Bernardo Pires: "Sporting hasn't let me sleep"

After nearly a decade at Imortal – the last three seasons leading the men's Betclic League team, which will not return next season after withdrawing from top-tier competition due to insufficient funding – Bernardo Pires, 32, is set to take the helm at Sporting for the 2026/27 season.

However, before the official start of that challenge with pre-season training later this month, the coach participated in the Neemias Queta Training Camp, where he shared experiences with young players and assistant coaches from the Celtics.

— How did this invitation to participate in the Neemias Queta Training Camp come about at such a pivotal time for you, as you're about to take over as Sporting's coach, succeeding Luís Magalhães?
— It came as a follow-up to the previous two. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend last year because I was finishing my FIBA FEC course in Greece, but I was part of this camp in its first year. So, for me, it's once again a privilege and an opportunity to be here, as you saw earlier, conversing and, in a discussion, building and transmitting knowledge at the same time. It's another week doing what you love with joy. This camp truly embodies that.

— For a coach in the Portuguese League, what was it like to experience these days interacting with five Celtics assistant coaches – professionals from the world's biggest league, on a team vying for the title, where every detail matters? How does that learning process unfold?
— It's undoubtedly a reflection that we, coaches in Portugal, need to make about the future of our basketball, knowing that we are still behind in some aspects. However, it's also a challenge to share the court with them for an entire week and realize that we were transmitting knowledge, but also acquiring it. It was a week where, with humility, we both gave and received lessons.

— What specifically did you learn from them? Besides being on the court coaching, you must have gained a new perspective on certain aspects...
— I find it very interesting to understand their approach to individual training, physical preparation, and the precision and detail with which they prepare for games in a short amount of time, especially since they are always traveling. These are things that, for our reality – now that Portuguese teams also play in European competitions – are becoming increasingly relevant. The biggest lesson was realizing the emphasis they place on these areas: physical conditioning, individual technique, and individualized work. Their process is much more focused on the individual, from the part to the whole.

— Does it make you want to, for example, do an internship there?
— Of course. It would be very interesting for all of us to understand how everything works in the NBA, also to develop that critical spirit. The more information and knowledge we have from other realities, the better equipped we are to look inward and understand not only what's wrong, but also what's right.

— Experience shows that not everything is about money? The NBA is a rich league and has many people for each role, but on the organizational side, there are situations that don't depend on the budget...
— I believe this camp, as a whole, precisely demonstrates that not everything is about money. None of us are here to earn money. The purpose is clearly sharing and mutual growth. Therefore, the fact that five individuals from one of the world's biggest leagues are here working with young Portuguese players immediately shows that money is hardly an issue for the people involved here.

— Regarding your big challenge for next season: taking charge of Sporting, a team that competes for titles, contrasts with your previous goal of trying to reach the final stages. Is this the biggest challenge of your career?
— Yes, at least for now. As I've said: it's a challenge I will face, like all others to date, with great ambition to live up to the club's legacy and try to be the right person in the right place.

— When they first approached you, was it hard to sleep that night, given such a big career leap?
— I think it was hard to sleep that night and every night since! The goal in this short time has been to try and get everything in order so we can kick off pre-season in early August with everything ready to go.

— For someone who spent seven years in Albufeira, does it hurt to see Imortal out of the League?
— Yes, but more than hurting to see Imortal out of the League, it hurts a lot to see them in the 4th Division when we know it's a 1st Division club. Especially after these last few years where it undoubtedly became a national basketball reference for developing and providing opportunities for young players to grow at the top. Nothing more to say.