Toni Kukoc was a guest on the show “Vece s Ivanom Ivanovicem” where he talked about how he had a hunch about who could become a great coach.
The conversation revolved around Dusan “Duda” Ivkovic, as well as Zeljko Obradovic. Based on what they achieved in their careers, they belong to the very top of the Old Continent.
“We were all more or less children. It’s immediately noticeable, I can tell by the way someone talks about basketball whether they’ll become coaches. And Zoran Sretenovic, Duško Ivanovic, Velimir Perasovic, in the national team, Zeljko Obradovic. I didn’t know he would win nine EuroLeague titles, but you can tell by their behavior, conversation, and approach in training that they’re interested in it and that they care about all the little details.
Zeljko Obradovic had a notebook even as a player where he wrote down plays. I remember we were at Vlade Divac’s farewell in Prijepolje. We were on a train, having a little drink with cigarettes, socializing. And Dusan “Duda” Ivkovic and Zeljko Obradovic locked me in another cabin.
They asked me to explain the triangle offense of the Chicago Bulls. So for almost the entire journey, four to five hours, I talked about how the Bulls’ offense works. And then when you watch their games and recognize a part of it, I feel like I’m part of it, like I revealed the secret to them,” Toni Kukoc recounted.