Ready for the big-time!

May 25, 2012

Hello everyone, this is Dusko Savanovic of Power Electronics Valencia and the Serbian national team! Since I am new to the Euroleague, I better introduce myself a bit before I start talking about the upcoming FIBA World Championships. I made my first-division debut with Zeleznik in my home country at age 15. That means that even though I am young - turning 27 on September 5 is still young, isn't it? - I have been a professional basketball player for more than a decade, something I am very proud of. The best is yet to come, though, because I consider it a challenge to face Europe's top clubs next season! I had a long career with Zeleznik and then two very good years with Unics in Kazan, Russia, which was a great experience. Then I moved to Seville for the beautiful Andalusian sun and the chance to play in the Spanish League. My first year with Cajasol wasn't a good one but it all changed last season. I had the best year of my life, playing really well, enjoying the atmosphere on the team and having a great time in Seville, where my first daughter, Andjela, was born.

If someone had told me a year ago I would be in the World Championships and the Euroleague before 2010 was over, I wouldn't have believed it. I didn't expect either to happen, but a great season with Cajasol under head coach Joan Plaza opened a lot of doors. He helped me a lot to become a better player. I fit really well into his basketball philosophy and he cared a lot about the human aspect of choosing good, competitive people. Cajasol put together a great team and we had the club's best season in a decade, making the Spanish League playoffs and qualifying directly to the Eurocup. After the season ended, good offers came my way from bigger European clubs. I accepted a two-year deal with Valencia for the chance to play in the Euroleague next season. It has been equally great to make the national team here in Turkey, where everything is possible. A lot of fans will follow the tournament and these games never go unnoticed. So, after many years of flying a bit under the radar, I am happy to be in two world-class competitions!

We had a really tough training camp, starting 10 to 15 days before anyone else. We practiced hard and ran in the Serbian mountains during those first two week. After that we played friendly games - well, some were more friendly than others - winning nine out of 11. We had plenty of time to get to know each other even better and I can say that the preparation was excellent. Even though we will be missing a couple key players, Milos Teodosic and Nenad Krstic, to start the tournament, we are in the right shape to play five games in six days of our preliminary round. Yes, that's right, five tough basketball games in six days! Our Group A, playing in Kayseri, lives up to it's name: three of our opponents are Angola, Argentina and Australia! It is a cliche, but we have to take one game at the time and, only after it's over, get ready for the next one. That's the right mentality, and if we stick to it, we will go really far.

I only took three or four days off in the last two months, in order to go to Valencia and arrange everything for me and my family to go there right after the World Championships. I looked for a flat, did all the medical tests and was introduced to the media as a new Power Electronics player.Funny enough, at the airport in Belgrade on the way to Valenica, I bumped into Boban Marjanovic, another Serbian player also going to meet his first Euroleague team! As you might know, Bobby joined CSKA Moscow over the summer, so he will be one of our opponents in the Euroleague regular season. It was quite a coincidence to see him going to Moscow just when I was going to Valencia, but I know I don't get much credit for noticing him in the airport. At 2.24 meters tall, it would be harder to miss Bobby at the airport than to notice him - unless, perhaps, he was standing behind the control tower. People throughout the terminal were looking at him all amazed! I wish him a very good season at CSKA - except when they play Power Electronics Valencia, of course.

To end this first blog, let me send a shout-out to all Valencia fans. Four of us - Victor Claver, Nando De Colo, Robertas Javtokas and I - are playing in the World Championships and I hope you support us from a distance! I want to see all of you soon, but not too soon. Playing the Euroleague means a lot to me and I really, really want to be part of it. I can't wait for that chance - but I hope to wait anyway, because that will mean Serbia will go really deep in the World Championships. Wish us luck in the first phase and I'll write again soon!

POSTED BY

DUSKO SAVANOVIC - TURKEY

DATE:

Friday, August 27, 2010