Luka Zoric, a former Croatian national team player, spoke exclusively for Basketball Sphere ahead of Croatia’s decisive game against France.
Luka Zoric, who was born in Zadar, reflected on the upcoming game that will be played in Jazine, the legendary home of basketball. Although Zoric did not play for Zadar during his career while they were in Jazine, only towards the end of his career in Visnjik, he still has extensive experience playing in front of the Zadar crowd as a rival. He could not hide his excitement that the crucial match would take place in such an atmospheric setting.
“There is certainly a lot of pressure. I remember Jazine from different times when the fans could literally reach out and touch the players who were taking the throw-in. Now the stands are a bit further away, and for this match, I saw in some pictures and videos that they are even more distanced, so that surely won’t be the case on Friday.
A small hall that gives the impression of being even smaller, with fans practically on your back. No matter how big a career a player has had and how many heated atmospheres they have played in, if the arena is packed – and it will be – it will be a new experience for them, something they haven’t encountered before,” Zoric began his interview for Basketball Sphere.
Goran Dragic’s anecdote
Zoric also touched on an anecdote related to Goran Dragic. Dragic mentioned in a podcast that Zadar’s Jazine is one of the places he remembers for the toughest playing conditions in his career. He is not the first player to recall the legendary arena in that context, but it is certainly interesting given his rich career:
“When I played for Slovan, I remember we played a game in Jazine in Zadar, and I think Saša Dončić was taking free throws, and the fans behind the basket climbed up and were moving the hoop left and right. Saša Dončić told the referee, ‘What are they doing?’ and the ref told him, ‘Shut up, shut up, just shoot.’ That’s one of my past experiences, it was the hardest place for me to play, in Jazine.”
Zoric responded to that.
“These are legends and different times, that used to happen when I was a kid on the south basket. That doesn’t happen today, so I don’t know if Goran Dragic really experienced it or just read it somewhere and took it as his own anecdote.”
A roster full of top names
A former Croatian national team player reflected on the chances the Croatian team has in this crucial setting. Zoric spoke about the game itself but also about the new French team, led by coach Frederic Fauthoux, and the atmosphere they can expect.
Speaking about the current French squad, Zoric emphasized that although their roster is full of top names, they are not a team that can intimidate every opponent.
“I agree that this is not a team where, at first glance, you immediately think of 15 names that make them one of the best national teams in the world. These are now EuroLeague players who are of very high quality—there’s no underestimation—but they don’t quite have that extra-class level to the same extent.
That’s where I see our chance, but we will also have a say in how the game unfolds. If we start well and have the right atmosphere and support from the fans—which I invite them to provide—even if things don’t go perfectly at the beginning, they should keep supporting the team. The longer we stay in the game, I believe our chances increase, and we might even have the advantage,” said Luka Zoric.
Form of key players
Zoric emphasized that, although Croatia does not currently have the same level of individual talent as France, which is filled with NBA and EuroLeague stars, he believes that Croatian players have a chance—especially now that they have had more time to prepare.
“We don’t have the individual quality like France does, but I think we were individually stronger than Bosnia and Herzegovina, yet exactly what happened to us was that their home crowd in Skenderija lifted them, and they played part of the game as if in a trance, creating an insurmountable lead. So, I believe a similar scenario could work in our favor now in Jazine.
Danko Brankovic, Mario Hezonja, and Luka Samanic
He also commented on the form and role of players like Danko Brankovic, Mario Hezonja, and Luka Samanic.
“Yes, we have three or four players playing at the highest level, aside from those in the NBA who aren’t available right now. That’s definitely important—they need to find their roles, and the coach has to define roles that will allow them to blend with the rest of the team, who must make things easier for them.
There’s nothing to reinvent here. It’s clear who needs to carry the biggest burden, who can contribute in what way and position, and which style of basketball suits each player best. We have to put all of that together in a short period and try to win the game that way.”
Zoric praised Luka Samanic, who is currently in excellent form at Baskonia, stating that the style of play in Spain suits him perfectly.
“I watched Samanic at Baskonia—he thrives in the Spanish style of play. He has a quick body, he can shoot, so he is practically a hybrid—a forward as tall as a center. He is definitely a major asset and is in great form.”
Tactical challenges
Luka Zoric addressed the tactical challenges faced by the Croatian national team in the EuroBasket qualifiers, particularly in the context of their match against France, a team known for its aggressive defense and switching ability. While switching on defense has become commonplace in modern basketball, Zoric pointed out other key aspects of the game that could be decisive.
“These are very tactical things, and switching defenders is nothing new. In today’s basketball, almost all teams at all levels play that way. But I see a much bigger problem for us—when the opposing front line applies pressure, we struggle with ball movement and setting up our offense because they push us too far from the basket.
Regarding switches with big men, I think all our players are already used to attacking those mismatches when a big switches onto a smaller player. But I think we can find some mismatches where our big men are guarded by smaller players, and that’s where Branković and Šamanić should be able to capitalize. So, I don’t think switching should be too big of a problem for us.”
A look at this year’s EuroLeague and Sarunas Jasikevicius’ work
Luka Zoric shared his thoughts on the current EuroLeague season, discussing Fenerbahce—his former club—as well as the situations at Partizan and Crvena Zvezda. He praised Nigel Hayes-Davis, considering him one of the key factors in Fenerbahce’s success this season.
“Nigel Hayes-Davis surprised me. I think he deserves to be talked about because he is one of the top three or four players in Europe right now. He plays with confidence, he’s versatile, and he can do a lot of things on the court. I believe he’s a player who, with his skill set and physical attributes, can take his team all the way.
Fenerbahce is doing very well this year. Yes, their play has had ups and downs, but so have other teams. Aside from Olympiacos, every team from Monaco to Panathinaikos can beat anyone or lose to anyone. From game to game, round to round, teams show different faces, so there’s no clear favorite besides Olympiacos. I wouldn’t write anyone off.
Sarunas is a very methodical coach—he comes from Zeljko Obradovic’s school, and I had the honor of playing for Zeljko. His teams are very detail-oriented, they prepare thoroughly, and they should be among the best-prepared teams for the Final Four. And the Final Four is just one game—anything can happen. Once you reach the final, it comes down to the day, the mood, form, and small details. I wouldn’t count anyone out. Last year, for example, everyone expected Real Madrid to win, but in the end, Panathinaikos took the title.”
Partizan more entertaining to watch than Crvena Zvezda this season
Speaking about Crvena Zvezda, Zoric praised Joel Bolomboy as one of the key players for the team but also pointed out that Partizan might be more enjoyable to watch this season.
“Bolomboy is definitely one of Crvena Zvezda’s key players, and he has been performing better there than in his previous teams. Meanwhile, Partizan plays a more attractive style of basketball. However, Crvena Zvezda is playing for results this year—they haven’t blown out many teams, even struggling against lower-ranked teams that aren’t playoff contenders, but they are still winning and haven’t dropped any games they were expected to win.
Both teams are playing really well. Zeljko’s teams always improve as the season progresses, and you can see that again this year. They started 2-8, and now they are at 14-12. It’s going to be interesting—there are still eight rounds left, and we must remember that home-court advantage plays a big role. It’s not the same as when I played, though, especially in terms of officiating, so there are now more road wins. It will be exciting until the very end,” Luka Zoric concluded in his interview for Basketball Sphere.
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