Luka Doncic. He recently won the Italian Cup by defeating Milano, a EuroLeague team in the final.
“I’m very happy first because, as I say, the more of us there are, the better it is. We’ll be opening up space for each other. I think Igor Milicic has been doing a job similar to mine here for years, and then he went to Besiktas, but the club wasn’t at his level, he tried everything. It didn’t work out, so he left. Now he has won his first trophy in Italy, a phenomenal job. With Poland he reached a certain level, came to the EuroBasket, now they are doing what I was doing just last summer – a generational shift, testing what they can do. Now they lost two games, so people wonder why they lost. They lost because they didn’t have the best players.
As for Tomislav Mijatovic, staying in one club for so many years, everything changed. He was there, and his loyalty in the job segment was phenomenal because no matter which coach came, Mijatovic was there. We keep in touch and we worked together for a while at Cibona. We even had an anecdote in the Cibona parking lot when they asked him if he would be the head coach of Cibona or continue with Perasovic. I asked him if he wanted me to kick him in the butt. That’s how it was.
You’re done if you don’t respect people, if you don’t respect the people you work with, if you don’t respect the people who collaborate with you because no one will respect you, and no one will collaborate with you, they’ll turn their backs on you and something else is needed for us all to be on the same path and to know what and how to proceed. I’m glad for Mijatovic that he has results, they lost the Turkish Cup, but it’s just one game, 40 minutes of motivation on both sides, and that’s how it goes.”
Is it time for Dario Saric to return to Europe?
We decided to end the conversation with an NBA question. It concerned the role of Dario Saric in the Golden State Warriors, who are struggling this season, and everything seems to point towards this possibly being the end of the greatest dynasty of the modern era. Dario Saric signed with them this summer.
At the time it seemed like a perfect fit for the team due to Saric’s ability to facilitate his teammates, which perfectly complements the Golden State Warriors’ system. He started decently, but in the last 12 games, he’s been on the verge of rotation, averaging only 10 minutes with just 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game on dismal shooting percentages (27% from the field, 8% from three-point range).
As the regular season approaches its finale, it’s clear that Steve Kerr’s team is more or less crystallized and everything points to Saric definitely falling out of serious rotation. The question arises again: is it perhaps time for him to return to Europe?
“As for Dario Saric, I think he decided himself in agreement with his agent, to try with the Golden State Warriors because they needed such a player profile. That’s what Nemanja Bjelica did and I think Saric could have done it at a higher level. I think he has to make a decision after this season.
As for me, I would prefer him to be a leader because I believe he could have been a much better leader in his career. When he went to Anadolu Efes, he was still young, he went to a top coach, step by step. It was a good level, let’s say that injury slowed him down, but I would really like to see him in a team where he’s a leader, that’s just my opinion.”
Karlo Matkovic should fit perfectly into the NBA
Dario Gjergja also touched on the status of Luka Samanic and Karlo Matkovic.
“I think Luka Samanic could have played in Europe for excellent clubs. When you get a call from the San Antonio Spurs, you don’t know what to think. I think he has the level to be a EuroLeague player, he’s not there yet, maybe he’ll go and come back to the NBA.
All I can say about Karlo Matkovic is that he’s exactly the type of player currently sought after in the NBA, and maybe that’s why he decided on that. Because playing in the NBA might be easier than playing in the EuroLeague considering the player profile.” – Dario Gjergja concluded this conversation for Basketball Sphere.
