Mike Tobey recently joined the Crvena Zvezda team after a slightly extended break due to his participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The game against Maccabi was his first in the red and white jersey.
The towering center emphasized that he still needs some time to adapt to the working system of the Belgrade team. The Israelis defeated the red and white team after two overtimes with a score of 112-109.
“We will be a good team; I need to play better than I did in the first game, but I’m trying to learn the system, play better on defense, get better every day, and be ready when the season starts,” Tobey said for Meridian Sport.
Mike explained how much his participation in the FIBA World Cup meant to him and how it boosted his confidence.
“Yes, definitely. The World Cup is a great experience, the best competition in the world. It definitely gives me confidence, but I need to speed up my game and raise the level.“
He also talked to head coach Dusko Ivanovic about his role in the team in the upcoming season in the ABA League and EuroLeague.
“We talked about my role in the team; we’ve had several discussions about what he expects from me. He wants me to expand my game, both as a center and a power forward.“
In the national team, he’s teammates with Luka Doncic, who doesn’t hide his love for the red and white colors. The two of them spoke shortly before his arrival in Belgrade.
“We talked in Slovenia, and he told me I chose a better team than last season,” the American joked.
Tobey has mostly worn the number 10 jersey in his career, in honor of October 10th, his birthday. However, in Crvena zvezda, he opted for the number 18. He revealed the reason for the change.
“That’s the date when my daughter was born,” Mike Tobey concluded.