In an interview with Przeglad Sportowy, Mateusz Ponitka opened up about his move from Panathinaikos to Partizan and shed light on his relationship with Željko Obradović.
The Polish player detailed how his career unfolded after his tenure with Zenit.
“First of all, let’s remember that the transfer to Panathinaikos came abruptly after the EuroBasket last year. After all, I was supposed to go to Italy and not play in the EuroLeague,” the player recalled. “I think that EuroBasket, which was successful for me, had a big impact on this upcoming 23/24 season.”
Ponitka je u intervjuu za medije iz Poljske govorio o treneru crno-belih.https://t.co/1MCi1EsZD0
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere7) August 9, 2023
After just one season wearing the “green” jersey, Mateusz Ponitka made the decision to switch to Partizan.
“I’ve had some good offers from good teams now, not just Partizan. Panathinaikos was one of the worst teams in the EuroLeague, their players did not sign contracts with strong clubs in the summer, and I did. I treat it as a sports promotion, and as I say – I think it’s also thanks to EuroBasket,” Ponitka told.
Ponitka concluded by emphasizing that Željko Obradović is never agitated without a reason, contrary to what the basketball public might perceive.
“Everyone who knows him says that if he decides to hire someone, he tries to build a relationship with him and is interested in that player,” the player said about Obradovic. “Besides, I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about him. Really.”
Asked about the image of a screaming Zeljko on the sidelines, Ponitka reiterated similar points to what Zach LeDay told during the playoffs.
“He has the image he has, but on the other hand, he is not nervous without a reason. When players don’t listen to his instructions, he gets angry,” Ponitka explained.