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Aleksandar Dzikic,
Head Coach
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Coach, tell us about your team's roster for the next Euroleague season, what changes you made and what improvements you expect to gain from those decisions?
"Basically, We have a brand new roster this season, with literally just three experienced guys: Milic, Ilievski and Hukic. Everyone else is young and has not experienced any ULEB competition, let alone the Euroleague. So it's a brand new team, and the reason for doing that is that we don't want to change next season. We believe we have the pieces to keep for a few years and that would be helpful for our project, the goal of which is to reanimate Olimpija and put this club on the Euroleague map again. But, as I said, we are very young, without experience. We have talent, so what we need to go with it is work and patience. Our three leaders will work hard, and are good guys on and off the court, setting a good example for the young guys. It's a good mix of youth and experience, but again, we are aware of our capabilities."
How much can you learn from the preseason about your team? What signs do you look for now that will help when the Euroleague starts?
"We've had the same kinds of problems as most Euroleague teams, trying to work with an incomplete roster because the national players are not with us. In our case, some projected starters we will have for the first time at practice on September 23. That's 10 days before the start of our domestic competition and four weeks before the Euroleague starts. It's a problem, but the guys we have had here practicing so far are proving what we believe they can bring to our team. First of all, they are hard workers who are eager and want to prove themselves. We will have problems with bigger and more-experienced teams than ours, but again, we believe these guys, if they come together and work hard, can achieve a lot of things."
Now that all the other teams have mostly completed their rosters, how does the competition in the Euroleague this season look like to you?
"It's pretty obvious that the Euroleague competition is getting bigger and bigger, going up higher and higher from season to season. Every year it's better and better, with more quality players joining together on all teams. This season, we've seen some guys coming back from the NBA and other top-level guys in Europe will be counted on to get their teams all the way to the end, the Final Four. It's a very good competition, like never before in my opinion. And to be honest, it's not the end yet. Some rosters aren't complete, and some good players will come in next couple weeks."
What are your goals going into the new Euroleague season?
"For us, we just want to track where we are in the Euroleague competition, meaning that we have a project to consider, and we'll work hard as any team to advance to the second round. We know it will be difficult and we will need luck. But our goal is that: the second round. It would be great for us this season, because of our lack of experience, to get that far. We have a short season, and I am not sure surprises and upsets can be done every year. I don't believe in miracles, but I would like to experience a couple. I am down-to-earth and realistic, and for us, we have a tough group. We weren't lucky. I am not complaining. That's the way things are. We will compete. I would like to see us performing well in each and every game, giving 100 percent. Sometimes that will be enough for a good result, sometimes maybe not. But we want that 100-percent level of play."
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 Slovenian powerhouse Union Olimpija heads into the 2008-09 Euroleague trying to make this a season to remember. Olimpija returned to domestic glory last season by winning both the Slovenian League and Cup titles. Now, head coach Aleksandar Dzikic is back with the core players from that team plus a handful of promising newcomers who will aim to push Olimpija through to the Top 16 for the first time in four years. The top two scorers and rebounders, team captain Marko Milic and fellow veteran Jasmin Hukic, return from last year's side to provide leadership in addition to consistent play at the forward spots. The backcourt will see a pair of familiar faces as Vlado Ilievski returns to the club he last played for in 2003, while Saso Ozbolt looks to come back from injuries that have sidelined him for much of the last three seasons. Meanwhile Jaka Klobucar, Damjan Rudez and Jonathan Wallace are just three of the many young talents that Dzikic hopes to develop quickly in order to keep his team on the rise.
| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Damjan Rudez |
F
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2.04
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| Jaka Klobucar |
G
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1.98
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| Dejan Radojevic |
C
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2.09
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| Marko Milic |
G
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1.99
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| Jasmin Hukic |
F
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2.02
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| Mirza Begic |
C
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2.20
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| Mirza Sarajlija |
G
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1.85
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| Jonathan Wallace |
G
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1.88
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| Miha Zupan |
C
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2.04
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| Saso Ozbolt |
G
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1.91
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| Matic Sirnik |
F
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1.97
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| Vladimir Golubovic |
C
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2.10
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| Vlado Ilievski |
G
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1.88
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| Head Coach: Aleksandar Dzikic |
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Ilievski will be the cornerstone of the backcourt as a seasoned playmaker, who will serve as a leader on and off the court. Ilievski is not only in the prime of his career and coming off his first appearance in a Final Four, but can also mentor Wallace and teenage prospect Mirza Sarajlija. Wallace, who is coming to Europe for the first time, will be a big boost for the team if he can adapt his shooting abilities to the team system. Ozbolt, who begins his eighth season with the club, showed flashes of the ability that made him a rising star at the beginning of the decade when he returned to action at the end of last season. A full recovery for Ozbolt could be the key to the team's success. Klobucar was one of the team's most important off-season signings. His combination of shooting range, court vision and determination make him a rising star to keep an eye on.
Team captain Milic anchors the frontcourt with his explosiveness and passion. A true leader that will do whatever it takes to help his team win, Milic can be counted on to make his presence felt in every situation.  Hukic complimented him perfectly last season with his game smarts, outside shooting and solid rebounding. Rudez, who represented Croatia at the recent Olympic Games, is another blossoming prospect with great size and fantastic shooting ability. In the paint, Olimpija boasts three players that each offer their own unique skills set. At 2.20 meters, Mirza Begic is an intimidating shot-blocker. Miha Zupan is especially active on the offensive glass, but can also hit from outside. And Vladimir Golubovic is top-notch rebounder looking to showcase his ability at the highest levels after leading the Adriatic League in that category last season. Teenager Dejan Radojevic provides extra depth in the post.
Hopes are high in Ljubljana that this Olimpija squad will become an exciting, winning team. In building the roster, management has managed to combine veterans in their prime with rising stars, getting depth on both the perimeter and in the paint, and keeping together players that are already familiar with one another and the club. The question marks are several – Ozbolt's health and the ability of Klobucar, Ruez and Wallace to step up a level are just a few – but what is certain is that if Dzikic can bring his crew together, Olimpija can thrive in a shorter regular season, especially considering its reputation as a giant-killer. Good times are never far away for basketball fans in Ljubljana.
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