Austin Hollins on not making the NBA: 'I don't feel like I've missed out on anything' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Srdjan Stevanovic/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Srdjan Stevanovic/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Austin Hollins was one of the reasons Crvena Zvezda Belgrade won the triple-crown, lifting the Adriatic League, the Serbian Cup and the Serbian League - all in just a few months.

2-pointers this season

53%20,5Points made:20,5Accuracy:53,3%Place in standings:3Record max:27Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Ante ZizicTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

The guard-forward from Arizona, who recently left Belgrade to return to his home country, will be playing for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv next season. After his deal with the Israeli powerhouse was announced, Hollins spoke to Mozzart Sport about the 2021-22 campaign with Red Star, his teammates, coach Dejan Radonjic, his father Lionel and the way he now views the NBA.

"Coach Radonjic called me at the end of the summer. I knew him from Bayern Munich, we played against his team in the German playoffs while I was in Rasta Vechta," Hollins recalled.

"He wants to bring guys with good character, create a chemistry and make a compact team. I loved his vision and immediately called Billy Baron and KC Rivers. I spoke with Jordan Loyd, tried to get more opinions. I decided to come, because I thought it was the best next step for my career and I've no regrets. I had a great experience", the 29-year-old said.

Baron, Rivers and Loyd were full of praise for Zvezda and the city.

"They told me nice things about Belgrade, Red star, the culture. Mostly about how they liked the city, but also about the fans, how crazy they are. You can't understand it until you experience it. When I told them I received the offer, they told me that I won't regret it. I felt like home and it was great. The fans were fantastic, I hadn't met anything like that in my career."

Winning is something that Hollins had the chance to do - and it did make a difference for him.

"Here I won my first title in Europe. In Germany and Finland, I played semi-finals, in the VTB, we lost in the second round to CSKA. I realized that good things happen if you work hard and believe in the process".

Austin Hollins

MIN:20.66PTS:8.11 (47.01%)REB:1.89As:1ST:1.04BL:0.11TO:0.96GM:28ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

The ABA League finals are the games deepest embedded in Hollin's memory.

"So much happened... I've never been part of a game that lasts five hours. We came to the gym at 18:00, left at 01:00 in the morning. It was exhausting, hot. Tactics almost wasn't important, but who wants it more. We did it and it was a great feeling, even though there weren't fans in the stands".

Crvena Zvezda also had the chance to make the EuroLeague playoffs, after the three Russian teams (CSKA, UNICS Kazan, Zenit Saint Petersburg) were ousted from the competition. But, eventually, the Serbian side came up short, although it had come close to achieving an almost impossible feat.

"We played very well. We were all healthy, and then Branko Lazic hurt in the worst possible moment. In the end I'm extremely happy and proud of how we fought and tried to get to a place among the TOP 8."

Dejan Radonjic is a coach who fosters the "hard defense-transition offense" motto, encouraging his players to press the ball and get steals. Hollins is a player accustomed to that type of game and the Montenegrin tactician sure fit his style.

"We had a good relationship. If there was a problem, or we had to talk about something, he would tell me directly. We had each other's back. I knew what was expected of me and the team. Every team needs a player who can keep things calm and under control".

Right now, Hollins is preparing for his next step. The 2022-23 season will find him in Tel Aviv, after he signed a two-year contract (1+1) with Maccabi.

"In the USA, we know little about European basketball. We know about Real Madrid and Barcelona because they're not just big teams, but also world-renowned brands, but I remember that I heard good things about Maccabi.

The first time in high school, because Jeremy Pargo played for them. When I was starting out in the weaker European leagues, it didn't make much sense to me. When I came to the EuroLeague, everything fell into place. Maccabi is one of the teams that I eventually started to like and for whom I want to play," he stresses.

Maccabi are coming off their worst season in the last 29 years and decided to turn a new page. They have already signed nine new players, mostly Americans. Oded Kattash took over, while David Blatt returned.

"They told me that they want the good guys on the team, same as here. I'm sure we'll get along just fine. I played with Alex Poythress in Zenit and against Darrun Hilliard while he was in CSKA. I believe they're bringing in the right players and that we will go in the right direction."

It's rare that an American player in Europe reaches the status of a top defender, but Hollins' fame as a lockdown guy started while in college.

"I'm proud of it and it's kind of fun to shut down the best player on the opponent team," he comments.

Clearly, the biggest influence on his career has been his father Lionel, a former NBA champion (1977). Lionel Hollins, now 68, played in Portland (with whom he won a ring), Philadelphia, San Diego Clippers, Detroit and Houston. He was a two-time All-Defensive First Team selection and his jersey ended up hanging from the rafters at Portland.

As an assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Lionel once again became NBA champion in 2020.

"My father told me, since he was defensive-oriented as a player and now as a coach, that I have to play defense. To influence the game in some other way, don't just reach for points.

For some guys it's just enough to help the team and be good teammates. I tried to adjust to what the team wants from me. Sometimes it's scoring, sometimes the defense. You need to accept different roles because not every team needs the same. It is necessary that you have more options, be versatile. At the end of the day, I love to play defense," Austin Hollins says.

Since the dream of all American players is to make the NBA, it goes without saying that Maccabi's new swingman would like to play there. His ambition didn't materialize, but Hollins is perfectly fine with that.

"I've seen a lot of examples of guys who go for this dream. My father told me one thing that I always remember: If you're good enough, they'll find you - no matter where you are. Especially nowadays with social media, scouts in every corner of the world," Hollins contends.

"If you're good enough, the Development league can help, but chances are slim. As a child I dreamed of going to the NBA, but after playing in Europe, I don't feel bad I haven't tried. I don't doubt that I would enjoy and that it would be a big achievement, but I don't think I've missed out on anything," he points out.

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