Lester “Bo” McCalebb opened up about Partizan, Zeljko Obradovic, Dusko Vujosevic and the EuroLeague in an interview with Basketball Sphere.
One of the best Partizan players of the 21st century, Bo McCalebb, spoke to the media after a long hiatus, sharing his perspective on the current situation and developments at his former club.
Lester McCalebb wrapped up his professional career with Zaragoza in 2019, bringing the curtain down on an impressive European journey. After his final season, he returned to the United States, where he now resides in New Orleans.
Over the course of his illustrious career, McCalebb played for Mersin, Partizan, Montepaschi, Fenerbahce, Bayern, Limoges, Gran Canaria, and Zaragoza.
Claim Now Bo McCalebb in today’s EuroLeague: How He Would Fit In?
At the start of the interview, we wanted to find out where McCalebb is now and what he is currently up to. For years, this has been a question frequently asked by Partizan fans on social media, and on this occasion, the American gave an answer to the supporters for whom he remains a beloved figure.
,,I love those fans. As for what I’m up to, a lot of things are going well for me right now. I’m about to have my college jersey retired in a couple of weeks. I’ve been training, doing a bit of middle school coaching, and I’m trying to get into coaching more seriously. I know it’s a process, so I just have to keep my head down and see what happens. But I’m doing fine, and I watch every Partizan game. I still follow Partizan, and I’ll do that until the day I’m gone.”
When McCalebb burst onto the European scene, he was a true breath of fresh air. Though not tall, the lightning-quick point guard could shift the pace of a game and instantly raise his team’s level of play.
A similar scenario unfolded with TJ Shorts’ arrival on the EuroLeague stage. He emerged as a true leader, adding an extra dimension to Paris’ game and helping the team achieve an impressive result in their debut EuroLeague season.
Basketball in Europe today is much faster than it was 15 years ago, with a greater emphasis on spacing and far more play in transition – areas where McCalebb was dominant during his prime.
We asked him whether, during his time with Partizan, he was the kind of American player who first introduced a style similar to what TJ Shorts employed last season, and how he thinks he would fare as an active player in today’s EuroLeague.
,,You’ve got a point – he’s a good player, I like him. I think today it will be the same for me. The only difference is that a lot of guards nowadays, with my style, are shooting more from the outside.
So if I play today the same way I always do, finishing the same way, I’ll do the same things. But I’ll have to shoot a bit more in today’s game, because that’s actually a challenge when you play for a top coach. With top coaches, our style of play requires you to knock down three-point shots. That’s the only difference. Other than that, I’ll do the same things, just with a little more emphasis on shooting threes. And that’s it.”
Partizan: Then and Now, and Faith in Zeljko Obradovic
Partizan opened its EuroLeague season with four wins and seven losses.
The Serbian club today looks completely different from the period when McCalebb played there. Finances are much stronger, infrastructure and organization are at the highest level in the club’s history, and the roster is made up of quality EuroLeague talent and former NBA players…
Despite Partizan’s improved conditions, results on the court have often fallen short, which stands as the club’s biggest challenge in the current season.
Bo McCalebb addressed the reasons behind the team’s struggles, expressed confidence that things will eventually turn around, and singled out head coach Zeljko Obradovic, offering him nothing but the highest praise.
,,It really started off well, but one thing about Obradovic that I didn’t get back then… I’m older now, and I understand it better. He’s going to get on you, but it’s to get the best out of you. I think some of the players coming in, NBA players or wherever they come from, aren’t taking the coaching seriously. Obradovic is a serious coach – he’s going to “push you”, but he’s also one of the best in Europe and a great person. He’s trying to get the best out of you. I didn’t understand it back then, but I understand it now.
I didn’t come from an NBA background. I wasn’t a star or anything like that. I had to be coached, and that’s something some of the players aren’t doing. I think that’s a big problem. When you have stars who aren’t listening, everything can go wrong. That’s part of what’s happening in Partizan, on top of the injuries.
Partizan never used to get players like they have now. Back then, they got under-the-radar players like me and many others – hungry players who weren’t big names. Now, they’re looking for names instead, and that’s part of why they’re in the situation they’re in. But I have faith it will change, and I hope it changes soon.”
Bo McCalebb (@lmccale4) erupts for 2⃣3⃣ PTS in @Makbasket 🇲🇰's biggest ever @EuroBasket win!
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) July 15, 2020
📺 16:00 GMT on https://t.co/ZohoZyLCrk & https://t.co/Gz8KmZPuen pic.twitter.com/GF7wNbbpup
Zeljko Obradovic – Dusko Vujosevic
Bo McCalebb had the privilege of playing under Zeljko Obradovic at Fenerbahce, and he spoke with heartfelt respect and admiration for both the experience and the legendary Serbian coach.
,,I think very highly of Zeljko. He’s the best coach in Europe. How can you not respect him? Even though everybody knows him as a great coach, he’s also a truly great person and human being. When I was younger, there were a lot of things I didn’t understand, and I really wish I had listened to him more.
That’s one of my only regrets: I didn’t take his advice enough, because he had worked with so many players before me and had done so much. I love Obradovic. He’s a great coach and a great person, and just a good person to be around. He wants the best out of you, and who wouldn’t want a coach who pushes you to be your best? Everybody wants a coach like that.”
McCalebb played for Partizan for just one season (2009/2010), but it was a historic campaign for both him and the club. Dusko Vujosevic’s team won the ABA League, the Serbian League, the Serbian Cup, and secured a spot in the EuroLeague Final Four.
Partizan was unlucky at the 2010 EuroLeague Final Four in Paris. Just seconds separated the Serbian club from reaching the final, but Olympiacos managed to force overtime and ultimately secure the win.
Nonetheless, McCalebb looks back on that season and his time with Vujosevic as truly historic, and he continues to pay immense respect to the legendary Partizan coach.
,,Vujosevic was my favorite coach in Europe. Dusko was the coach who truly understood me. I wasn’t perfect, but he understood me. He let me be myself, he let me be free, and it worked. I always give him credit for that – Dusko Vujosevic is the reason Europe knows me. He gave me an opportunity, and as a coach, he let me show who I am and what I can do. After I left him, over the years, other coaches started to take away the things that made me who I am.
That’s part of why, over time, I eventually quit, because I couldn’t do it anymore. But Dusko remains my favorite. I love Vujosevic. He’s one of the few coaches who let me be myself, and it paid off – we won a lot, reached the EuroLeague Final Four, and achieved great things.”
