Sasa Obradovic praises Mike James, compares him to Drazen Petrovic / News - Basketnews.com

Obradovic said he hadn't seen a harder working person since Drazen Petrovic and proclaimed James to be the most talented player in Europe.

Credit: Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Mike James is about to become the EuroLeague's all-time top scorer. His head coach at AS Monaco, Sasa Obradovic, has the highest praise for the player's work ethic and talent.

Mike James

MIN:31.67PTS:19.3 (53.25%)REB:4.44As:5.26ST:1.26BL:0TO:1.96GM:27ProfileEuroLeague2023/2024

In an interview with Blazo Komnenic from Meridian Sport, Obradovic proclaimed James to be the most talented player in Europe.

"I think that the record he will achieve should be heard even more along with the team's success. I hope he will be the MVP this season, but I also hope that individual success will be followed by team success. If he fails to connect those two things, he will be characterized as very good but not as the best ever," Obradovic said.

"There is no other person like him. Even in the technical-tactical sense, he is the best I've had the opportunity to see. I work with him every day, and I know what I'm talking about. I've played with the greatest players, and I can say that no one has had that level of talent combined with speed. The skill level he possesses is hard to come by. I don't think there is a player of such qualities in Europe," the coach said. "Shooting, offense, defense... He has everything."

Asked to name a couple of examples that would highlight James as a player and a person, Obradovic immediately mentioned his love for the game of basketball and his work ethic.

"We recently beat Barcelona, ​​the players got a day off, and Mike went to watch Juventut['s game vs. Rio Breogan in ACB]. He is so in love with basketball," Obradovic shared.

The Monaco coach even likened James' work ethic to that of the legendary shooting guard, the late Drazen Petrovic.

"This man is - just like Drazen Petrovic was - a workaholic. He works harder than others, and that's why he is who he is. Even the day before the game, he can get himself caught on a night out, but you won't notice it when he goes out on the court. You cannot find such a person. There are very few people like Mike," the coach said.

Points this season

46%81,1Points made:81,1Accuracy:46,0%Place in standings:10Record max:107Record min:59Best scorer:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Throughout the two seasons when Obradovic was the head coach of AS Monaco, there have been multiple reports about some disagreements between him and James, a situation that could possibly cause the star guard to leave the team.

Despite such reports, Obradovic says the two have had a good relationship from the very beginning.

"People tried to put me and Mike at odds, but our relationship was good from day one. We understand each other. Of course, the relationship was not always the best, which could be seen on the court in certain moments. The worst was against Barcelona last year. He was suspended for a while because of something that happened off the court. But those things also helped him," Obradovic said.

"I didn't have a magic wand, but those sanctions helped him accept that there are people around him, that he must have empathy for others," he continued. "There is a constant thought that the success of the team depends only on him, but he's balanced things over time and shared the responsibility with other players. It is very important for him."

With James being one of the best players in the EuroLeague and a perennial MVP candidate, it is understandable that he might have a healthy level of egoism, Obradovic says.

"No matter how it looks from the outside, our cooperation is excellent. Great players simply have to have a [healthy] dose of narcissism and egoism. That's why they make a difference. It is not easy for such a player to accept you, just as it is not easy to be his coach. James understands basketball at a high level, so it is necessary to have great knowledge. You have to be very knowledgeable because it is almost impossible to sell him uncertainties," Obradovic said.

"He's a smart guy," the coach continued. "He is a reactionary guy, and it's probably the key to him not doing more in the NBA. Manucar Markoishvili, my assistant, is in charge of him in terms of conversations and individual work. Of course, I come as someone above whom Mike accepts and understands as a man to listen to. In the beginning, it was very difficult. It took time to convince him of some things, but we've created a good atmosphere and trust over time."

The EuroLeague has prepared a series of possible scenarios of what will happen when James finally breaks the tournament's all-time scoring record. Monaco's upcoming game comes against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. James needs 12 points to surpass Vassilis Spanoulis.

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