Ataman responds to Saras accusations: 'If he proves it, I'll resign' / News - Basketnews.com

Ergin Ataman wants Sarunas Jasikevicius to apologize for his remarks after the game, saying that if the Lithuanian cannot prove, he should resign from one of his positions.

Credit: KKF Scanpix Baltics, Reuters-Scanpix Credit KKF Scanpix Baltics, Reuters-Scanpix

After the match between FC Barcelona and Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Barca's head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius came to his opponent's assistant coach Tomislav Mijatovic and got involved in an altercation.

Player of the Game EFF 36 Vasilije Micic Points 22 Accuracy 6-11 Rebounds 3 Assists 5

According to BasketNews sources, the Lithuanian specialist accused the Turkish team of filming their practice sessions. "Good f****** camera," Jasikevicius allegedly told one of the Efes coaching staff members.

Efes head coach Ergin Ataman was furious about the episode in the post-game press conference.

"You know, Saras recently made a joke in his statement, 'I'm going to call Ergin Ataman to ask about Larkin's situation'. He didn't call last night but I'm waiting for an apology call from him this evening," Ataman started off. "After shaking hands with him after the game, he walked up to my assistant coaches and made a very heavy accusation that we filmed their practices on camera."

Earlier in the week, Jasikevicius joked about calling Ataman to find out about Shane Larkin's availability after the Turkish coach did not allow Vasilije Micic to join the Serbian national team when it played against Ataman-coached Turkey.

"He's a good friend of mine. I invite Saras to prove this. We haven't done such a thing even for a single day in our four-five years of service here at Efes, and we never will," Ataman fumed.

"If Saras calls me, I will say 'Saras, prove it. If you can prove this, I will resign today as the head coach of this team. But if you don't prove it, if you really can't prove it, then either you apologize for your behavior towards my assistant coaches or you resign for making such an address, or resign from the Euroleague coaches association'."

Alongside Ataman, Jasikevicius is a member of the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board.

"This is a very harsh accusation. Let this be a message to Saras," the coach told. "This behavior doesn't suit him at all. But if you (journalists) write headlines and say ' Ergin Ataman created tension again' that's up to you."

Earlier in the day, Jasikevicius sent Nikola Kalinic to the locker room for disrespecting the team.

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