Mikko Riipinen, head coach of CSM Oradea and the Sweden national team, spoke exclusively to Basketball Sphere.
One of the brightest young coaching minds in European basketball has built his career through patience, consistency, and winning. After spending years developing Norrkoping Dolphins into the dominant force in Swedish basketball, Riipinen established himself as one of the most respected coaches in Scandinavia before taking on new challenges in Germany and, most recently, Romania.
His coaching journey has already been filled with remarkable achievements. Four consecutive Swedish championships, two Swedish Cups, and leading Sweden back to EuroBasket after a 12-year absence have earned him recognition well beyond his home country.
In this exclusive interview, Mikko Riipinen openly discussed his basketball philosophy, his experiences in different leagues across Europe, the challenges of coaching both a club and a national team, and his ambitions with CSM Oradea ahead of the new season.
When did you start playing basketball and how do you look back on yourself as a player now?
“I was 12 when I started playing basketball, so I actually started quite late.
My career as a player was really modest. I reached a decent level, but I was never the best player on my team. However, it gave me a lot that later helped me become a coach. I was fortunate to be part of good environments and experience tough competitions. For example, I was on the bench when we played against Turk Telekom Ankara a long time ago. Being around those kinds of games helped me a lot, but I was never a special player.”
So, you were always interested in the tactical side of the game and had already decided you wanted to become a coach. Is that correct?
“Yeah, that’s true. The tactical side was definitely something that interested me, but also the leadership aspect – how to bring a group together, get everyone moving in the same direction, and create a shared mindset. That has always fascinated me.”
Is the hardest part of being a coach leading people from different countries and backgrounds?
“I think every team and every group presents different challenges. That’s probably the hardest part of being a coach. There are so many different areas you need to work on, take care of, manage, control, and continuously develop yourself in. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with good people who can help you in those areas.”
What are the biggest differences between coaching a club team and a national team?
“The biggest difference is time. With a national team, you have very little time. Players come from different clubs, different systems, and different roles. In a very short period, you have to turn them into one team. It’s a short process, but one filled with emotions, and that’s probably the biggest challenge.
At club level, you’re working within a much longer process. Of course, it’s still not unlimited time, but you have more opportunities to build your style of play and develop a level of performance that can be sustained throughout an entire season. You also have much more time to make adjustments.”
You’re coaching both a club team and a national team. How difficult is it to balance those responsibilities?
“It’s demanding, of course. Being able to do both is something I’m very proud of, and I give everything I have to both jobs. It requires a lot of organization. Personally, I’m a very organized person, and I plan my time very carefully.
Secondly, it’s important to work for both a club and a national team that support this arrangement. I’m very proud to be part of the Swedish national team because there are so many great people around me who support my journey.
The same goes for my club. I’m very proud to be part of CSM Oradea. As long as both sides see this as something beneficial, it helps me do the best possible job because I truly believe it benefits everyone involved.”
Let’s talk about the national team. EuroBasket 2025 was an impressive tournament for Sweden. In the Round of 16, Turkey struggled at times against your defensive strategy, especially regarding Alperen Sengun and the way Sweden attacked the paint. Sweden came very close to advancing, but Turkey eventually won. What was the main strategy against that Turkish team?
“First of all, it’s a game that still brings back a lot of memories. We’re very proud of the performance we had. I really appreciated how many Turkish people reached out to congratulate both me and our team afterward.
At the same time, we genuinely felt we had a chance to advance. We knew it would be difficult, but we believed we could do it.
I have really good assistant coaches, and we spent a lot of time discussing how to defend Alperen Sengun. We knew we would have to send help sooner or later. The key was organizing when and from where we wanted to help, making sure our best help defenders were in the right positions and forcing him to play against multiple defenders. Of course, that also meant taking certain risks against other players.
At the same time, we know that in knockout games, teams usually shorten their rotations, so the star players naturally have a greater impact on the game.
Sengun is an outstanding player. He adjusted throughout the game and still managed to make a huge impact for Turkey. Their other players also stepped up because they’re smart and experienced.
Our main focus was on when and where to send help from our best defenders, while being willing to live with certain risks, especially regarding their shooters and their center. Since we hadn’t seen many teams defend Turkey in that particular way, we thought it could surprise them. It certainly gave us an advantage during our preparation despite the limited time.”
Before the upcoming FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, what is a realistic goal for the Swedish national team?
“Our journey now is about raising the standard of what’s realistic for Swedish basketball. Every year, our players and our fans expect more from us.
At the same time, we know we’re in a very difficult group, facing three excellent teams while also carrying over our record from the previous qualification phase.
We know it’s going to be tough, but we also know there’s a chance. We’ll do everything we can to give ourselves an opportunity to take advantage of every chance we get. It won’t be easy, but we’re humble enough to understand that while also being confident enough to give everything we have.”
After those games, you’ll begin a new season with CSM Oradea. How do you feel about the upcoming season?
“It’s a club that has done so many good things over the years and has continued to grow. The infrastructure in Oradea is outstanding, and they’ve built a genuine winning culture.
Many things are already in place, and now our goal is to see if we can take the next step. As every organization grows, each additional step becomes even more difficult.
We have both short-term and long-term goals. Long term, we want to establish ourselves as a consistent team in European competitions. That starts this season by having a strong campaign in Europe and making people notice who we are.
In the short term, we want to build an identity and a style of play that truly represents us, so our fans and the people of Oradea can feel that this team reflects them. We’ve already started building that during our preparations for the new season.”
How do you see basketball evolving? Traditional positions aren’t as clearly defined anymore, and teams that defend aggressively while pushing the pace seem to be setting the trend in European basketball. What is your coaching philosophy regarding these changes?
“Personally, I really enjoy that style of basketball. It’s how I’ve built my own basketball philosophy, and it’s also the kind of basketball I like to watch.
That said, it doesn’t really matter what you personally prefer. You have to adapt to the environment you’re working in.
The game is becoming faster, and you first have to understand why it’s becoming faster and why teams want to push the pace and apply more pressure.
Once you understand the reasons behind those trends, you can decide how you want to approach that style of play because there are many different ways to do it, both offensively and defensively.
As long as you understand the purpose behind the style of play and why you’re doing it, you can adapt those ideas in different ways.
For me, everything starts with analyzing why the game looks the way it does today and understanding why everyone wants to play faster. From there, I build my own philosophy.”
Last but not least, what is your biggest coaching dream? Winning the EuroLeague? Coaching in the NBA?
“I don’t think dreams are supposed to have limits.
Of course, I dream about coaching in the EuroLeague or the NBA. But honestly, if I could win a medal or a trophy with the Swedish national team, that would be something truly incredible.
Representing your country is something not many people get the opportunity to do, and it’s something I’m extremely proud of.
If we could one day win EuroBasket or qualify for the Olympic Games, that would be unbelievable for me.
On a personal level, of course I’d love to coach in the EuroLeague or the NBA. I know how difficult it is to reach that level, but who says I can’t dream? So yes, I have big dreams.”
