Difference Between Zeljko & Saras and Partizan's Road to Success (URBONUS with Zach LeDay) / News - Basketnews.com

Zach LeDay shook up the European basketball world, moving from the EuroLeague Final Four team, AX Armani Exchange Milan, to EuroCup powerhouse Partizan Belgrade last summer. But it's never a step back when you join Zeljko Obradovic, and a 27-year-old big man embraces his new experience in Belgrade.

Zach LeDay

MIN:28.35PTS:12.92 (60.65%)REB:5.15As:1.38ST:0.69BL:0.46TO:1.38GM:13ProfileEuroCup2021/2022

It took almost an hour for Partizan players to reach their locker room in Nis Sports Hall after the final whistle of the Serbian Cup final.

Fans of both teams were chanting for their players without taking a breath until police escorted the Partizan supporters out of the gym to let Crvena Zvezda enjoy their title celebration alone.

Zeljko Obradovic had plenty of time to think about another lesson for himself and his promising group.

Unfortunately for Partizan fans, it was a one-way final. Crvena Zvezda won the Serbian Cup title named after Radivoje Korac 85-68 and beat Partizan for the second time this year.

"He said that we just got more work to do," Zach LeDay recalled Zeljko's words in the locker room. "He said that with his best teams, there weren't moments where he hasn't had to struggle with his team to accomplish titles and big goals that we set. And so we just have to focus and keep going."

"We have a young team, and they have an experienced team with a lot of older guys. So we just have to keep on going every day and keep on focusing every day. Just staying focused on the main goal and just taking it day by day," LeDay added.

Maybe some parts of that Zeljko's speech will end up in his notebook.

Zach LeDay was always one of the most fun to watch EuroLeague and EuroCup players. But take a look at him when Partizan's big man sits on the bench.

After he got famous for his backpack, which he brings everywhere he goes, including shopping mall, practice, or games, now during the game, LeDay tends to open his notebook full of inspiring quotes or tips on how to play against specific players and teams.

Free throws this season

81%17,6Points made:17,6Accuracy:80,6%Place in standings:3Record max:24Record min:11Most made FTs:Kevin PunterTeamEuroCupStatisticsSchedule

It's been the fifth LeDay's season in Europe, but he had the privilege to play under such coaches like David Blatt, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Ettore Messina, and now, Zeljko Obradovic.

"It's crazy that you say that because people also tell me that. But I'm just living in the moment and trying to be where my feet are," LeDay said.

"It just makes me go back to my first year when I was in Israel with coach Ariel Beit-Halamy. He just wanted to play fast, and it was perfect for me."

"And then when I got to Blatt, I had to learn. Okay, like, I can't just play fast all the time. I'm on the highest level, so I have to be able to see the game, and I have to slow down to see plays for myself. Blatt took me to this highest level, and I'm appreciative of that."

"When I got to Saras, it was all about thinking about the game. Because of the team that we had, we couldn't just play fast at the time. We had to play smart. We had to run plays and situations and different things like that. So Saras was really big on teaching me how to think the game and see the game, how he sees it, basically as one of the best point guards ever to play in Europe."

"When I got to Messina, he just came back from the NBA recently, and we had all the high pedigree players. Everyone was coming together, so we all respected each other. We had a great group, and everyone was mature about it. We went about our ways, and we held each other accountable. It was great to be able to learn championship pedigree, how to win at a high level."

"We almost won everything. Even when losing, I learned how to regroup after big losses and come back to the next game."

"Today, coach Zeljko is all just coming under the full circle. It really reminds me of my experience with Saras a lot. Just obviously Zeljko is the originator kind of Saras because he played for him, and he looks to him for so much."

"So I'm really just blessed, man. I just learn and take everything day by day. I'm just continuing to try to get better, to be the best teammate, the best person I could be to help the team win titles and hold myself accountable. To give my all sweat and tears to the team."

Partizan has six players age 21 or under on its EuroCup roster. LeDay was learning from players like Vassilis Spanoulis, Kyle Hines, or Paulius Jankunas, but it's his turn to lead his group.

He does best by leading by example in his effort, either leaving the gym last or giving his best on the court.

One of his hustle plays was highly applauded by Zeljko recently when he jumped on the scorers' table trying to save the ball even though Partizan were up by 34.

Now he also has to be more vocal, like during one of the timeouts during the Radivoje Korac Cup final, when he tried to inspire his team to make a last run for the title.

It will be a tough road for him and his historical club to reach the highest goals, which were set as soon as Zeljko stepped his foot into Partizan's office.

But LeDay is embracing this chapter of his career.

"I'm blessed that the coach chose us (LeDay and Kevin Punter) to be here with our winning pedigree and what we've been able to achieve at this moment," LeDay said.

"And we just have to continue to be as leaders, stay locked in, keep our belief systems high and realize what we're doing. We have a lot of guys that don't have the experience, so it's on us to take our experience and try to help them to get to a point where they feel comfortable," he added.

"It's really just keeping everybody involved, keeping everybody in the loop, and just realizing that it's going to be all of us. It will take the whole group and all the fans that come and support us as well. It's going to take all of us to achieve the goals that we want," LeDay concluded.

We invite you to watch or listen to an entire conversation with Zach LeDay, where he explains the main difference between Zeljko Obradovic and Sarunas Jasikevicius, shares his experience learning from Vassilis Spanoulis or Malcolm Delaney, and discuss big expectations around Partizan's project.

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