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Fenerbahce Beko head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius said winning the EuroLeague as a coach brought a sense of relief rather than pure celebration, contrasting it with his experience as a player.
Speaking during the EuroLeague Coaches Association Congress held in Athens this week, Jasikevicius said, “As a player, I partied much harder—I was much younger then.
Honestly, I had been waiting for this title for a long time, so it felt great. But the strange part was feeling more relief than joy. As a player, the sense of celebration was stronger.”
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The Lithuanian coach, currently on vacation in the Greek capital, also commented on the departures of key players from last season’s roster. “I saw on social media that Hayes-Davis, Guduric, and McCollum combined for 48% of our scoring last season. I guess I’ll have to call the GM and say, ‘We need new players,’” he joked.
Despite the changes, Jasikevicius downplayed concerns about the upcoming season.
“I don’t believe the job will be more difficult. Every season requires hard work. Right now, we’re clearly operating with a Plan C or D. That’s normal. After winning, opponents will be extra motivated to beat us. The players need to understand that.”
Reflecting on lessons learned from success, Jasikevicius said: “People often learn more from failure, and I agree. But if you're smart enough, you can also learn from success. If Fenerbahce or I become too satisfied, we’re done.”
Jasikevicius also confirmed that Jonas Valanciunas, reportedly set to join Panathinaikos, was en route to Athens.
“People seem to obsess over players. Just watch the tape. What I can say is that Jonas is a truly special person. After the title in Abu Dhabi, we spent the whole night together. He’ll be here in about two hours,” he added.
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