We’ve been in Antalya for Euroleague HEad Coaches Board and we had the chance to talk with some of them. One of the most interesting interview was with Erdem Can, the new head coach of Anadolu Efes, talking about his career, Obradovic, Snyder, his experience as head coach and new challenges.
After so many years at Fener as an assistant, are you ready to coach the new wave of your former city rival Anadolu Efes? What motivates you the most starting this new experience?
First of all, without motivation it’s impossibile to do anything. My biggest motivation is basketball itself. I love basketball, I love being in basketball, I love thinking basketball, I love studying basketball. I love to be in a big challenge like Euroleague, the greatest one in Europe. That’s a top challenge from different perspectives but that’s basketball!
What do you bring the most with you from Utah’s experience in Quin Snyder’s staff to perform better as a head coach for your first time in EuroLeague? Last year you did so well in EC with Turk Telekom…
I built quite totally my offensive structure and principles after having a year in Utah. Thanks to all experiences I had in Europe with other coaches, starting with Mr Zeljko Obradovic, I was able to combine these two mindsets and I buildt my own basketball structure. Jazz year taught me especially the up tempo game: distinct principal, right spaces, running the floor, using the court in the right way to attack early. In NBA game is very versatile: over there I had the opportunity to observe it and create my offensive and defensive ideas.
Last year one of your most important guys was Jerian Grant. We know him very well ‘cause he played in Milan, but do you think he’ll have another shot in his career in EuroLeague basketball? First impact with EL’s level was so tough for Jerian but with Turk Telekom he showed all his abilities…
He’s unbelievably capable. First, he’s a great person, incredible hard-worker and pro’. He’s a family-guy, he thinks only about basketball! I really liked to have all these guys last year, I could talk about so many things but with Jerian I was so pleased to have met with him. Under different perspectives he helped me a lot. Jerian definitely deserves to be at EuroLeague level, to take that challenge one more time. He’s capable of so many things on the court. I told him, for sure he has to see he doesn’t need to play 30-35 minutes per game. Because of roster’s situation last year he overplayed, we used him more than we supposed to. He’s gonna get that chance and it’ll be successful.
One of other guys you probably liked the most is Tyrique Jones: you brought with you in Anadolu… In Italy we also know very well him and Derek Willis ‘cause they played in LBA (Jones in Pesaro, Willis in Brindisi and Venezia, ndr). What do you like the most of people who lived in Italy and performed in Italian League? Can we say Italy helps to create not only and first basketball players but also and especially human beings?
We need to remember that scout started with Italy! Bringing players from NBA and scouting them started with Italian basketball, I respect a lot the mindset over there, professionalism, ability of coaches is great. There’s a great culture in Italy, it’s so nice to live there. Basketball, culture, art… there’s all over there! Italy is a country you have pleasure to live in, so a basketball player is able to play better. Milano and Bologna are starting to recreate great teams, it’s a matter of trying to find right pieces for those teams. Being in Italy, under several points, is great.
