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Bostjan Nachbar, Dynamo Moscow
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 Among the many marquee signings in European club basketball lately, one who has not only lived up to expectations, but surpassed them, has to be Bostjan Nachbar of Dynamo Moscow. Nachbar not only paced Dynamo to the only perfect 6-0 record in the Last 16, but left no doubt about having the versatility, talent and determination to take the team even higher at the upcoming Final Eight in Turin, Italy starting April 2. Nachbar has led the entire Eurocup in free throws made and fouls drawn this season while averaging 16.2 points on 90.3% free-throw shooting, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists so far, too. Nachbar, who played the 2002 Final Four with Benetton Basket and returned to Europe this season after six years in the NBA, says he can see in the Eurocup the incredible evolution of continental basketball. "You have teams that, if you look at the rosters, you see they could easily compete in the Euroleague," Nachbar told Eurocupbasketball.com. "That is the biggest difference. The group of good teams got deeper and this competition got much better."
Hello, Bostjan. First, congratulations for reaching the Final Eight. How has been the season for you and Dynamo so far?
"Thank you. It has been a pretty successful season - so far. We have achieved all the goals that we set before the start of the season, qualifying to the Final Eight and doing well in the Russian championship. The season is looking pretty good so far, but of course, it is not over yet. The most important games are still coming up and those ones will decide whether this season, as a whole, is going to be successful or not."
You are ready now to face Hemofarm Stada, a classic team in Europe's second competition. What do you think about the opponent and what do you have to do to beat them?
"We know that Hemofarm is a pretty good team. Their core of players have been together for a while and they come from one of the most successful countries in basketball history, Serbia. That information tells us that Hemofarm is a team that knows how to play basketball and had a tough season behind them already, playing the Adriatic League and the Eurocup. Everybody's goals are the same when you go to a Final Eight. Everybody wants to win the first game and be in a great position to win the whole thing. We will try to do our best. As a team, we didn't talk about Hemofarm yet, we still have some tough games coming up in the Russian championship, but as a player, you already look forward to the first Final Eight game, an extremely important one for us."
This season marks your return to European club competitions since 2002. How do you see the evolution of European club basketball? Is the Eurocup just what you expected or was it even stronger?
"It is a known fact that European basketball has made huge progress in the last five to 10 years. You can see more teams with big rosters now than six or seven years ago when I played for Benetton. That also transfers into Eurocup, where of course you have teams that, if you look at the rosters, you see they could easily compete in the Euroleague. I don't think that was the case six or seven years ago. You had Euroleague teams that belonged to that level - and that was it. Right now, you see teams like Dynamo, Khimki or Benetton that could be there. Even teams like Unics, which didn't make the Final Eight, could belong on the Euroleague level. That is the biggest difference. The group of good teams got deeper and this competition got much better."
 You are one of the most versatile players in the competition, able to play anywhere from the two position - shooting guard - to the four - power forward. Where does that versatility come from and which is your natural position on court?
"Well, my natural position has always been the three - small forward. Even with that, in pretty much every stage of my career and every team that I was with, I played in multiple positions. Whether it was in Slovenia, later in Benetton, in the NBA or even now, for every team and every coach I played anywhere from two to three to four. I think that is one of the strengths that I like to use, which is being really unpredictable. I can play three for five minutes, then change and play guard and the next minute I can be at the four. The opposing team or coach doesn't know what to expect when I am on court and I like to change it up. It is a good thing that I can use to help my team."
When you left Europe earlier this decade, it was following a Final Four appearance with Benetton. What do you remember about that breakout season for you?
"I remember it as a great season. I think it was one of the best seasons in my career, not only because we won the Italian championship, the Italian Supercup and went to the Euroleague Final Four, but also because we had a great team, full of great guys and an excellent coach, Mike D'Antoni. Maurizio Gherardini was the GM, and he helped me a lot early in my career. I have amazing memories from living in Treviso. I still have some friends there and it is like my second home. Obviously, I had to prove myself, but on the other hand, the team and its management gave me the chance to prove that. I will forever be thankful for that."
At the time you went to Benetton, the club was maybe at the height of its reputation for developing young talent. What did your two years in Benetton do for you as a player?
"Mostly, I was able to play at the highest level. I am not going to lie and say that I learned a lot of new things in Benetton, although I did work a lot individually on my body strength and technique, but I have to give credit also to the coaches in Slovenia, who taught me a lot of basketball skills. Once I got to Benetton, back then one of the top three of four teams in Europe, I was just looking for a chance to play at the highest possible level in Europe. I received that chance and took advantage of it. That is why I think that going to Benetton and playing there was one of the best decisions of my career. That's why I say that I will always be thankful to Benetton for giving me that opportunity."
Dynamo reached the Final Eight semifinals last season and won the ULEB Cup in 2006. Can the team use that experience to go all the way again?
"A lot of players here talk to me and tell me how the season is looking and what to expect. I am kind of lucky in that way, because I have a lot of players who already have been in the Eurocup and went very far. It is easier to adapt if you have teammates like that. Every season is a new beginning and this time we have a bunch of new players, as well as a new coach. The team is kind of new and took us some time to adjust to each other and start playing at the highest level. As a team, we are getting in great shape at the most important time in the season, before the Final Eight and the Russian League playoffs. I hope that everybody stays healthy and that we can go to the Final Eight atfull strength."
Coach David Blatt has made the team play up-tempo and Dynamo averaged 82 points per game so far. Do you think that coach Blatt's basketball pilosophy fits your style?
 "Definitely. I keep repeating, when journalists asked why I chose Dynamo before so many European teams, that I was looking for a team with high goals and a good coach. Dynamo definitely has high goals, trying to get back to the Euroleague, and met both criteria, so that is one of the reasons that I came here. Coach Blatt is proving season after season that he is one of the best in Europe. His up-tempo, tough defense approach fits me well and I think he is going to be a top European coach for a long time. I am happy that I can play for him, I can only say the best things about him. I hope that our coach-player relationship will continue in the next seasons."
If successful in Torino, Dynamo not only would win an European trophy, but also advance to the 2009-10 Euroleague. What would those two accomplishments mean for you and your team?
"Going to the Euroleague is one of the most important goals for Dynamo. I think that this team deserves to be in the highest competition in Europe, just because they have put so much money and energy into it. People who work here love basketball and with the new arena, playing in one of the biggest cities in Europe, I think it would be a great opportunity not only for Dynamo, but also for European basketball to have this team in its highest competition. It should be an automatic thing to add Dynamo to the Euroleague, because it is one of the biggest teams in Europe. It is logical, but on the other hand I understand that we have to fight for it and prove that you can belong there by raising high the Eurocup trophy, having the cup in your hands. It would be great to win the Eurocup and auomatically qualify to the Euroleague. That is the best reward that you can get for winning this competition."
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Javier Gancedo, Eurocupbasketball.com
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