Pero Antic compares Ivkovic and Obradovic, praises both / News - Basketnews.com

Former player Pero Antic gave an interview where he talked about Dusan Ivkovic and Zeljko Obradovic, praising both men.

Credit: BasketNews.lt/V.Mikaitis Credit BasketNews.lt/V.Mikaitis

In a lengthy career, Pero Antic had the chance to work with many talented coaches. Most notably, he worked with Dusan Ivkovic in Olympiacos Piraeus in 2011-2013 and with Zeljko Obradovic in Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in 2015-2917.

Pero Antic

Position:PF, CAge:41Height:210 cmWeight:118 kgBirth place:Skopje, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)ProfileNewsStatistics

Speaking to the TV show Ferplej so Jana, the retired player talked about the two coaches and how they compared to one another, with a special emphasis on Obradovic.

"I had the chance to prove myself at EuroBasket 2011, and then Dusan Ivkovic, one of the greatest coaches in basketball history, called me to the team [Olympiacos]. Ivkovic is more of a motivator, Obradovic is more of a thinker," said Antic.

"He has nine EuroLeague titles, yet he stays up until three in the morning watching and studying the NBA. When he comes to practice, he tells his players what he has found," the Macedonian big man said about Obradovic. "He has certain principles and superstitions."

"For 22 hours, he is your best friend, the other two hours, he sucks out your soul," Antic said with a hint of irony. "If he says 'this is wood,' you have to say 'this is wood.' If he says, 'this is iron,' you have to say, 'iron.' If you don't, you will run 80 laps, and then we will see if you can say it again," the player stated, emphasizing Obradovic's methods.

"When you were working with him, you could go against him, but at the end of the day, you were the loser. He teaches his players discipline, everything."

Pero Antic was part of the Fenerbahce roster that won the EuroLeague in the 2016-17 season. While he had numerous injury problems and had a small impact on the championship, he averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist in the 2015-16 Final Four, in which they were ultimately defeated in the championship game.

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